Ancient Kadurugoda Viharaya (Kantarodai)
This is one of the very few buddhist sites remaining in Jaffna today.
The site was discovered in 1917 by the Magistrate P.E. Pieris where
he reported that bricks from this site is being carried
a way by cart loads by the residents around the area for building of
houses. An excavation done in the 1917-1919 has unearthed remains of
a shrine room, parts of Buddha Statues, Bodhisattva statues, Buddha foot
imprints and coins belonging to pre christian era.
Kantarodai (Kadurugoda) in Chunnakam (Hunugama) has been identified
as the Kadurugoda Viharaya in the Nam Pota, a book of important Buddhist
centers in Sri Lanka, compiled in the Kandyan period.
The term Kantarodai is a corrupted form of the Singhalese
word Kandavurugoda or site of a military encampment. The Kandavurugoda
became Kadurugoda and it was tamilised in to Kantarodai.
In 1917, P.E. Pieris has located 56 Stupas in the area but today only
about 20 remains. The largest is about 23 feet in diameter and the smallest
is about 6 feet. There are also number of foundations of stupas which
have disappeared. The stupas are made of coral stone and is gray in colour.
They have a very distinguished design with small holes all over. The
stupas doesn't have the standard"Hathares Kotuwa" above the
dome. Instead a pinnacle is fixed to the top of the dome.
Recently a very small dome, part of a stupa has been unearth end. This
is about 1 1/2 feet in diameter. 1 1/2 feet tall. This is believed to
be one of the original structure.
The Archeology department purchased an area of 7 acres in 1948 in order
to protect this site. This land was grabbed by the tamil residents in
the area and the area had reduced to 3+ acres in 1965. And today this
area has shrunk further to less than 1 acre.
It is believed that these miniature stupas are built to enshrine the
remains of 60 Arhaths who died due to a famine in the area.
This site has survived the destruction of war mainly due the efforts
by the Sri Lankan Army. Even today, this site is maintained and and looked
after by the Sri Lankan army.
getting there
Kadurugoda Viharaya lies on the village of Chunnakam (Hunugama) -
Manipai (Minipe) road about 02 KMs from Chunnakam. This can be reached
from both KKS Road (Kankasanthurei Rd) or from Palali Road.
Route 01 from Jaffna Fort
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Though : Jaffna-Manipay-Karainagar Rd
distance :14 km
Travel time : 30 mins
Driving directions :
see on google map
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Created : June 14, 2009
Updated November 20, 2010
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