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Aradana Gala: The rock of invitation

 




Aradana Gala is where the Arhat Mahinda arrived from India.

 

Aradanagala is a  boulder on the summit of Mihintale mountain. This is from where Arhat Mahinda addressed king Devanampiyatissa for the first time. King was  hunting deer below the rock in the mango forest on the mountain plateau. Arhat Mahinda, the missionary and son of Emperor Ashoka of India, came to Mihintale to officially inaugurate Buddhism in the country in 263 B.C. Ashoka became an emperor  in India 218 years after Lord Buddha passed away. He converted to Buddhism  after seeing the mass deaths of Kalinga war which he won. Emperor Asoka promoted the spread of Buddhism across Asia.


 

 The historical meeting of Monk Mahinda and the king 2,329 years back is commemorated annually in June on a full moon day by Buddhists across the country with Mihintale being the focal point. They make an annual pilgrimage to Mihintale summit and other historical locations in the surrounding. Arhat thero arrived with six other disciples from India but didn’t reveal them to the king thinking the king would get scared.  Later the other companions were revealed and the king was invited  to come closer without fearing them. Hence, it is known as "Aradana Gala" in sinhala and "Invitation rock" in English. Another name is "Sila Gala" meaning "virtue rock." King Devanampiyatissa became a Buddhist after his conversations with Arhat Mahinda on that day.  The legend state novice monk Sumana of the emissary invited the gods and deities to the first sermon of Arhat Mahinda thera from Aradana Gala.

 

Lord Buddha had visited Mihintale on his third visit to the country which was then called Missaka Pabbatha.   It is 1000 feet in elevation. Total steps up to top of Mihintale plateau is 1840. From there you need to take some more steps carved in to the Aradana rock and some  small boulders to get to the top of the largest boulder on which Arhat Thero arrived. There is an Iron railing to support pilgrims to climb and an iron  fence on  top of the rock for support as it is very windy  up there. Once you climb up to the top of Aradana Gala you get a 360 degree view of Mihintale and surrounding country side as far as the eye could see. From one side Aradana gala directly faces Maha Seya which is  on another summit of a small hill on the Mihintale Plateau.  Even during very windy weather pilgrims never  fail to visit top of this rock. 

 

 

 

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Location: Mihintale, Sri Lanka

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