Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya (උණම්බුව පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)

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Unambuwa is an ancient village within Ganga Para Korale in Uda Palatha and is located a kilometre away from Gampola town.

At the ancient temple in Unambuwa, you will find a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on several 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. The walls inside the chamber are more or less always covered in paintings drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

The Tampita Viharaya of Unambuwa is built as a rear part of a building. It is built on about 18 cement pillars with an inner chamber at the centre. The pillars are built on a platform built with Kabook blocks which is about 2-2½ feet high.

The Tampita Buddhist shrine belonging to Unambuwa ancient Vihara premises in Grama Niladhari Division No. 1121-Unambuwa in Udapalatha Divisional Secretary’s Division, in Kandy District, Central Province, was declared a protected archaeological monument by the Government through the Gazette dated 6th June 2006.

You can reach Unambuwa from Kandy through Gampola Road. From Peradeniya, take the Gampola road for 12.5 km and take the right turn at the Kahataptiya towards Unambuwa. Take the lane to the left in 50 meters and travel on a winding road for 1.5 km to reach the temple. This road is very narrow and consists of several elbow bends in addition to being in a state of despair. You will find it difficult to navigate this road in a vehicle with low ground clearance.

Google Maps will take you to the exact entrance to the temple but the only indication of the temple is the name board. The access to the temple is through a flight of narrow steps, some cement and some granite. Unfortunately, when I visited the temple it was deserted and upon inquiry, I was informed that the head priest lives in a temple in Kataragama and rarely visits the temple. Therefore access to the inner chamber of the Tampita Viharaya was not possible.

Roof painings at the porch of the Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

Panchi Nari Getaya at the top of the door frame of the Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

Guardian deities at the entrance of Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

References

Abeywardana, M.Y. (2009) “The Antiquities Ordinance (Chapter 188) ,” The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 1612, p. 1022.

Also See

Map of the Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

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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Driving Directions to Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

Route from Peradeniya to Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

Though: Gampola road
Distance : 14 km
Travel time : 45 minutes
Driving directions : see on Google map

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References

Also See

Map of the Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

Driving Directions to Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya

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