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Located in the Northeastern province of Sri Lanka close to the Trincomalee District is Thiriyai, a small village that has made its place in history chiefly due to the stupa erected there by two cousin merchants who have brought with them the hair relics of Buddha. Although small and relatively unremarkable except for its position as a seaport, Thiriyai is today a town occupied by a largely Tamil community and can be found about 25 miles to the North of the town of Trincomalee through Nilaweli, the famous eastern coastal area. It is common practice of Sri Lankan visitors to Trincomalee or "Trinco" to stopover at this famous Buddhist site of pilgrimage as part of the trip, in addition to visiting the gorgeous beach of Nilaweli, the fort and the harbour that comprise the chief attractions of the city. The history of the village dates several centuries back and even pre-Christian era Brahmin inscriptions has been found in Thiriyai that belong to the 2nd century B.C. However the stupa was first discovered by a Chinese traveller who sighted it and in 1980 archaeologists unravelled the items and monument of historic significance.
The remains today is the Thiriyai vatadage, which encircles the small stupa, 'Girikandi chaitya' which is claimed to possess the hair relics of Lord Buddha, placed there by the two merchants Thapassu and Bhalluka. An 8th century inscription stone describes the above act by the two merchants while another small moonstone as well as six shrine rooms can also be found nearby. One of these shrine rooms contains a brick made statue of Buddha in a reclining position. Further statues were uncovered in 1983, when beneath a stone slab there were discovered 31 Buddha statues. 11 Bodhisatva images and a casket of which the top part forming a dagaba and the lower part the Dhyana Buddhas can be seen as well. One needs to find the services of a reputed Sri Lanka tours service as the journey can be rather long especially from the capital city of Sri Lanka. For such a long and tedious journey where the road is not always excellent and the directions not quite spot on as in the city limits, one needs the services of a veteran in the field like Jetwing Travels. With the famous name of Jetwing already linked to the hospitality and tourism trade, they offer a service that contributes a great deal for your Sri Lanka travel adventure and is ideal for tourists who want to unravel the ancient and historic attractions of the far corners of the island. Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+
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