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Photo By : Dinesh Sadaruwan
Meepitya Purana Viharaya lies on a small hilly area adjoining a paddy field on the Kegalle bypass road. The first thing you come across when you enter the temple is the Dhamma Preaching Hall and the Residence of the Bikkus which were built during the British Colonial era. About 200 meters away from these buildings lie the ancient Tampita Viharaya of the Meepitya Ancient 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 comparatively small and is built on a 4-foot high platform and 8 granite stumps with 1 foot height placed on the platform. The structure has no circumambulating path usually found in Tampita Viharaya. A wooden stairway leads to the entrance of the image house. The door frame is plain and lacks any carvings or paintings. Statues of two Naga guardian deities with five hoods are found on the sides of the main entrance. Each carries a pot with a Bo leaf and is painted white.
A 2 foot 6 inch high seated Buddha statue lies underneath a Dragons Arch (Makara Thorana). The statue has been renovated at a later date losing its originality. The walls are also painted in white covering any original paintings.
Also See
- Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
- Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Map of the Meepitiya Purana Tampita Viharaya
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Driving Directions to Meepitiya Purana Tampita Viharaya
| Route from Kegalle to Meepitiya Purana Tampita Viharaya |
| Though : Kegalle bypass road distance : 3.5 km Travel time : 5 minutes Time to spend : 20 – 30 mins Driving directions : see on Google map |
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