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Senanayake Aramaya in Sri Lanka: Where Buddha's Hair Relics are enshrined

Most of you might not know that apart from the “Tooth Relics of Buddha” that resides at the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy the Sacred Hair Relics of Lord Buddha also resides in Sri Lanka. The Sacred Hair Relics resides at the “Senanayake Aramaya”, which is situated on the Main Chilaw Road, at Madampe, Sri Lanka.

This temple was built by the late Gate Mudliyar L. M. W. Senanayake and late D. M. W. Senanayake. Now, the Senanayake family has their own trust fund to maintain the temple complex. "This is the only temple which is not funded by any other person or organisation", says Chairman of the Trust Fund of the temple, Kirthi Senanayake. Kirthi Senanayake is a nephew of the late Gate Mudliyar and is the youngest son of D.M.W Senanayake.

According to him, the stupa here was built to commemorate the 2500th Buddha Jayanthi. The Sacred Hair Relics of the Buddha were received from East Pakistan, which is now known as Bangladesh. Enshrining a large amount of sacred relics and artifacts, in a stupa especially built for the purpose, was a unique event at that time in Sri Lanka.

Not only the event, the temple itself is a unique creation. This stupa, which took nearly 10 years to build, is made of solid granite. It had been made piece by piece. "It is the only one of its kind in the world", added Kirthi Senanayake.

There is a sapling of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi, planted in the premises of this temple. Apart from the Hair Relics offered by the living Buddha, to the two brothers Tapassu and Bhalluka, these are the other items enshrined in the stupa: ·Buddha relics obtained from a stupa in the Swat Valley. ·Buddha relics obtained from the Dharma Kalavan stupa at Gandhara. ·Ash relics obtained from the funeral pyre of the Buddha, wrapped in a gold plate. ·Two sacred relics of Arhants Majjhima and Kantipura, who participated in the 3rd Council held during the reign of King Asoka. ·A few sacred Buddha relics obtained from Mir Pur Khas Stupa, which belongs to the Kanishka period. ·Two caskets containing sacred relics.