'Sri Maha Bodhi', Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

The entrance to the site.

An ancient 'Guard-stone' chiselled out of granite..

Devotees offering fresh flowers.

The sacred 'Bo tree' with a fence of gold railings.

After bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Mahinda Thero in 250 BC Emperor Asoka in India sent his daughter Theri Sanghamitta to the island with a branch of the Sacred Bodhi obtained from the main stem of the bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya under which Buddha attained enlightenment. The king Tissa received the sapling and planted it at the present site in 249 BC. Taking this information to account today (in 2013) the Sri Maha Bodhitree is exactly 2263 years old. Thus this tree is the oldest tree in world in the recorded history. Even after the Anuradhapura was deserted as the capital of the country and encroached by the jungle, pious people nevertheless tendered to the tree effortlessly. The villagers lit bonfires to frighten off wild elephants. As the time went on the villagers made it a habit to collect firewood for the whole year on one single day. This possession was called “Daramiti Perahara” (Firewood Possession) which continues up to this day.

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