10/09/2012
Standing 43ft tall, this is the tallest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka. The fact that it's carved out of granite makes it an important icon of ancient craftsmanship as well.
It is said that the statue was sculpted by a stone mason named Bharana, in 5th century A.D., during the reign of King Dhathusena. Also, Mahanama thero, who is often accredited for the Mahavamsa, had stayed in this temple.
The statue follows the Amaravati style and shows the Abhaya mudra. The current name, Avukana, has evolved as follows:
