Extending cracks on Jethawanaramaya Stupa stopped

Colombo, March 18 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Jayewardenepura University lecturer and Acting Director General of Archaeology, Prof. Gamini Ranasingha, told the Daily Mirror that the treatments administered to the cracks in the square chamber of the Jethawanaramaya have successfully halted their extension.

He said the duration since the stupa was built and the changing environmental and weather patterns may have caused the four cracks. 

Being the largest brick structure in the world and with the weight of the stupa, treatments to prevent the spread of the four cracks had been initiated one and a half years ago. 

Equipment has been installed to monitor the crack, and a weekly inspection is being done to monitor the progress of the crack.

However, following treatements, the extending of the crack has stopped.

The original height of the stupa is 122 m (400 ft) and the current height of the stupa is 71 m (233 ft). The stupa is the third-tallest structure in the world, after the two great pyramids of Giza and Khafre with a base area of 233,000 m2 (2,508,000 sq ft). It was built by King Mahasena of Anuradhapura (273–301).

Pix by B.G. Chathuranga