Pothgul Rajamaha Viharaya – Ratnapura (රත්නපුර පොත්ගුල් රජමහා විහාරය)

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Ratnapura Pothgul Rajamaha Viharaya is a picturesque cave temple built on top of a hill believed to have been built by King Vatta Gamini Abhaya better known as King Walagamba ( (89-77 BC) in the 1st century. There are two temples belonging to these two periods within the Pothgul Viharaya.

The cave image house at the temple is the most historically significant section of the temple. The terrace where the cave is about 350 feet long. All caves have drip ledges. The left cave is 87 feet (26.5 meters) long and 62 feet (18.9 meters) wide.

On the south is the cave temple which was built by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747 – 1781). This cave is 56 feet (17.7 meters) long 29 feet (8.8 meters) and 16 feet (4.9 meters) in height. The  27 cubits (40 feet) reclining Buddha statue across the image house is made from lime and plaster. Statues of deities Saman and Vishnu are found close to the head of the Buddha statue.

Infront of the statue, inside the cave, there is a small well 1 feet 2 inches in length and breadth and 4 feet 2 inches deep used for fetching water for Buddha Pooja. South of this is another cave with a stone well, a Bodhi tree and a stupa.

This natural well known as ‘Daru Pokuna’ (child pond). There is a belief that the water of the pond has medicinal properties. Below the rock there are two meditation cells and at the end of the Vihara compound is a cell used by guards. A secret tunnel is visible. The ceiling of the cave is covered with beautiful frescoes.

About 70 feet south of the well lies another cave temple known as the Aluth Viharaya, the New Temple. This temple and its statues had been constructed at a later stage. However, this had been the oldest viharaya of this temple. The Portugues had destroyed the viharaya of this cave and the Stupa and had built a small fortification here.

It is said that after Thripitakaya was documented in Pali at Matale Alu Viharaya during the time of King Walagamba, more copies were sent to this temple for distribution and thus became known as Pothgul (library) viharaya.

On the ground of the temple, you will find an ancient Tampita Viharaya.  Tampita Vihara was a popular architectural feature of temples during the Kandyan era. Here the temple is built on top of granite stumps with wooden platforms laid across the stumps. This structure probably belongs to the period of  King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe oh

This temple can be reached by travelling 3.2 km along the Ratnapura-Palawela road and a further distance of 3.2 km from the Kotamulla Junction turning right at Karangoda Vidyalaya and travelling another 0.5 Km after having crossed the river. This is a new route provided to have access to the temple. Before reaching the junction close to Karangoda Vidyalaya there is a small bridge that should be crossed on foot. To reach the precincts of the Viharaya, a total of 454 steps will have to be climbed.

References

  1. Abhayavardhana, E. (2002) Heritage of Sabaragamuwa: Major natural, cultural, and historic sites. Ratnapura: Sabaragamuwa Development Bank, in association with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
  2. Gnanawimala, K. (1942) සපරගමූවේ පැරණි ලියවිලි . Colombo, Sri Lanka: Kirielle J. M. Samarakoon Bandara.

Also See

Map of Ratnapura Pothgul Rajamaha Viharaya

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Travel Directions to Ratnapura Pothgul Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Ratnapura to Pothgul Rajamaha Viharaya
Time to Spend : 1 hour
Distance :5 km
Travel time : 1o min + climb.
Driving directions : see on google map

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