Kandy Galmaduwa Viharaya | AmazingLanka.com

Located near Kandy, the unfinished 18th-century Galmaduwa Viharaya is a unique Buddhist shrine built with Hindu Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, and Western architectural styles. Initiated by King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, construction abruptly ceased when resources were redirected to Degaldoruwa, leaving its impressive stone-and-brick structure incomplete.

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A short turn off from the Kundasala Road just outside of Kandy and you will come upon a strange sight: The Galmaduwa Viharaya, historically known as the Galmaduwa Gedige Vihare, Galapita-Ambe Vihare, or Gal Vihara, is one of the most distinctive and architecturally intriguing monuments of the Kandyan Kingdom. This unfinished stone-and-brick gedige (vaulted masonry shrine) exhibits a remarkable combination of Dravidian Hindu architectural traditions, Indo-Aryan motifs, Western structural elements, and Theravada Buddhist religious practices.

Located in the hamlet of Galmaduwa, within the Nattaranpota division of Udagampaha in Lower Dumbara, the shrine lies near Tennekumbura, along the Kandy–Digana road and close to the Mahaweli River valley.

Historical Records and Early Documentation

The earliest known official published description of the temple appears in Archibald Campbell Lawrie’s A Gazetteer of the Central Province of Ceylon (Vol. 1, 1896, p. 258). Lawrie described the structure as a particularly unusual building resembling a Tamil Hindu temple, complete with a tall gopura. According to local folklore, the temple was built by King Kirti Sri Rajasingha (1747-1781). However, while construction was still in progress, the king reportedly heard about the discovery of a cave at Degaldoruwa and ordered work at Galmaduwa to be discontinued.

Henry W. Cave subsequently provided a more detailed account of the monument in The Book of Ceylon (1908, pp. 353–354). He highlighted its unusual architectural composition and expressed surprise at King Kirti Sri Rajasingha’s decision to abandon the project. Cave argued that Galmaduwa was far superior to Degaldoruwa and had been conceived on a much grander and more costly scale. He further noted that all the stonework and masonry at Galmaduwa had been completed before construction was abandoned. The only remaining tasks were to install the Buddha statue and complete the decorative work.

Later writers on antiquities, including J. P. Lewis, also emphasized the building’s unique architectural character. Lewis observed that the Galmaduwa Viharaya “probably enjoys the unique distinction of being the most Hindu-looking Buddhist temple in existence.”

Evidence of an Earlier Buddhist Establishment

Although the surviving masonry structure dates to the eighteenth century, archaeological investigations within the temple precincts uncovered ancient bricks bearing Brahmi masons’ marks attributed to the early centuries of the Common Era. These discoveries have been interpreted as evidence that an ancient dagoba (stupa) and monastic establishment once occupied the elevated ground near the Mahaweli River, long before the Kandyan monarchy selected the location for its unfinished stone pavilion.

Royal Patronage and the Abandonment of Construction

Construction of the Galmaduwa Viharaya was initiated during the eighteenth century under King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747–1781), a monarch renowned for his efforts to restore and strengthen Buddhist institutions. According to regional folklore, the project began in response to a special request from the king’s queens, while another tradition identifies Migastenne Adikaram as one of its principal patrons.

While construction of the substantial stone structure was in progress, the king reportedly received news of the discovery of a natural rock cave at Degaldoruwa. Intrigued by the discovery, he redirected his royal patronage, financial resources, and master artists, towards the construction of the rock-cut shrine there.

As a result, work at Galmaduwa was abruptly and permanently discontinued. The unfinished building was left with its tall walls, window openings, and arches incomplete, and it was never used as the principal temple originally intended.

Architectural Design and Stylistic Influences

The Galmaduwa Viharaya is regarded as an exceptionally unusual architectural creation in Sri Lanka. Although intended as a Buddhist image house, or patimagharaya, its overall plan and elevation closely resemble those of a South Indian Hindu devalaya. During the Gampola and Kandyan periods, Sinhalese rulers frequently employed South Indian craftsmen, known as Sthapatis, whose expertise in stone construction influenced the development of royal architecture. At Galmaduwa, several architectural traditions appear to have been brought together.

Dravidian Influence

The lower stone structure and the multi-tiered upper portion, described as the vimana or gopura, reflect elements of the Dravidian architectural tradition associated with Tanjore in South India.

