Shasthrawela

Halfway between Pottuvil and Panama lies the monastery of Shasthrawela. Once the abode of 500 Arhat Bhikkus, Shasthrawela now lies in ruins, with most of its treasures plundered and destroyed over time by raiders, wild animals and the unforgiving weather.

On a road leading towards the beach from the Pottuvil – Panama highway, lies Pan Kande Hela: a series of undulating hills running its course to the seashore near the inlet of the Heda Oya. It ends in a rocky outcropping with a sheer precipice facing the sea. This area is positively riddled with caves and outcroppings which were used by the Bhikkus of that time for meditation.

At the base of the hill lies the ruined remains of a large stupa, almost 500 feet in circumference, and 60 feet in height. its center has been hewn apart by treasure-hunters, and the brickwork is now held together and kept from crumbling to pieces by the gnarled roots of the trees which have grown atop it over time. This appears to be one of the largest stupas in the eastern province unearthed to date.

A stone inscription nearby states that King Maha Dhataka Maha Naga, son of Pudakana Gamini Abhaya, grandson of King Devana Piya Gamini Naga has donated this land and its vestments to the Maha Sangha, and is hereby named as the Bodhigiri Naga Pabbatha Vihara. The Mahawamsa also refers to a monastery constructed by King Dhataka, known as “Mani-Naga Pabbatha Vihara,” in the Kalayana Kannika Kingdom. The Mahawamsa further states that Kalayana Kannika is an ancient reference to the kingdom of Rohana. With these facts considered, it is the opinion of archaeological experts such as C. W. Nicholas that the Bodhigiri Naga Pabbatha Vihara referred to in the stone inscription and the Mani-Naga Pabbatha Vihara mentioned in the Mahavamsa are one and the same.

“Shasthrawela” seems to be a distortion of “Rahath-wela > Rathra-wela,” stemming from the fact that the Arhat Bhikkus used to frequent the river running alongside the paddy fields for their daily ablutions, and so in essence it became the “wela frequented by rahath Bhikkus.”

A little further in lies the entrance to the monastery, through a narrow and steep uphill pathway strewn with the ruins of an ancient rock staircase and adornments. Forlorn stone pillars bear silent witness to the invading jungle from either side. The stairway leading to the upper caves has become twisted with the roots and undergrowth, making the path a precarious one. It opens up into a clearing with a large cave facing the northwest. Within it lie the remains of a large reclining Buddha statue, almost 30 feet in length, and near-totally destroyed by treasure hunters. The cave wall had been plastered over and adorned with frescoes, but only glimpses of mauve and hints ochre remain today, and I can only imagine what a wondrous sight this may have been as the early rays of morning sun bathed this very cave two millennia ago, giving life to the paintings on the wall and flowing gently over the Buddha’s saffron robes.

Further uphill is a vantage point from which the entire seascape of Arugam Bay is visible. It is possible to grasp the vastness of this monastery from here, and it is, in a word, staggering! I stand near the plundered ruins of two stupas, each over 20 feet in diameter. The monk accompanying us speaks of another larger stupa on the adjacent hill, a little inland, and a smaller one on the rocky outcropping near the sea. I ponder on what a glorious and welcoming sight this may have been to vessels sailing in from the far east. Four stupas of Mani-Naga Pabbatha, standing proud and glistening in white, reflecting the rays of morning sun, serving as a beacon to indicate that they have reached the Isle of Serendipity, the resplendent land.