The Oldest Living Tree in Recorded History

The spiritual heart of Anuradhapura, the Sri Maha Bodhi is believed to be a sapling from the original Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Planted over 2,300 years ago by Princess Sangamitta, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka, this tree has been continuously cared for by generations of monks and devotees.

The site is enclosed within a series of protective walls and surrounded by well-tended gardens, shrines, and golden railings. The ambiance is deeply reverential—pilgrims clad in white lay flowers at its base, chant sutras under its branches, and circle the tree in meditative procession. Sunlight filtering through the sacred fig leaves casts dappled patterns over the courtyard, creating a tranquil spiritual atmosphere. The Sri Maha Bodhi is not only a living link to the Buddha but also an enduring emblem of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist identity.