Delgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya

• Delgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple situated 0.5km from the main Colombo -Rathnapura highway (A4) close to Kuruwita town at the end of Vihara Mawatha on a hillock . The temple is reputed as the secret location of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha which was hidden during for over 40 year Portuguese rule in Sri Lanka. 
• The temple has been declared as one of the archaeologist sites in Sri Lanka . 
• The history of Delgamuwa Viharaya goes back to the period of Sitawaka kingdom . In the past the temple was known as Saparagamu Viharaya as well as Labujagama Viharaya .

With the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505 and the death of the king Buwanekabahu 7 of kotte kingdom , a political turmoil prevailed in the country . This intensified with the embracement of Catholicism by the succeeding King Don Juan Dharmapala . This made the then Diyawadana Nilame Hiripitiye Rala , who was the custodian of the tooth relic, to move the relic from Kotte kingdom to King Mayadunne of Sithawaka for safe keeping in 1549. 

 

• With the guidance of King Mayadunne the tooth relic was brought to Delgamuwa Viharaya for further safekeeping and kept inside a Kurahan grinding stone. 
• In 1592 , Konappu Bandara , who ascended the throne of Kandy again , changed his name as Wimaladarmasuriya 1, and moved the tooth relic from Delgamuwa Viharaya in Kuruwita to Kandy . He managed to build a separate two-storied section to enshrine the tooth relic wighin the palace as well complex . 
• A few years after the removal of tooth relic , Delgamuwa Viharaya wasvdemolished by the Portuguese who constructed a fort instead . 

(Source :History of Sabaragamuwa)