The book entitled ‘Vivaraṇa Sahita Vihāra Asna Hevat Nampota’ composed by Mahanuvara Malvatu Mahāvihāravāsī Darśanapati Venerable Hemmathagama Piyadassi Thero and Lecturer Hasitha Chamikara Gunasinghe of the Department of History, University of Kelaniya was launched on the 23^rd of May 2023 at the auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya.

 The ‘Vivaraṇa Sahita Vihāra Asna Hevat Nampota’ which demonstrates the heritage of ancient Buddhist temples and shrines in Sri Lanka is the largest book published on the subject. The first part of the book which is published in three parts, explains a hundred temples and shrines from Sagama Rajamaha Vihara to Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura.

Further, ‘Vivaraṇa Sahita Vihāra Asna Hevat Nampota’ is a catalog of 267 ancient temples and shrines in Sri Lanka that started around the twelfth century and ended in the Kandy era. This work is a basic textbook of pārivēṇika education then as well as now. It is special that students can get not only language skills but also an understanding of the Buddhist heritage and geographical knowledge of Sri Lanka by studying this book.

The launching ceremony took place under the patronage of Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero, Anunayake of Shyamopali Maha Nikaya of the Chapter - the Chancellor of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine. 

Emeritus Professor dēśamānya J. B. Dissanayake of the University of Colombo delivered the keynote speech of the ceremony on the ‘Importance of the Study of Vihāra Asna Hevat Nampota’.

Present at the occasion were Professor M. M. Gunatilake – Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Dr. Sudath Senarath - Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Mr. K. K. K. Dharmathilaka – Registrar of the University of Kelaniya, Dr. Chiran Jayasundara – Librarian of the University of Kelaniya, other distinguished invitees, and undergraduates of the university.