P.B. Mr. Rajanayake as chairman, A. W. Am. Written by Mr. Attanayake, M.G. Under the treasurership of Mr. Fernando, Somavathy Chaityawardena Samiti was established and the development of the pagoda began.
Built in 1953, after its destruction by terrorists in 1987, by 2002, only a few fragments of walls remained and was covered in jungle.
Since 1955, Polonnaruwa Shramadana Association, including Polonnaruwa High Commissioner Mr. Ridgway Thilakaratne, has been preparing the road annually due to the strong efforts and support of the colonists and devotees from various provinces of Lakdiwa, and by constructing the hall, well, vihara mandir, Sungawila Retirement Hall etc. near Dagaba until 1963. A lot of work was done.
Again on September 26, 1963, Sirimalwatte Sri Piyarathana Nayaka, who was the head of the Somavathy Rajamaha Vihara, and Anunayaka Thero of the Royal Pandita Pahamunea Sri Gunananda Malwathu, who was the head of the Somavathy Rajamaha Vihara, and the late Prime Minister Mr. Dudley Senanayake. Mr. Ridgway Thilakaratne as Chairman, Sub DSPW De Silva and R.B. Mr. Alawattegama also joined V.K.U. as joint secretaries. A society named Somavathy Chaityawardena Society consisting of 25 members including Mr. Ramanayake and Mr. Donald Hewagama and Mr. Albert Edirisinghe as treasurer was formed and the excavation work was started according to the guidance of the Department of Archaeology.
In 1964, during the excavation which started on Pozon full moon day, the crumbled stone soil was removed and dug into the dagaba. The inner dagaba was found when digging 5 feet, 5 inches, into the dagaba from the eastern direction.
A number of signs that have not been seen in the Dagabs that have been found so far appeared, so the archaeologists found the second Dagab while digging. According to this, the first Dagaba was built by Devi Somavati and Prince Giri Abha, and the second Dagaba was built in AD. It is also believed to have been built by King Kanittatissa in 164 and thus it can be said that it is a Kakdchuka Chaitya.
Along with this, in digging to a depth of 5 feet 5 inches from the ground level, 4 moon lamps with a length of 12 feet 6 inches and a width of 6 feet 3 inches, and three malasun houses around the dagaba were fully uncovered and the length of the malasunge was 14 feet. And its height is 22 feet. A gate of Malasungei is 8 feet high. Width is 2 feet. The distance between two Malasun houses is 50 feet. The other Malasung's have been preserved in the same way to see them with their own eyes. The moon lamps were made of white stone like limestone and were protected with bricks around the dagaba. The length of one side of that wall is 128 feet. The left corner of the right side of the inner Salapathala courtyard is a protective temple
Along with this, 6 inscribed stones, fragments of an inscribed clay pot and parts of several other pots were found in the courtyard. The length of this footprint is 3 feet 2 1/2 inches. A part of the broken cable and the chhatray are lying near Dagaba.
During the excavation around the pagoda, B.C. 1st century and AD Two inscriptions belonging to the 1st century, a Pohaya boundary called Maniagiya, a temple complex, 4 defensive temples on the four sides, ruins of buildings such as Sanghavasa, Sakmanmalu, Pan Pokunuu, etc. are 1000 feet to the east from Chaityarajaya and 600 feet away from the other three sides are the defensive gates of the wall. 4 and 8 protective temples in the inner courtyard, the stone-paved Salapathala court from Chaityaraja to the rampart, and the ruins of 60 sanghavas outside the rampart 1000 feet east of Chaityaraja, all of which were formally excavated. It was done according to the instructions of Archeology Director Mr. Charles Godakumbura and Director Mr. Roland Silva.6 Siripa inscriptions 3 feet 2 1/2 inches long carved in a lighter stone than granite were found in each courtyard. It is possible to think that during the Pradakshina of Chaitya, these Siripa stopped and worshiped at the places where there were inscriptions. Many figures of elephants have been found carved from a different kind of bright stone than the black stone. At the same time, the following antiquities belonging to the period of Giriaba's reign, which were found during the excavation around Chaityarajaya and were found in the square fort and Devata fort, have been handed over to the Polonnaruwa Museum for safekeeping.
1. The metal manjusa of King Giriaba.
2. Dhatu Manjusa is one with gold leaf inside with jatra.
3. Dhatu Manjusa is the same without Jatra.
4. Dhatu Manjusa is the two parts.
5. The Three Rebellions.
6. The oblong relics are the Manjusa.
7. The two amphitheaters.
8. Two tridents with metal rods.
9. The two broken pieces.
10. There are 13 bowls.
11. An old oyster.
12. A lot of different stones with a ruby.
13. 4 pieces of pottery with Naga figures.
14. 3 pieces of clay animal figures.
15. 1 siripathul made of crystal.
16. 5 parts of a clay pot.
17. A block of bricks used to make the three-petal pesa of the first pagoda.
18. A block of bricks used to make the three-petal pesa of the second pagoda.
19. A stone in the Devata fort.
20. A stone in the womb.
21. 4 species of gemstones 4 inches long and 2 inches wide with a metallic stick attached in the middle.
On August 1, 1966, under the leadership of the late Prime Minister Mr. Dudley Senanayake, the foundation stone was laid and the restoration work of the pagoda started. On the day of laying the foundation stone of the pagoda, the laying of the foundation stone for a bridge across the Periyaru river was done by Minister CP De Silva and the then Local Government Minister R. By Mr. Preramadasa's hand, by the year 1969, the then Minister of Local Government R. Due to the strong efforts of the former President Premadasa, the foundation stone for the Chaitanya garbha was laid on the same day after the bridge was completed and opened.
Chaityarajaya's Garbha Nidhanotsava on June 04, 1974, presided over by the late Venerable Sri Ananda Mahanayake Mahanayake, and on July 1, 1977, the then President Sir William Gopalwa, Deputy Minister of Culture W. Mr. M.G. Under the leadership of Mr. Tikiribanda, the treasure of the relics of Devata Fort was done on July 19, 1978.
At the end of the religious rituals such as Sati Pirith of donning the koth, sitting at the door and praying at the door, His Excellency JR. It was done on July 04, 1981 by His Excellency Jayawardena.
On December 15, 1987, the terrorists came to Chaityarajaya, took off the chudamanikya and destroyed the womb of the temple by about 1 1/2 feet. As a consequence of those crimes on the same day, the gun somehow went off in the hands of the terrorist leader and Chaityaraja died in front of him. The chudamanik, which was recovered by the terrorists, was kept in the custody of the Department of Archeology and was re-worn on 19 June 2002.
By August 28, 1999, trees had sprouted on Chaityarajaya, the water was tied up and the hearts of everyone who saw it was in a state of shock.
On February 27th, 2002, on the full moon day of the ninth full moon, and on the middle of March 28th, the venerable Maha Sangha of the area, ministers, chief state officials, and other dignitaries, held a religious ceremony called Maha Dalada Pujama and gave Sanghika Maharatna to over 200 Maha Sanghas. the goddess , King Giriaba and those Rajaraja Maha Matyadins and all the devotees who helped to find Chaityaraja today, as well as laymen and all those who died due to terrorist threat.
It should be recalled with gratitude that the Somavathy Temple was able to be put in such a state despite the threat of terrorism, even though the sacred grounds including the annual Somavathy Chaityarajaya were under flood after the Chudamanikya ceremony on June 24, 2002 Poson Full Moon Poho.