Deegavapi
Eastern Province
Photo by Limiotp1 via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
About Deegavapi
Deegavapi (Dighavapi) is the loneliest of the sixteen holiest places of Buddhist Sri Lanka - and that solitude is its power. Tradition records that the Buddha, on his third visit to the island, sat in meditation at this spot in the Gal Oya lowlands; the great brick stupa raised over the hallowed ground in the 2nd century BC by King Saddhatissa grew to enormous scale, and its weathered dome - partially restored, still wearing its centuries frankly - rises today from a plain of paddy and palmyrah far from any tourist route, east of Ampara. Pilgrims trickle in steadily, especially on poya days; foreign visitors are rare enough to be greeted with surprise. Inscriptions, ancient bricks stamped with their makers' marks, and a small museum fill out the story. Combine it with Gal Oya's boat safari or Rajagala's mountain ruins for the east's deepest heritage day.
Top Activities
- ✓The great stupa and its terrace
- ✓Poya-day pilgrimage atmosphere
- ✓Small site museum
- ✓Combine with Rajagala and Gal Oya
- ✓Paddy-country drives
Nearby Attractions
Closest Places in This Guide
Straight-line distances; allow considerably longer by road, especially in the hills.
Travel Tips
Dress in white or modestly - pilgrims set the tone here.
Pair with Rajagala for a full Ampara heritage day.
Carry water; the terrace is wide and shadeless.
Quick Info
Best Time
May to September
Weather
Hot and dry; mornings are gentlest for the open terrace.
Estimated Daily Budget
7.2872°N, 81.7906°E
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