Unduvap Poya in Sri Lanka takes place on the full moon day of Unduvap, the ninth month of the Sinhala calendar. This full moon celebrates the arrival of the Bo tree sapling in Anuradhapura, brought by Ashoka's daughter Sangamitta.
Unduvap Poya, the Bo sapling in Anuradhapura
The Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree in Bihar, India. In the 3rd century BC, Sangamitta Theri, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka brought a sapling from this Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka, arriving on the day of Unduvap Poya.
The sapling was planted in 288 BC by King Devanampiya Tissa, in Mahamevnāwa Park in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, where it still grows today. This makes it the oldest living tree planted by humans in the world with a known planting date.
Today, the tree is one of the most sacred relics for Buddhists in Sri Lanka and respected by Buddhists around the world. Thousands of devotees come to Anuradhapura on the day of Unduvap Poya to pay homage to the sacred Bo tree and observe the five precepts to lead an exemplary life.
Anuradhapura was a Ceylonese political and religious capital that flourished for 1,300 years. The city was abandoned after an invasion in 993 AD. Hidden in dense jungle for many years, the splendid site, with its palaces, monasteries and monuments, is now accessible again. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1982.
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Today in Sri Lanka there is the Unduvap full moon. In the 3rd century, the Emperor's daughter brought a sacred Bodhi sapling to Sri Lanka. The tree still grows and is one of the most sacred Buddhist relics in Sri Lanka. #mythology #myth #legend #unduvap #bodhi #calendar
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