Bodhi (Bo) Tree

The Bodhi Tree (also known as Bo), the sacred tree of Buddhism in Anuradhapura, might be described as the heart and soul of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and hugely venerated as a direct connection to the Buddha himself. Legend has it that this ancient fig tree is a descendant of the very Bodhi tree in India under which Buddha himself attained enlightenment. Brought to Sri Lanka as a cutting more than 2,000 years ago, it is thought to be one of the oldest trees in existence anywhere in the world. There are special guards who look after this sacred tree of Anuradhapura, a custom continued by local villagers whose ancestors received land in exchange for their promise that their descendants would look after the sacred tree for ever.