Kiri Vehera
A white stupa 800 metres north of the Kataragama Devalaya, probably dating to the 3rd century BC. It is counted among the Solosmasthana, the 16 most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites of ancient Sri Lanka, and pilgrims bring it flowers after visiting the shrines below.
- Where
- Kataragama, Uva, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 6.4200, 81.3360
Get the Kiri Vehera stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Kiri Vehera. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Uva volume with your photos and a note.
Near Kiri Vehera
Kataragama Devalaya 0.5 km
A temple complex once deep in the jungle, dedicated to the deity Kataragama, honoured by Hindus as the war god Murugan. It is one of the few sacred sites revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the Vedda people alike, with shrines and a mosque standing side by side.
Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya 13 km
An ancient monastery among the rocks of the Yala forest, 18 km east of Kataragama, believed to have been founded by King Kavantissa in the 2nd century BC. Its name comes from Chiththala Pabbatha, the hill of the quiet mind, and the rock summit looks out over the jungle.
Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara 16 km
One of the four great monasteries founded in Sri Lanka after the monk Mahinda brought Buddhism to the island. From the 3rd century BC to the 11th century AD it was the leading centre of Buddhist learning in the south, and its white dagoba is one of the largest stupas in the country.
Yala National Park 23 km
A 979 square kilometre park on the Indian Ocean, protected since 1900, with monsoon forest, scrub, lagoons and beach. It is the best known place in Sri Lanka to see leopards, and also shelters elephants and 215 species of birds.
Bundala National Park 26 km
A coastal park of lagoons and scrub that is an important winter home for migratory water birds, with 197 species recorded and flocks of greater flamingos the highlight. In 1991 it became Sri Lanka's first Ramsar wetland, and in 2005 a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Maligawila Buddha 34 km
A standing Buddha carved from a single block of limestone in the 7th century by Prince Aggabodhi of Ruhuna, the tallest free standing ancient Buddha statue in the country. Found broken into pieces in 1951, it was put back together and raised upright again in 1980.
Kumana National Park 40 km
A park on the southeast coast that runs into Yala and was known as Yala East until 2006. It is famous for its birds, above all the great flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds that gather in its lagoons and swamps.
Buduruvagala 41 km
Seven figures carved in the 10th century into one rock face in the forest near Wellawaya. The giant standing Buddha still carries traces of its stucco robe and orange paint, and beside it stand Mahayana figures thought to be Avalokitesvara and his consort Tara.
More hidden gems in Uva
Questions
Where is Kiri Vehera?
Kiri Vehera is in Kataragama, Uva, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Kataragama Devalaya (0.5 km), Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya (13 km), Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara (16 km).
How do I get the Kiri Vehera stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Kiri Vehera and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Uva volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Kiri Vehera before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Uva volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.