Indikatu Seya Complex at Mihintale
ඉඳිකටු සෑය
Ruins of the Indikatu Saya at the foot of the mountain
This shrine was separated by a Vihara complex and had been served by a rampart. There are two entrances providing access to the right. One is enormous; the other one is small. The section serving as the main entrance had been subdivided. This, too, has been divided by ramparts. On the east, there are ruins of a building with pillars and to the left of the main entrance is another house. It has been identified as a sauna bath.
The stupa is located at the mouth of the primary access and is found on an elevated square platform 1.67 meters in height. The entrance facing the east contains a moonstone, guard stones and fences. The platform measures 12.2 meters on one side, and the circumference of the dagaba is 6.1 meters. There are three stone-made terraces for this stupa. The top terrace is embellished with a sculpture depicting lotus petals. Conservation work on _ this commenced in 1923. During excavations done at that time, a copper plate inscription had been discovered. The script of the copper plate belonged to the 8 ~ 9 century. And had been written in Sanskrit. It contains a portion of a Mahayana sutra titled Kasyapa parivarta. Accordingly, it has been concluded that this stupa had enshrined Dharma Dhatu (relics of the Doctrine).
There is a unit of the pancavasa with a large square pond near the north of the stupa. It appears to be a well constructed and well-designed pond.
(Heritage of Rajarata by Prof. Chandra Wikramagamage P171)
Location Information
References & External Links
Wikipedia - Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA)
Professor T.G.Kulathunga (2004). "4". Lankave Stupaya(Stupa of Sri lanka) (in Sinhala) (first ed.)