A tree with a long record
At the heart of the sacred area of Anuradhapura stands a venerable fig tree, Ficus religiosa, known as the Sri Maha Bodhi, or “great sacred Bodhi tree”. It is revered by Sri Lankan Buddhists as a living descendant of the tree at Bodh Gaya, under which, according to tradition, the Buddha attained awakening. It is often described as one of the oldest trees with a documented planting date anywhere in the world. That is a popular claim rather than something that can be proved, and it is best repeated with caution, but the length of the written tradition is remarkable.
The tradition of the cutting
The story comes from the island’s chronicles, mainly the Mahavamsa, composed by monks several centuries after the events. They tell that after the monk Mahinda had established Buddhism in the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa in the third century BCE, the king asked for a female monastic order and for a branch of the Bodhi tree. Mahinda’s sister, the nun Sanghamitta, is traditionally said to have come from India, bringing a branch or sapling of the Bodhi tree sent by her father, the Indian ruler Ashoka. The branch is described as having been taken from the tree at Bodh Gaya and carried to the coast, then to Anuradhapura by ship and overland.
The king is said to have planted it in the Mahamegha garden, and tradition holds that it took root and flourished. Details of this account, such as miracles of the journey, belong to devotion rather than to history, but the broad claim, that a sapling linked to the Bodh Gaya tree was planted at Anuradhapura around that time, has long been central to Sri Lankan identity. Chinese pilgrims such as Faxian, who visited the island in the early fifth century, also described a revered Bodhi tree at the capital, which is useful independent evidence of the long veneration.
The tree and its care
A living tree is not static. Over its long life it has been protected by kings, enclosed within terraces, and propped by supports. Chronicles refer to rulers who built walls and railings to protect it, and historical periods of conflict saw danger to the site. Today the main tree stands on a raised platform within several layers of terraces. Golden-coloured railings enclose the terrace and the branches are supported by posts, while old branches are cared for with great attention. Fallen leaves are traditionally treated with respect.
Tradition also holds that saplings grown from the Anuradhapura tree have been planted at other temples in Sri Lanka and abroad, forming part of the Bodhi tree lineage that links sites across the Buddhist world. Some accounts say that a later tree at Bodh Gaya was itself replanted from a Sri Lankan sapling, after the original was damaged. The history of the present Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya is complicated, and sources differ on these details. What matters here is that the exchange is remembered as a gift passing in both directions.
How pilgrims venerate it
The Sri Maha Bodhi is one of the most visited shrines on the island and a destination for pilgrims at any time of year, with the largest crowds on full moon days. Typical acts of devotion include:
- Offering flowers at the altars around the terrace.
- Pouring scented water at the base of the tree or on the stone platform, as an act of care and respect, in a practice sometimes called Bodhi puja.
- Lighting oil lamps and sometimes incense.
- Circumambulating the tree, usually clockwise, in quiet reflection.
- Sitting in meditation or chanting verses of praise.
Devotees associate the tree with the Buddha’s awakening and see it as a reminder of the path he taught, not as a divinity to be worshipped. Views on exactly how to understand these acts differ between individuals, and the tree is an image of awakening that is found in the Bodhi tree symbolism of many Buddhist traditions.
Visiting respectfully
The shrine is an active place of worship that stays busy and calm at once. Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and wear light, plain clothing, often white. Remove shoes and head coverings before approaching the terraces, and be aware that the stone can be hot. Do not touch the tree or pick leaves, do not climb on the supports and avoid turning your back to the tree for photographs. Keep your voice low, give way to elderly worshippers, and follow instructions from staff or volunteers.
Security checks, queues and restricted zones are common, and access arrangements and opening times change. Large crowds gather on Poya days, and visitors should be careful in packed conditions. Check current official information and travel advice before visiting.
A shared symbol
The Sri Maha Bodhi connects Anuradhapura to Bodh Gaya, and through it to the whole story of Buddhism travelling from India across the sea. Standing beneath its branches, many visitors reflect on how a living tree, cared for over so many generations, has come to stand for continuity in a tradition that otherwise relies on stone, brick and text.