Indo-Aryan Influence

The profile of the central rising tower has been compared with the pyramidal temple structure at Bodh-Gaya, suggesting a possible Indo-Aryan architectural influence.

European and Persian Features

The exterior stone enclosure incorporates semi-circular cusped arches with keystones above its doorways and windows. These features have been interpreted as reflecting Western or Persian structural influences.

Inverted Step-Pyramid Ceiling

One of the building’s most distinctive interior features is the ceiling of the sanctum, which rises through a series of inverted stone steps. This arrangement has been described as resembling a step pyramid turned inside out, leading upwards into an unplastered brick dome.

Layout and Structural Dimensions

The dimensions and construction of the Galmaduwa Viharaya demonstrate the scale and technical ambition of the original project.

The outer base forms a square measuring 60 feet by 60 feet (18.3 m by 18.3 m). The enclosing wall is constructed from cut stone and measures approximately 3¼ feet (0.99 m) in thickness, excluding its mouldings. It features a deeply moulded cornice that projects over the wall. Five windows pierce each of three sides, while the western side contains the principal entrance doorway.

A broad circumambulatory passage, known as the Pradakshinapatha, separates the outer enclosure from the central building. This passage measures approximately 14 feet (4.3 m) in width. The central structure is square, measuring 29 feet by 29 feet (8.8 m by 8.8 m).

Within the central building is the inner sanctum, or Garbhagrha, which measures 16 feet by 16 feet (4.9 m by 4.9 m). Its walls are approximately 3 feet (0.91 m) thick.

The building’s doorways and windows feature distinctive cusped arches. The main entrance through the outer enclosure has six cusps, while the windows and the doorway leading into the sanctum have two cusps each. The uppermost part of the sanctum doorway forms an ogee arch. The principal doorways are approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) wide, while the window openings measure about 4½ feet (1.37 m) across.

Above the central structure rises a seven-tiered superstructure, constructed from successive stages of stone and brick masonry. Each stage diminishes in size towards the top, producing a tapered profile.

Religious Use, Temple Lands, and Service Obligations

Because the main stone pavilion was never completed, its open arches were sometimes temporarily covered with matting by local devotees. The inner sanctum contained an Asane, or stone pedestal intended to support a Buddha image, but the remainder of the interior was bare.

To meet the community’s religious needs, villagers had constructed a smaller image house of brick and masonry immediately behind the eastern outer wall during the nineteenth century.

A copper-plate grant dated 1754, issued by King Kirti Sri Rajasinha to Rambukwelle Anunayake, was also reportedly preserved by the temple trustee.

Conservation and Present Condition

Despite remaining without a completed roof and exposed to tropical weather for more than two centuries, the substantial stone and brick masonry of the Galmaduwa Viharaya has survived in a remarkable state of preservation. Its unfinished condition provides an unusual opportunity to examine the architectural methods and stylistic influences employed in an ambitious Kandyan-era religious building.

Today, the site is a protected archaeological reserve administered by the Department of Archaeology.

References

Abeyawardhana, H. A. P. (2004). Heritage of Kandurata: Major natural, cultural, and historic sites. Kandurata Development Bank, in association with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Lawrie, A. C. (1896). A Gazetteer of the Central Province of Ceylon (excluding Walapane) (Vol. 1). George J. A. Skeen.
Cave, H. W. (1908). The Book of Ceylon – Being a Guide to Its Railway System and an Account of Its Varied Attractions for the Visitor and Tourist. Cassell and Company Limited.
Raven-Hart, R. (1964). Ceylon : History in Stone (1st ed.). The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Seneviratna, A. (1983). Kandy: An Illustrated Survey of Ancient Monuments With Historical, Archaeological and Literary Descriptions Including Maps of the City and Its Suburbs. Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

Also See

Kandy—The Last Kingdom of Sinhale

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Driving Directions to Galmaduwa Viharaya

Kandy can be reached from Colombo via the old Colombo-Kandy road (option 1), which is scenic but heavily congested, especially on Fridays and Sundays. However, the new Central Expressway (option 2) has opened up a new route, which is longer but less cumbersome.

Route 1 from Colombo to Kandy	Route 2 from Colombo to Kandy
Through: Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Warakapola – Kegalle – Kadugannawa Distance: 121 km Travel Time: 4.15 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route From Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Through : Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.