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Thiriyai, Trincomalee District, Eastern Province · 8.8704°, 81.0073°
A hilltop stupa at Thiriyai believed to hold hair relics of the Buddha, enlarged in the 8th century and enclosed by a vatadage of concentric stone pillars like those at Thuparama and Lankarama. An inscription links it to King Silamegha, and it was later repaired under Vijayabahu I.
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.
The Pujavaliya tells that the merchants Tapassu and Bhalluka, carrying the Buddha's hair relics, set the casket down on this rock and found it could no longer be lifted, so they raised a stupa over it.
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Anuradhapura
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