Who is Tapassu and Balluka?

Answer 1

528 BCE According to legend, Tapassu and Balluka, two North Indian traders who lived in a city of Pushkaravat, offered Siddhatha Gautama his first meal after his enlightenment. The Buddha gives eight strands of his hair to the two brothers; who brought the strands to eastern coast of Sri Lanka and enshrined in a small pagoda in an area called 'Thanthirimale'. the pagoda was called "Giri-hadu-Saya" in present day Trincomalee. Later it was renovated, enlarged several times by various kings of ancient Sri Lanka. Recently during an excavation the archeologists uncovered a collection of enshrined hair in a casket which believed to be the strands brought by 'Tapassu & Balluka'. Another theory says the strands are brought back to Burma and enshrined in the Shwedagon Pagoda. Thus, according to history, this is the year when the Shwedagon Pagoda was built.