Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya – මැදගොඩැල්ල ශ්‍රී සුමනාරාමය ටැම්පිට විහාරය

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Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya
Photo Source : Source : Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara

Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Viharaya is an ancient temple belonging to the Kandyan era located about 2 km from Rambukkana town. The temple is believed to have been built by King Weeraparakrama Narendrasinhe (1707 – 1739) and among the new buildings, the oldest building you find in this temple is a Tampita Viharaya.

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. The walls inside the chamber are more or less always covered in paintings drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

The Tampita Viharaya at this temple is built on a natural rock plain adjoining paddy fields. A 2 feet high platform has been constructed on the rock and 16 granite stumps with 1 foot 8 inches height have been placed on the platform. The timber beams placed on the stumps are 10 inches in width and height. On top of these beams, 3.5-inch thick timber planks have been placed.

The image house of the viharaya is 14 feet long and 8 feet 6 inches wide. A narrow 1 foot 6 inch-wide circumambulating path is built around the image house with a half-height wall at the edge. The front is more spacious with a 5 feet in width. The half height wall around the structure is made of wood planks, probably a work of recent times. Originally this would have been an artistically done wooden balustrade.

Unfortunately, the original features of the Tampita Viharaya had been lost during renovations. The entrance to the viharaya has been replaced with cement steps. This would have been made of wood or stone in the original structure. The original wooden floor has been covered and buried in a layer of cement and ceramic tiles have been laid on the floor. There are no guard statues or paintings on the walls.

According to a report by HCP Bell in 1892, the walls of the Tampita Viharaya were covered in paintings of Suwisi Viwaranaya and the roof in flowers and creeper designs. None of these paintings is found today. Only a seated Buddha statue flanked by two standing Buddha statues can be seen inside the temple.

The report also states that there was a slab of rock with a carving of a band playing instruments in the temple premises. This too has disappeared today.

To reach the temple travel for 4.5 km after the Kegalle bypass junction and turn towards the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Travel 7.3 km passing the orphanage on this road to reach Pinnawala Central Collage. Take the Medagodella road which lies in front of the school and travel for 1 km to reach the temple.

Primary Source : Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara
by Kusumsiri Wijewardhana

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Map of the Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya

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

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Driving Directions to Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya

Route from Mawanella to Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya

Though : Pinnawela
distance : 12.5 km
Travel time : 30 minutes
Time to spend : 20 – 30 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

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Also See

Map of the Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya

Driving Directions to Medagodella Sri Sumanaramaya Tampita Viharaya

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