Pusulpitiya is a village in Kothmale about 3 miles from Morape on the banks of the Kothmale Oya. This area is full of folk legends as this is the area which Prince Dutugemunu spent his childhood when Elara was ruling Anuradhapura.
This temple is historically linked with the Sacred Tooth Relic as it has found refuge here several times during the times of political unrest. It is said that the relic was hidden here during the Maga's rule (1215-1236) at Polonaruwa. Vijayabahu III (1232-1236) took it back to Dambadeniya where he established the kingdom. The sacred Tooth Relic again found refuge here when the British entered the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815. But the British found it and took it back to the Kandy.
The temple is also said to have one of the four valuable buddha statues which has been brought to Sri Lanka from India by Arahat Maliyadeva (The last maha arahat to live in Sri Lanka). The other 3 statues are housed at Vattarama, Diddeniya and Madanvela. This seated bronze statue under a Makara Thorana is a beautiful work of art. Apart form this statue, there is nothing of significant historic value in the temple.
Primary Source : "Kandy"
By Central Cultural Fund
