Hakuruwela Peellawela Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya (හකුරුවෙල පීල්ලවෙල ටැම්පිට රජමහා විහාරය)

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Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple in the Hakuruwela area in Weeraketiya, Hambantota district. Among the buildings of this temple is a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. However, the presence of Siri Pathul Gal (blocks of rock carved with a footprint of Buddha) which were objects of veneration in the 2-3rd century BC, before the Buddha statues were used can be used to safely assume that the history of this temple to be go back to at least 2-3rd century BC.

A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on a number of stone stumps usually 3-4 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 generally covered with frescoes drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

In 2012, this temple was subject to a major attack by treasure hunters where the caretaker was tied up and the stupa was dug, the pinnacle was completely destroyed and the ancient Buddha statues were broken into pieces in search of treasures.

The Tampita Vihara, ancient rest house of the Bhikkus, the ancient heap of ruins with the Bodhi tree and dhamma discourse hall within the precincts of the Pillawela (Peellawela) Raja Maha Viharaya, situated within the Grama Niladhari Division of Gajanayakagama in Angunukola Pelassa Divisional Secretary Division, Hambantota District, Southern Province was declared as protected archaeological monuments in 6th July 2008.

Destruction by treasure hunters at Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

References

Abeywardana, M.Y. (2008) “The Antiquities Ordinance (Chapter 188) ,” The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 1553, p. 522.

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Map of Hakuruwela Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

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Traveling to Hakuruwela Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Matara to Hakuruwela Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

Distance : 63 km
Travel time : 1.45 hours
Time to spend : 20- 30 mins
Driving directions : see on Google map

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya – මැදගොඩැල්ල ශ්‍රී සුමනාරාමය ටැම්පිට විහාරය
Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Viharaya is an ancient temple belonging to the Kandyan era located about 2 kms from Rambukkana town believed to be built during the king Weeraparakrama Narendrasinhe (1707 – 1739). […]
Medagama Sri Nagarukkaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya (මැදගම ශ්‍රී නාගරුක්ඛාරාමය පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Sri Nagarukkaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya at Medagama, Algama lies about 1 km away from the Algama town. Algama can be reached from Yakkala – Urapola road if traveling from Colombo. […]
Medagama Siri Sunandaramaya Tampita Viharaya – Algama (සිරි සුනන්දාරාමය, මැදගම අල්ගම)
Sri Sunandaramaya Tampita Viharaya at Medagama, Algama lies close to the Algama town Algama can be reached from Yakkala - Urapola road if traveling from Colombo. […]
Kivulpana Purana Tampita Viharaya (කිවුල්පනේ පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Kivulpana Purana Tampita Viharaya lies between Kegalle and Mawanella. From the junction where the Kegalle bypass road falls on to Kandy road, travel towards Mawanella for 3.2 km to reach the Annasigala junction. […]
Kariyagama Purana Tampita Viharaya (කාරියගම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Kariyagama Purana Tampita Viharaya lies in Ussapitiya, 5 kilometers off Mawanella. The last conservation of the this Tampita Viharaya and the pillar base was carried out in 2010. […]
Gondiwala Purana Tampita Viharaya (ගොන්දිවල පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya at Gondiwala is built on six granite stumps of about 8 feet tall. The wooden platform is built on large timber beams laid across the granite stumps. The chamber of the Tampita Viharaya is 10 feet long. […]
Gammannagoda Sri Sudarshanarama Tampita Viharaya (ගම්මන්නාගොඩ ශ්‍රී සුදර්ශනාරාම ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya at this temple is built on 15 granite stumps of about 2 feet tall. The wooden platform is built on large timber beams measuring 7 inches in height and 11 inches wide laid across the granite stumps. The chamber of the Tampita Viharaya is 13 feet 10 inches long and 11 feet 5 inches wide. […]
Thalgaspitiya Deniyathanna Purana Tampita Viharaya – තල්ගස්පිටිය දෙනියතැන්න ටැම්පිට විහාරය
At the ancient Thalgaspitiya Deniyathanna Viharaya, a preserved Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era can be found. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on number of stone stumps usually 3-4 feet tall. […]
Alkegama Sri Jayawardanarama Tampita Viharaya (අල්කෙගම ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනාරාම ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Alkegama Sri Jayawardanarama Tampita Viharaya lies in the Makehelwala area between Mawanella and Kadugamuwa. […]
Muruddeniya Kandapita Purana Tampita Viharaya (මුරුද්දෙනිය කන්දපිට පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Located in Muruddeniya in Hatharaliyadda. This structure was declared as a protected archaeological monument by the gazette dated 22 November 2002. […]
Kalotuwawa Purana Tampita Viharaya (කලෝටුවාව පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Kalotuwawa Purana Viharaya, also known as Kalotuwawa Kande Viharaya is a concealed ancient Tampita Viharaya lying in the Hataraliyadda in Kandy District. The temple is built on rocky hill and at the rock plain at the top lies the ancient stupa and the Tampita Viharaya structure. […]
Gondeniya Purana Tampita Viharaya (ගෝන්දෙනිය පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya at Gondeniya Purana Viharaya is built on 8 granite pillars. A wooden flight of steps take you to the entrance. Some of the paintings at the entrance including the guardian deities beside the door have been recently re drawn with modern figures. […]

References

Also See

Map of Hakuruwela Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

Traveling to Hakuruwela Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

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