Mahamevnawa Monastery near Ella: Visiting a Working Buddhist Monastery
On a hilltop near Kumbalwela, a short drive from Ella town, a white stupa looks out over the hills. This is a branch of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery, a working Theravada monastery that the order calls its Bandarawela monastery and says is home to more than thirty monks. Visitors are welcome, and it is one of the calmest places around Ella to spend an hour.
What Mahamevnawa is
Mahamevnawa is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monastic order founded in 1999 by the Venerable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, who laid the foundation stone of the first monastery at Polgahawela on 14 August that year. It has since grown into a network of monasteries and meditation centres in Sri Lanka and abroad. Its monks follow the Theravada tradition and teach meditation and the Buddha's discourses.
What you will see
The heart of the monastery is its white stupa, which catches the evening light above the valley. Around it are the monastery's halls, where the monks live, meditate and chant, set among trees on the hilltop. If you arrive at the right time you may hear them chanting.
How to dress and behave
This is a place of worship and a home, not a sight. A few simple things make visitors welcome:
- Cover your shoulders and knees. A scarf or sarong over shorts is fine.
- Take off your shoes and hat in the temple areas; shoes that slip off easily help.
- Keep your voice low, and ask before photographing any monk.
- Never pose with your back to a Buddha statue, and do not point your feet at one when you sit.
- Do not touch or climb on the shrines.
- Avoid revealing clothes or tight sportswear.
Meditation and visits
The monastery welcomes visitors and there is no entry ticket. Mahamevnawa's own site says its monks can teach meditation to visitors; if you would like that, ask ahead so a monk is free. On Poya days, the monthly full moon holidays, it is worth checking before you go.
Getting there
The monastery is on a hill near Kumbalwela, on the road between Ella and Bandarawela. From Ella it is a short tuk-tuk ride; agree the fare before you set off, and ask the driver to wait while you visit.
On our Spiritual Icons half-day tour we visit the monastery first, then go on to the Ravana Cave. Your guide explains what you are seeing, makes sure you have what you need to cover up, and handles the transport. The tour runs in the morning or the afternoon, so it fits around a hike or a train.
For the rest of the area, see our Ella travel guide.
Questions travellers ask
Can tourists visit the Mahamevnawa Monastery near Ella?
Yes. The Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery near Ella, which the order calls its Bandarawela monastery, welcomes respectful visitors and has no entry ticket. It is a working monastery, so dress modestly and keep your voice low.
What should I wear to the monastery?
Cover your shoulders and knees, and wear shoes that slip off easily, because footwear and hats come off in the temple areas. A scarf or sarong over shorts is fine. Avoid revealing clothes or tight sportswear.
Can I meditate at Mahamevnawa?
Mahamevnawa's monks teach meditation, and the order's own site says visitors can learn. Ask in advance so a monk is free to guide you.
Where is the Mahamevnawa Monastery in Ella?
On a hilltop near Kumbalwela, on the road between Ella and Bandarawela, a short tuk-tuk ride from Ella town.
Is there a tour that visits the Mahamevnawa Monastery?
Yes. The Alpine Activities Spiritual Icons tour visits the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery and the Ravana Cave in about 3 hours, starting at 8am or 1pm, with hotel pickup from Ella, Haputale or Bandarawela. It costs $20 per person, booked online at alpineactivities.lk.