Muhudu Maha Viharaya is one of the important historical places in Sri Lanka, and is situated in Pottuvil, Eastern province of Sri Lanka on the south-eastern coastline of the Indian Ocean. It is near to very famous Arugam Bay, which is a popular surfing destination for Europeans and Austrailians. As the legend and some folk stories go, Princess Vihara Maha Devi has landed in this area.
This temple is said to be built by King Kavanthissa in the 2nd Century BC on the location where the King married the pricecess Vihara Maha Devi. The foundations of the “Magul maduwa” where the wedding ceremony took place can still be seen in the vihara premises. The entire Vihara complex had covered an extent of around 10,000 acres where ruins of a palace, moonstone , monastery, bo-maluwa, stupas, ponds etc. are found scattered all over. The moonstone here is said to be unique in the country as this is the the only location where elephants are carved with their mahouts in the moonstone.
Magul Maha Viharaya is said to be the place where Princess Vihara Maha Devi got married to King Kawantissa. Although the legend has it all explained, the story is yet to be backed by archaeological evidence. Veteran archaeologist, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, the only archaeologist to conduct research at the site, is convinced about its authenticity. According to Ven. Medhananda Thera, the temple is one of the oldest temples in the country with its history dating back to the early Anuradhapura period. He believes the temple to have been constructed by an early line of kings. "The temple could be almost 2000 years old," he pointed out, while adding that the majority of the artifacts still lie under the sand. During the initial excavations nearly 100 stone pillars were discovered buried under the sand suggesting a large Buddhist monastery and a temple complex buried uner the sands of time. “
Muhudu Maha Viharaya lies in town of Pottuvil boarding the sea in the east cost of Sri Lanka. Pothuvil is a muslim dominated area with very few other nationalities living there. The Muslim community in this area are the decedents of 4000 Muslim families who were given refuge by king Senarath in 1626 following their expulsion from the island’s Western coastal belt by the Portuguese led by Captain de Saa.
Muhudu Maha Viharaya, which had been built over 2000 years ago, had owned 264 acres during the British rule. By 1965 the land are had shrunk to 30 acres with over 200 acres grabbed by the Muslims. With the LTTE terrorists chasing away all the Sinhalese from the eastern region, this area went unchecked and by the time the war ended, another 27 acres was taken by the Muslims leaving only 3 acres of Muhudu Maha Viharara.
During the LTTE war (30-year civil war between LTTE Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan government) and thereafter, a single Buddhist priest has been living here protecting this site Muslim extremist elements who are continuously harassing the priest. When Fred first visited the site in 2007, the priest talked about the threats of the LTTE, how the surrounding Muslim landowners have pushed the temple boundaries so much that the temple owns only a small piece of land, days that he had lived without a single meal with almost non existent Buddhist community to support the temple, harassment of Muslim politicians, and the apathy of the government to protect the site.