Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya (මාහල්ලොලුව ශ්‍රී සද්ධර්මාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)

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Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya lies between Kirindiwela and Urapola in Gamapaha District.

Tampita Viharaya (Temple on Pillars) is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on a number of stone stumps usually 2-4 feet tall. The roof is held by a structure built of timber and the walls are generally made of wattle and daub and the inner walls are covered with frescoes drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

This Tampita Viharaya is unique in two ways. This structure is built on large pillars built out of a mixture of Kabok and granite rocks cemented by a mixture of clay instead of the typical granite or wooden stumps. These pillars are a mixture of cylindrical and square shapes and have been plastered with a mixture of shell lime and sand. Mahalloluwa is also the only Tampita Viharaya where a reclining Buddha statue can be found.

Mahalloluwa Tampita Viharaya is two storied with the upper floor being the image house and the lower floor being the preaching hall. Unless observed carefully resembles a typical old two-storied building.

The building is 31 feet long and 27 feet wide. An extended verandah is built at the front. The roof of this section is held by five 6 feet 6 inch high pillars. All the roofs are tiled with Singhala Ulu (Semi Cylindrical Tapered Clay Tiles).

The image house on the top floor is built with a wooden floor. The stairs to the image house is made of wood and lie to the right of the building. This image house is 20 feet long and 16 feet 6 inches wide. A 3-foot wide circumambulating path is built around this inner chamber with a half-height wall. The roof is held by plain timber pillars laid around the circumambulating path.

Inside the chamber lies a 12-foot-long reclining Buddha statue. On the left side wall is another 3.5 feet high standing statue. On the right lies two 3-foot-high statues of Vishnu and Kataragama deities. Among the paintings on the chamber walls, the painting of a Perahera is of interest. Unlike most perahera paintings of the Kandyan era with elephants and other grand events, this painting depicts a simple village perahera. The roof is painted with a typical lotus floral design. A painting of a chief wearing a jacket and a sarong can be found among these paintings. Though the name is not known, it is assumed that this would have been the main beneficiary of this Tampita Viharaya.

Although this viharaya is said to be at least 300 years old, the Tampita Viharaya is said to belong to the late Kandyan period and is probably 200 years old.

primary source : Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara
by Kusumsiri Wijewardhana

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Map of Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

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Travelling directions to Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

Travel directions from Colombo to Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

Distance : 43 km
Travel time : 1.30 hours
Time to spend : 20-30 mins
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Also See

Map of Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

Travelling directions to Mahalloluwa Sri Saddharmarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

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