Sri Maha Bodhi or the sacred Bo tree (Ficus religiosa), is situated at Mahamewna
gardens in the ancient city Anuradhapura. According to Sri, Emerson Tennant this tree known as the world oldest tree in document history. Now a day age of the Bo tree 2,261 years, to 2025.
Its history extends to the period of the Gautama Buddha.
Even earlier to the Buddha, this tree was known as a special religious tree to Indian
people.
It compares the cosmic process to a tree which can be cut off by the mighty sword of
knowledge.
After giving-up the practice of asceticism with self-mortification recluse Siddhartha sat under a Bo tree and determined not to rise up unless finding the path of Enlightenment or realizing the truth of life.
He engaged in deep meditation on insight meditation.
The following morning, on the Wesak full moon day he realized the truth of life and the nature of the world, or attended Enlightenment or Buddhahood. After Enlightenment he is known as the ‘Buddha’.
This great historical event took place at Buddhagaya, state of Bihar
in India.
Even today this is the most sacred Buddhist pilgrim center in the world.
The supreme knowledge is known as ‘Bodhi”.
The tree which ascetic Siddhartha attained Enlightenment is also designated as Bodhi.
It is said the Gauthama Buddha spent 7 weeks in the vicinity of the Bo Tree to show his gratitude, because he meditated sitting under the shade of this tree.
Ever since the Bo tree has become a sacred object to Buddhists.
It is one of the associated relics of the Buddha.
King Asoka became the emperor of India after 200 years of the Buddha’s passing away.
He gave the royal patronage to spread the Buddhism around the world
Emperor Asoka sent his son Ven. MahindaThera with five other monks to Sri Lanka
to introduce and establish Buddhism.
It was on the full moon day of June the local people known as Poson full moon day.
236 BC, king Devanampiya Tissa’s reign.
Later sent Emperor Asoka’s daughter nun Sangamittha, on Unduvap full moon day
in December, 236 BC.
She brought a sapling from the right-hand side of the said sacred Bodhi tree with her, 18 clans of retinues came along with the sapling of Bodhi Tree to protect and nurture it. The sacred sapling had been planted in a higher elevation of the Royal Park, named
Mahameghawana in the south of Anuradhapura city.
There are five festivals related to Bo – Tree.
01 – Aluth Sahal Mangallaya. (Ceremony)
Holds in Duruthu full moon day in January with new rice.
Devotees bring the first portion of the new rice collected at the harvest and offer them
to the Bo tree to respect the Bo-tree and invoke blessing. There are special bowls at the image house where such rice is collected.
02 – New Year and Nanu Mura Mangallaya. (Ceremony)
Fall just before the Sinhala New Year festival.
In this festival the Bo tree is dressed with new robe and jewelry.
Milk rice is offered to Bo tree and Ruwanveli Saeya. A ritual bath is conducted in the Shrine room where the Buddha image is located.
The Buddha image is anointed with water mixed with herbs.
Since this herbal mixture is called Nanu the entire festival is named Nanumura
Mangallaya.
03 – Karthika Mangallaya. (Ceremony)
The celebrated on the full moon day of October/November.
It is basically a festival of lighting oil lamps.
Thousands of clay oil lamps with oil are lit and milk rice is offered to the Bo tree.
This seems to be a festival originally held in India.
03 – Daramiti Poya Mangallaya. (Ceremony)
This ceremony held to commemorate with firewood showing how
the tree was protected in olden days from wild animals.
Because wild elephants came at night in the ancient days to eat tender leaves.
The villagers light fire to chase them away during the night.
This festival is held in Nikini full moon day in the month of September.