Hakmana Narawelpita Thorawita Purana Tampita Viharaya, also known as Narawelpita Maha Pansala is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. This temple lie in Narawelpita South between Hakmana and Kamburupitiya. Narawelpita South lies about 3 km off Hakmana and town, 7 km off Kamburupitiya and 30 km from Matara.
To reach Narawelpita South from Matara take the Thihagoda road and travel 23 kms to Hakmana. From Hakmana take the Rarandeniya road for 3.5 km to reach the temple.
A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on 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.
It was reported that the Tampita Viharaya along with the Pohoya Geya and flower alters which are thought to be over 500 years at the temple is in a dilapidated state in 2017. Most of the timber on the wooden platform of the Tampita Viharaya has rotted away and has been replaced by some concrete slabs to temporarily hold the image house in place. Murals belonging to the Kandyan era too are faded and mostly destroyed. The statues inside the image house are also decayed.
The Tampita Viharaya (Viharaya built on stone piles) and Avasa Geya (dwelling house) with ancient paintings and sculpture belonging to the Thorawita ancient Viharaya premises situated in the Narawelpita South Grama Niladhari Division in the Hakmana Divisional Secretary’s Division, Matara District, Southern Province was declared as a protected archaeological monument by the gazette dated 24th July 2009.
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
- Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
- Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Map of the Narawelpita Thorawita Purana Tampita Viharaya
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 Narawelpita Thorawita Purana Tampita Viharaya
Route from Matara to Narawelpita Thorawita Purana Tampita Viharaya |
Though : Thihagoda – Hakmana distance : 27 km Travel time :1 hour Time to spend : 30 mins Driving directions : see on google map |