Medagoda Pattini Devalaya (මැදගොඩ පත්තිනි දේවාලය)

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Developed by Sitawaka Rajasinghe (1581 – 1591), the Medagoda Pattini Devalaya lies off the Amithirigala Road from Awissawella.

Sitawaka Rajasinhe, the worrier king of the Sitawaka kingdom who is said to have killed his father and then became an ardent Hindu is reputed to have killed hundreds of Buddhist priests, destroyed Buddhist temples is known for building several Kovils and Devalaya’s in Sitawaka kingdom.

According to the folklore, the king one way to his Pethangoda royal park saw a beautiful 18 year old damsel bathing in a river in the Gonagala area. Falling in love at the sight of her, he immediately brought her to the castle and made his queen. It is reported that the king was over 60 years old by this time. This girl’s name was Malwathi and was the daughter of the popular astrologer Dodampe Ganithaya. Prince Rajasuriya, one of the grandchildren of King Rajasinhe was in love with Malwathi before this event happened.

This unexpected kidnapping created an enmity against the king in the minds of both Dodampe Ganithaya and Prince Rajasuriya and Rajawaliya reports that the death of King Rajasinhe was due to Dodampe Ganithaya adding poisonous plant matter in treating a wound of the king caused by a bamboo shoot.

Anyway, this marriage was short-lived. The queen Malwathi became critically ill and died. The love-stuck king is said to have built the Medagoda Pattini Devalaya in memory of her.

Then there is another folklore about the origin of the Devalaya. When King Rajasinhe was travelling to the Pethangoda royal park on the royal boat over the Kelani River, it suddenly stopped moving in the middle of the river. The boatman looked for a cause for getting the boat stuck but nothing could be found. The king then saw an oil lamp lit on an elevated ground on one of the banks. The king got down from the boat and went to this small shrine, lit a lamp and made a vow to build a shrine for Goddess Pattini if he was allowed to reach the park safely. Miraculously the board started moving and the King is said to have built this Medagoda Pattini Devalaya to fulfill his wow and granted land for the maintenance of this devale.

The initial devale has been built in the form of a Tampita Devale. When the new devale was built only 3 of the original pillars existed and new pillars were added to build the current devalaya as seen today.

Also See

Map of Medagoda Pattini Devalaya

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Travel Directions to Medagoda Pattini Devalaya

Route from Colombo to Medagoda Pattini Devalaya
Through : Rajagiriya – Malabe – Kaduwela – Pugoda – Amithrigala
Distance :57 km
Travel time : 2 hours.
Driving directions : see on google map

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