Uduwara Shailatharama Maha Viharaya in Kalutara – උඩුවර ශෛලතලාරාම මහා විහාරය

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Uduwara Shailatharama Maha Viharayaya has been  established in 2434 BE (1890 CE). The building, which houses the Buddha image had been built in 1901. The land has been donated and the temple has been built by a pious doner, Odaris Gunatilleke of Kalutara who lived less than 300 meters away from the temple. His house too have been built around the same time using the same architecture as the temple and still survives today. The temple had been known as the “Punchi Kelaniya” in the past and had been popular pilgrims destination. In a time of there were no roads and bridges across Kaluganaga, the devotees would have traveled on bullock carts and crossed the Kalu Ganga on ferries to reach the temple.

The paintings on the image house is similar to that of paintings at Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya. The sittaras of these paintings have been Solias Mendis , the same artist of Kalaniya and M Sarlis,  one of his students.

It was reported in 2011  that these paintings were deteriorating due to lack of maintenance of the buildings.

walking across the temple through its back yard, you can reach the Kalu Ganga. Granite stairs have been built from the surface to the river bottom. Rock pillars have been laid with “L” shaped wall about 30m long parallel to the river. This location has been used as a bathing place by Buddhist monks of the temple and it is also as old as the temple.

A earth/concrete bund as a flood management plan for Kalutara river  has been proposed and if this bunt is built, this granite steps will be lost.

Also See

Map of  Uduwara Shailatharama Maha Viharaya

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)
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The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

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Travel Directions to Uduwara Shailatharama Maha Viharaya

Route from Colombo  to Uduwara Shailatharama Maha Viharaya

Time to Spend : 30-45  minutes
Distance :54 km
Travel time : 2 hours
Driving directions : see on google map

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