Palkumbura Raja Maha Viharaya (පල්කුඹුර රජ මහා විහාරය)

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The history of the succession at this Palkumbura Raja Maha Viharaya is given in the fine copper plate granted by the last king of Kandy Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, on Monday the seventh of the waxing moon of Durutu in the Saka year 1726.

It is there rehearsed that while Buwanekabahu VII (1478 – 1484) was reigning in Kotte he had one of his brothers admitted to the priesthood. This Thero, also known as Buwanekabahu, resided at the capital, but on the death of the king migrated to the hill country with several of his brothers and settled down at Urulewatta in Udunuwara.

During the sojourn of the priest there Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu (1473-1511), the founder of Senkadagala (Kandyan Kingdom) died and was succeeded by his son, Jayaweera Astana, who summoned the priest to the city, bade him transcribe the Visuddhimargga and as a reward therefore gave him the village of Palkumbura.

The priest was succeeded by his nephew, also known as Buwanekabahu Thero. This nephew, however, during the persecution of Buddhism by Rajasinha I of Sithawaka continued to possess Palkumbura under the name of Buwanekabahu Panditha Mudiyanse and secured the favour of King Senarat (1604 – 1635), whose tutor he was. His successor was his nephew, Buwanekabahu Thero, who built a new vihare.

Further details of the succession are not given. Still, under Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of the Kandyan Kingdom the priest in charge of the vihare showed the king the old Sannasa was charred and half burnt and obtained a fresh dedication together with a new copper plate.

This copper plate and a copper fan with a handle made out of an elephant tusk are still preserved in this temple. The image house along with Dig-ge is built in the Dravidian architecture style in stone. The roof sits on a wooden frame with massive beams on well-finished stone pillars. The top of the pillar is decorated with Pekada (පේකඩ) carved from wood. Each Pekada is intricately carved on the sides as well with the usual floral pattern at the bottom. More designs popular during the Kandyan kingdom are carved along the wooden beams and the edge of the beams.

The entrance to the inner chamber is through a stone stairway with two stone balustrades (Korawakgal). These are carved in the form of the mystical Makara. The doorway too is made of stone. Stone carvings are seen on these doorways as well.

References

  1. Wickremasinghe, D.M.D.Z. and Codrington, H.W. (1993) in Epigraphia Zeylanica Being Lithic And Other Inscriptions Of Ceylon . London: Humphrey Milford for the Government of Ceylon, pp. 241–247.
  2. Abeyawardhana, H. A. P. (2004) Heritage of Kandurata: Major Natural, Cultural, and Historic Sites. Kandy: Kandurata Development Bank, in association with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
  3. Seneviratna, A., 1983. Kandy: an Illustrated Survey of Ancient Monuments With Historical, Archaeological and Literary Descriptions Including Maps of the City and Its Suburbs. Colombo: Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, p. 158.

Also See

Map of the Palkumbura Raja Maha Viharaya

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Driving Directions to Palkumbura Raja Maha Viharaya

Route from Kandy to Palkumbura Raja Maha Viharaya
Though : Katugastota
Distance : 13 km
Travel time : 30 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

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