Sri Maha Bodhi
A fig tree grown from a cutting of the one the Buddha sat under, planted in 288 BC and tended without a break since — the oldest human-planted tree on earth with a documented history.
What Sri Maha Bodhi actually is
In 288 BC the nun Sanghamitta, daughter of the Indian emperor Ashoka, brought a cutting of the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya — the fig under which the Buddha attained enlightenment — and it was planted here. It has been tended continuously ever since, through invasions, the abandonment of the city and 2,300 years of weather. No other planted tree on earth has a continuous documented history like it.
The tree itself is smaller than visitors expect and propped on gold-painted supports, ringed by a wall added in the 18th century to keep elephants out. Descendant saplings grow around it. You view it from terraces below rather than approaching directly.
Come at dusk. White-clad pilgrims arrive with lotus flowers and trays of offerings, oil lamps are lit along the terraces, and monks chant. Almost everyone there is worshipping rather than sightseeing, and it is by some distance the most affecting hour in Anuradhapura — more so than any of the great stupas.
Worth your attention
The tree at dusk
Oil lamps, chanting and pilgrims in white. Arrive around an hour before sunset and simply stand still for a while.
The offering terraces
Lotus flowers laid out in patterns, incense, and families who have travelled a long way to be there. Watch rather than photograph.
The 18th-century wall
Built to keep wild elephants from the tree, and still the boundary of the inner precinct.
Brazen Palace
The forest of 1,600 stone columns immediately south, all that survives of a nine-storey monastic building.
Before you go
Do this
- Go at dusk, an hour before sunset
- Wear white if you have it; modest dress with covered shoulders otherwise
- Carry socks — the paving is hot until well into the evening
- Ask before photographing anyone at prayer
- Pair it with Ruwanwelisaya, five minutes away, in the same evening
Know this first
- Shoes and hats off well before the inner precinct
- Poya days bring very large crowds and long queues
- This is the most sacred spot in the country for many visitors — behave accordingly
- Security checks apply at the entrance to the precinct
Getting to Sri Maha Bodhi
Sri Maha Bodhi sits within reach of Anuradhapura, so almost everyone visits it as part of a stay there rather than as a trip in its own right. Our Anuradhapura guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Anuradhapura — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Anuradhapura guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Sri Maha Bodhi — frequently asked
How old is the Sri Maha Bodhi?
It was planted in 288 BC from a cutting of the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, making it over 2,300 years old and the oldest human-planted tree in the world with a continuous written record of its care.
What should I wear to the Sri Maha Bodhi?
White is traditional and will be appreciated. Otherwise modest dress with shoulders and knees covered. Shoes and hats must come off before entering the precinct, and the paving stays hot into the evening — carry socks.
When is the best time to visit?
Late afternoon into dusk, when pilgrims arrive with offerings and the lamps are lit. Midday is hot, bright and much less atmospheric.
Is there a separate ticket?
The Anuradhapura site ticket, around US$ 30, covers the sacred city. A small separate donation is customary at the Bodhi precinct itself.
Other places worth the detour
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