First Cave of " Aluvihara Rock Cave Temple",Sri Lanka.

Aluvihara temple is the main tourist attraction of Matale, which has special place in Sri Lanka history for being the place where Pali canon was first written down in palm leaves. Other tourist attraction near Aluvihara temple are the numerous monastery caves with some nice frescoes. There is also a 10 m reclining Buddha in the first cave of Aluvihara cave temples.They selected 500 Maha Theras for this purpose with Maha Thera Kunthagattha Tissa who was in Thuparama to guide them. They came to Aluvihara and with the patronage of Mathula Janapadaadipathi (a chief) wrote the Tripitaka in Pali.

Ven. Dr. Inamaluwe Nandarathana Thera stated that it is believed that one set of the Tripitaka is placed in a rock at Aluvihara, one in the Abhayagiri dagaba and the other was in the Library at Aluvihara. More than three years had been taken to complete the writing which was completed on a Vesak Poya day.

King Walagamba had commanded all viharayas in the island to organise a ‘pahan pooja’ (lighting of oil lamps) to mark the event. This became an annual event where a ‘perahera’(procession) started from Rajamaha Kohon Viharaya to end at Aluviharaya. However, with time, this custom ceased.

In 1971, the Government Agent in Matale had discussions with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and a Committee was formed to look into the historic and cultural aspects of Aluvihara. Thereafter it was declared an archaelogical heritage and protected area. This Committee approved the construction of two halls at the ‘Pahatha Maluwa’ for the use of worshippers.

In 1973, the ‘Sangayana Perahera’ recommenced to commemorate the writing of the Tripitaka and annually on the full moon Poya day of June, the perahera is conducted in Aluvihara, Matale.

It is on record that the scholar monk Buddhaghosa visited Aluvihara in the 5th century A.C. He read and checked on the commentaries of the Buddhist texts.

                                             Distance from Colombo to Matale:137Km