Sri Lankan chronicles record that the capital of Ruhuna also known as Magama was found around 3^rd  century BC by Prince Mahanaga brother to King Devanampiyatissa of Anuradhapura, after a personal dispute. This region played a vital role in building the nation as well in the establishment of Buddhist culture. The settlement rose to prominence during the reign of King Kavantissa. According to the chronicles, around 12,000 Arahats had lived in Tissamaharama and its surroundings during the era of King Kavantissa.

Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara is a Buddhist temple built in the 2nd century BC by King Kavan Tissa to venerate the site as it was chosen by Lord Buddha who spent some time in meditation there with 500 Arahats. The Tissamaharama Dagaba is one of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka.

Kirinda is the appropriate setting of one of those popular legends that constitute early Sri Lankan history. The legend recounts that Kirinda was the place where Princess Viharamahadevi drifted ashore after being sacrificed to the sea to atone for her father- King Kelanitissa’s  sacrilegious act of killing a monk by putting him in a cauldron of boiling oil.  After receiving the Princess, King Kavantissa, who was the ruler of Ruhuna at that time, married the young princess and the couple eventually had 2 sons. Dutugemunu, the eldest son of Viharamahadevi became one of the legends in Sri Lankan history.

Sandagiri stupa was built by the regional ruler Prince Mahanaga in the 3^rd century B.C. Sandagiri stupa is 55m in height and 165m in circumference.

Yatala Dagoba that has been identified as Mani Chethiya and Yattalaya in various historical documents was built by Prince Mahanaga in the 3^rd century BC.