The sacred city of Anuradhapura holds many of Sri Lanka’s most culturally and historically significant locations. This is somewhat unsurprising as the city is the location of the country’s first major kingdom. Every year, thousands of travellers and pilgrims alike flock to the city in order to visit its sacred site. Among these, none are considered to be more sacred or culturally significant as the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Tree – a must-visit if you’re planning to absorb the rich culture and history of Anuradhapura.
the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi has a long and storied history. In essence, this sacred fig tree was born from a branch of the sacred fig tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. The branch was shipped from India and was planed in Sri Lanka in 288BC. This makes the tree one of the oldest living human-planted trees on the planet! Nowadays, the Bodhi is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites anywhere in the world and pilgrims from all around Asia regularly make a trip to the site and pay their respects.
During ancient times, many of Sri Lanka’s legendary kings paid tribute and gifted offerings to the tree. One such example is King Vasabha – who reigned from 65 to 107 AD. He added ornated statues of the Buddha along the four corners of the tree. As the decades went by, more Kings would construct similar statues around the Bodhi tree while also constantly renovating the entire site as a whole.
You can enjoy all of this splendour by visiting the sanctuary of the Bodhi Tree yourself. You’ll find quite a number of pilgrims at the site but don’t be put off by that, visitors act with a sense of reverence around the tree. All in all, these sacred grounds are bathed in a tranquil, peaceful aura that is sure to put you at ease after a long day trekking through Anuradhapura.
