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Mottuna Kireetaramaya Viharaya (Kiritaramaya Viharaya) is a modern temple today with a single out of place building. Among these these new buildings is an ancient ancient Tampita Viharaya, a temple built on pillars.
Tampita Vihara (Temple on Pillars) was a popular architectural feature during the Kandyan kingdom where the temple was built on a platform which was held on an array of pillars, mostly stone.
The typical plan of a Tampita Viharaya comprise of 3 spaces. The most important is the inner room. This is main shrine room and comrise of a seated buddha statue facing the door and commonly standing Buddha statues at the sides. Statues or paintings of Sariyuth and Mugalan theros, other deities such as Saman, Vishnu, Natha, Siva and patronizing kings and dignitaries are commonly found inside the shrine room. The walls are covered with art depicting Jataka stories or other events in Buddhist literature.
The second space is the narrow circumambulating path or a verandah which encircles the inner room. This is sometimes completely covered by an outerwall or exposed to outside with a short timber or wattle and daub side wall.
Generally the circumambulating path/verandah is extended in space at the front of the inner room creating the 3rd space. This space is accessible from the ground level by a few steps mostly taking the form of a step ladder.
Tampita Viharaya at Motunna is built on 21 stone pillars 1.14 meters high. A circumambulating path runs around the image house. It is 1.7 meter wide in front, 74 cm wide on sides and rear. The image house is 3.50×3.12 meters in size and the building is 6.78×5.11 meters in size.
The Tampita Viharaya at Mottuna Kiritaramaya Viharaya is considered one of the best preserved and maintained Tampita Viharaya in the Gampaha District. The viharaya has been restored recently and the original granite pillars are now supported by concrete pillars. At the entrance to the inner chamber statues of 2 guardian deities are found.
The main seated image of Buddha lies facing the door. The statue is surrounded by a painting of a horseshoe-shaped halo using a flame design typically found in temples of the Kandyan era. Paintings of the Sun and the Moon are seen at the top of the wall. Paintings of Sariyuth and Mugalan Theros are seen below these designs. Two statues of deities Vishnu (Upuluwan) and Saman are seen beside the Buddha statue on the sidewalls.
To reach the temple, travel about 500 meters from Veyangoda toward Nittambuwa take the Kottala road to the left and travel 1.7 km. A billboard will direct you to a narrow bylane which will lead to the temple.
Alternate names : Mottuna Tampita Viharaya
Also See
- Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
- Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Map of Mottunna Sri Kireetaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya
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Traveling directions to Mottunna Sri Kireetaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya
| Travel directions from Colombo to Mottunna Sri Kireetaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya |
| Distance : 43 km Travel time : 1.5 hour Time to spend : 30 mins Driving directions : see on google map |
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