Located 11 km East of the sacred city of Anuradhapura is referred by many as the “cradle of Buddhism” in Sri Lanka, as this is the very place where nearly 2,350 years ago, the great disciple of Lord Buddha, Arahath Mahinda Thero preached the Buddhist doctorine to the King “Dewanampiyatissa” of Sri Lanka. From then on the “mountain of Mahinda” is identified throughout the ages as a great monastic city for Buddhism.