Sithulpahuwa Rajamaha Viharaya is a monastic settlement located near the Yala National Park in Hambantota. This is one of the significant Buddhist sites. The Buddhist complex Magual Maha Vihara originates from the 1st century BC, and a shrine (chetiya) from the 2nd century BC. They point to a well-settled community in the Ruhuna Kingdom. It’s believed that King Kawantissa built this complex. It offered a home to 12,000 inhabitants. The word pahuwa derives from the word pawwa, meaning a big rock in Sinhala. The temple was a place of worship for devotees as well as a center of Buddhist scholarship and still is one of the important centers of pilgrimage.