Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya – හුළුගල්ල ටැම්පිට විහාරය

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Tampita Viharaya are the temples which have been built on pillars, a popular architectural design during the Kandyan Kingdom. Most of the time these pillars are made of granite.

Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya (Hulugalle Tampita Viharaya) of the Hulugalla Sri Bodhi Rukkharamaya temple  is located between Nikaweratiya and Daladagama and is believed to be built by the “Hulugalla Pahala Walawwa Lekam” in the late 19th century.

The Tampita Viharaya is a wooden structure built on 3 feet 7 inches high 16 granite pillars. A wooden stair  takes you up to a ornate wooden door.  A circumambulating path 1 feet 7 inches wide is built around the image house protected by a half height wall.  The top part is covered by wooden planks with cut to a design. Four wooden pillars  with pillar heads with carvings on the 4 corners hold the roof along with the walls of the image house.  A second layer of roof is built around the Tampita Viharaya at the top level of the half height wall. Both roofs are tiled with flat clay tiles typical of buildings belonging to the Kandyan Era.

The path is narrow except at the front.The door frame built with Suryawanka design is caved with various floral creeper designs. Two weather worn guardian deities  stand guard beside the entrance.

An Buddha statues in Samadhi posture stands on the main pedestal inside the image house. Two standing Buddha statues in Vitharka Mudra stand beside the main statue. The walls are covered in murals such as Suwisiwiwaranaya and arhaths.

An ancient Buddha statue with murals on the walls are weather worn. The structure has not received due repairs for a while and seems on the verge of tumbling.

The temple itself is believed that the temple has been built during the reign of king Mahasen (276-303) who is also the builder of the Hulugalla Reservoir adjoining the temple. According to legend,  after king Mahasen built the reservoir the dam was breached serveral times. Each time, the villagers got together to repair the dam. Last time it was breached, they repaired it and kept a Buddha statue stating if the dam breaches again, the statue too would get washed way. But dam was never breached. The villagers considering this a miracle, built a temple at the loaction which is the Hulugalla Viharaya.

Unfortunately, no historical evidence exists of its antiquity today other than the Tampita Viharaya.

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Map of Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

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Travel Directions to Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

Route from Padeniya to Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

Through : Nikaweratiya
Distance :22.5 km
Travel time : 40 mins
Time to spent : 30 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

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