The great stupa at Anuradhapura known as the Ruwanwelisaya, or Swarnamali Maha Seya, is the subject of this account by Raween Kodagoda. It sets out the history of the monument from its origins onwards, drawing on ancient sources, among them the commentary on the Mahavamsa.
The book follows the stupa's story in two broad movements. The first covers its construction — the circumstances and the details recorded in the old chronicles about how the Maha Seya came to be built. The second carries the account forward to the restoration work of the modern period, so that the reader arrives at the stupa as it stands today rather than stopping at the close of the ancient record.
It is written in plain, straightforward Sinhala, pitched at the general reader rather than the specialist. The publisher presents it as a book for devout readers who wish to deepen their knowledge of and reverence for the great stupas, and the tone is devotional as much as historical.
Please note that this book is written entirely in Sinhala. There is no English text, and readers who cannot read Sinhala script will not be able to use it.
The publisher, M. D. Gunasena & Co. (Pvt) Ltd, is an established Colombo house issuing books in Sinhala and English.
Of interest to readers who follow the history of Buddhist monuments in Sri Lanka, to those preparing for or returning from a visit to Anuradhapura, and to Sinhala readers who want the chronicle material on the Maha Seya gathered in one accessible volume.
- Author: Raween Kodagoda
- Publisher: M. D. Gunasena & Co. (Pvt) Ltd
- Language: Sinhala
- Pages: 115
- ISBN: 978-9552134211
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