Aukana means ‘sun eating’ and dawn, thus named because the light from the breaking dawn highlights the beautiful features of the magnificent 12 meter high statue of Lord Buddha. The statue was sculpted during the rule of King Dhatusena in the 5th century out of granite. The statue is built close to the Kala Wewa reservoir making the place look enchanting. The statue is in the ashiva mudra position that is the standing position of the statue which is known as the position of blessing which is not common in Sri Lanka. Aukana is quite popular among locals and tourists.
