This dagoba (the largest at Mihintale) is thought to have been built to house relics of Mahinda, though some sources claim it enshrines a hair of the Buddha.
To the side you'll find the original, smaller brick Sela Chaitya, one of the oldest stupas in Sri Lanka and said to mark a meditation site of the Buddha. From here, there are views over the lakes and trees to Anuradhapura.
A small temple at the side of the dagoba has a reclining Buddha and Technicolor modern frescoes – donations are requested. A room at the side is a devale (a complex designed for worshipping a Hindu or local Sri Lankan deity) with statues of the gods Ganesh, Vishnu, Murugan (Skanda) and Saman.
