Watareka Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya Ancient Tampita Viharaya (වටරැක වංගුතැන්න ශ්‍රී සුනන්දාරාමය පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)

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Watareka Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya Ancient Tampita Viharaya

Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya is a Buddhist temple in Watareka, Mawathagama with an ancient Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan Kingdom. The temple lies off Rambkkama – Mawathagama road, 12 km off Rambukkana and 10km off Mawathagama.

To reach the temple from Rambukkana take the Mawathagama road and travel about 9km passing Koshinna and Parape and take the Watareka Road. Travel 2.2 km on this remote road until you reach Watareka Maha Vidyalaya. The road folks with a narrow road on the right a few hundred feet after passing the school. Take this narrow road for 500 meters to reach the temple. Taking the road just in front of Watareka Maha Vidyalaya will take you to another Tampita Viharaya in Inguruwaththa Purana Viharaya.

A Tampita Viharaya is a special building constructed on a wooden platform supported by several stone stumps, typically around 3 to 4 feet tall. Its roof is supported by a timber frame, and the walls are often made of wattle and daub, a mixture of woven branches and clay. Inside, the chamber walls are usually adorned with paintings, often in the Kandyan style, depicting religious themes and stories.

Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya was built by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781) on the advice of Ven. Weliwita Saranankara Thero. The Tampita Viharaya at Sunandaramaya is built on comparatively high granite pillars and the floor below has been used as a Pohoya Geya and the image house has been the upper floor. This Tampita viharaya has gone through some changes during later renovations eroding its archaeological value.

The temple was declared as a protected archaeological site by the gazette published on 6 June 2008. In 2009 Treasure hunters caused severe damage to the chaitya and Buddha image of this temple. The “Dewathakotuwa” of the chaitya was damaged by hunters trying to retrieve valuable relics deposited there and the pillow where the head of the statue was placed, also suffered damage.

Primary Source : පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක – කුරුනෑගල දිස්ත්‍රික්කය
by Department of Archaeology

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Map of the Watareka Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya Ancient Tampita Viharaya

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Driving Directions to Watareka Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya Ancient Tampita Viharaya

Route from Rambukkana to Watareka Wanguthanna Sri Sunandaramaya Ancient Tampita Viharaya

Though : Koshinna – Parape
distance : 13 km
Travel time :30 mins
Time to spend : 20 – 30 mins
Driving directions : see on Google map

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