The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.
Anuradhapura, North Central · 8.3709°, 80.3953°
One of the great monastic cities of ancient Anuradhapura, whose dagaba was raised by King Valagamba during his second reign in the late 1st century BCE and which grew into a centre where Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana learning coexisted. Its monks maintained scholarly links with China, Java and Kashmir, and from the 4th century the Buddha's Tooth Relic was shown here.
What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.
Tradition relates that Valagamba, taunted by a Jain ascetic named Giri as he fled a battle, vowed to build a monastery on the spot and fulfilled the oath fourteen years later on regaining his throne.
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Anuradhapura Kingdom
Answers only from cited records
Opening the line…