Dakshina Stupa (Dakkhina Stupa)

The fourth largest dagaba among the six large dagabas in Anuradhapura is the Dakkhina Thupa.

It has an approximate circumference of 564 feet and a vertical height of 60 feet. Excavations around the structure began in 1896, revealing three concentric ambulatories and a bell-shaped superstructure. The base of the Dagaba is about 564 feet in perimeter, with the circumference of the garbha above the ambulatories being approximately 100 feet less. The 1899 reports mention the discovery of limestone relic caskets, all of which were found empty. The work was paused in 1900 due to excessive costs. According to historical chronicles, this site is believed to be where the remains of King Dutugemunu were cremated and later expanded. The Dakkhina Thupa was originally known as the Tissa-Maha-Cetiya, as indicated by a slab inscription discovered by Paranavitana. Hubert Weerasooriya provides an explanation for why it was referred to as the Tomb of Elara.

When Anuradhapura was excavated, the Indian conservancy coolies and Tamil laborers settled in this part of the city and began using the jungle-covered mound for non-religious purposes due to a lack of better facilities. To put an end to this sacrilege, a clever Buddhist spread the rumor that it was the tomb of their renowned king Elara that was being desecrated. This news spread quickly, leading to the cessation of the inappropriate activities. Despite achieving its goal, the misnomer persisted.

In 1818, this structure was referred to as the Elara Sohona by Pilimathalawa fleeing from the Kandyan kingdom, as documented by Forbes in his book "Eleven Years in Ceylon" published in 1840.

During excavations in 1947-1948, Paranavithana discovered a long slab inscription in Brahmi Characters on several broken slabs. This inscription, the longest of its kind in Sri Lanka, was published in 1971. It details various donations made for the maintenance of the Tissa-maha-cetiya of the Dakkhina Vihara, established by King Pita (Vattagamani Abhaya), son of His Majesty. Paranavitana noted that the name Dakkhina Vihara appears in more than a dozen places in the legible part of the document. This Dagaba ranks as the fourth largest among the six large dagabas of Anuradhapura: Abhayagri (approximate circumference 1,100 ft.); Jetawanarama (1,065 ft.); Ruwanveli (982 ft); Dakshina (564 ft.); Mirisavatiya (526 ft.) and Kiribath Vihara (425 ft.).