According to the Mahavamsa the chronicle of ancient Sri Lanka, it is mentioned that the Administrator Saman, attained the first level of enlightenment Sotapanna at the end of the sermon of Buddha.

Seelawansa on a pilgrimage to Sri Pada, saw a dream about a statue in the wild and later brought it to the above temple with the help of a minister named Pathirajadeva.

[5] Anyway, the present shrine is said to have built by a court minister in Dambadeniya era of Sri Lanka named Aryakamadeva, in the patronage of King Parakramabahu II, in 1270 AD, as a fulfillment of his vow to erect a shrine in the name of deity Saman, if his effort to find gems is successful.

After that, the Perahara or the main procession takes place, and it concludes with Diya Kapeema (The symbolic water cutting ceremony) all of which are held for 13 days[8] under the supervision of the Chief incumbent(Basnayake Nilame) of the Shrine.

The procession is filled with cultural items and dancing from different regions of Sri Lanka as well as features many elephants decorated in different garments.