Heritage

Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya (නයින්දනාව රජමහා විහාරය)

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The cave image house of Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya
Image courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya which lies in a remote village off Polpithigama is not a popular temple of regular pilgrims. Archeological value of this temple is extremely high but unfortunately it has not yet being taken under the relevant authorities to protect these items for the future generations.

The primary archeological value in this temple lies in the unique massive seven headed cobra carved in to a rock. It is said name of the temple is also derived due to this carving.

The it believed that this carving has been done during the period of king Mahasen (276-303) but some believes this carving to be a place of worship of the indigenous Cobra tribe (Naga Gothrika) going back beyond 6th century BCE.

The temple itself goes to the period of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC) and it is believed that this was the adobe of one of the first 60 priests ordained by the Great Mahinda Thero who brought Buddhism to the country.

Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya is mentioned in number of ancient historical documents such as Mahavamsa, Visuddhi Margaya and Manorathapuranaya . The ancient stupa of the temple has been built by the King Devanampiyatissa and the temple has been renovated by King Sirisangabo (251-253) according to the chronicles.

One of the rock inscription in the temple states that a pious layman named Gotaimbara donated a drip ledged cave to an Arhat thero called Kujjitissa. A statue has been carved near this inscription is believed to be the statue of the said thero.

In addition to the above items, the temple also has two ancient Bahirawa Images carved out of Rock, Buddha image belong to the Polonnaruwa Period, and another smaller image belonging to the Kandyan Period, two rock inscriptions and large number of slabs of carved Sri Pathul ( footprint of Buddha) in various states.

Unfortunately all these historic items are yet to be properly preserved by authorities.

The cave built by King Saddhatissa with a statue of Kujjitissa Thero covered by the robe wore by him before reaching arhath at Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

Dripledge inscriptions at Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

The Giant Seven Hooded Cobra at the Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

The Bahirawa statue at Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

View from top of the caves - Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

The pond at Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

Also See

Map of Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

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Travel Directions to Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Kurunegala to Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

Through : Madagalla Road
Distance : 44 km
Travel time : 1 hours.
Driving directions : see on google map

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Thottama Ariyakara Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Site (තොට්ටම අරියාකාර රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Thottama is an remote village far away from any major road network in Damana Divisional Secretaries Division. The ancient temple of Thottama Ariyakara Rajamaha Viharaya is believed to be built during the 1st century BC to the time of king Saddhatissa. […]
Mirahala Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Site in Bakmitiyawa (බක්මිටියාව මීරහල රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Mirahala Rajamaha Viharaya (Meerahala Rajamaha Viharaya) is an ancient temple complex in Bakmitiyawa with a history going back as far as 1st century BC to the times of king Saddhatissa. It is said that the name the villagers in this area has been distilling from Mee flowers thus the name "Mirahala" (Meerahala) was coined to the area. […]
Ilukpitiya Cave Archaeological Site in Hingurana (හිඟුරාන ඉළුක්පිටිය ගල්ලෙන පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Ilukpitiya Archaeological Cave lies close to the Ilukpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya in Hingurana. This cave was declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014. […]
Veheragala Archaeological Site in Damana (දමන වෙහෙරගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Veheragala Ruins of Damana lies in the village of Peranigama in Veheragala inside the area known as the 19A colony. These remains of the ancient Digamadulla Kingdom was declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014. […]
Kethsirigama Archaeological Site in Damana (දමන කෙත්සිරිගම පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Kethsirigama in Damana, Ampara is better Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya, a forest monastery built on an ancient aramic complex which is believed to be going as far as 1st century BC. In addition to this site, there are few other places in Kethsirigama where remains of the ancient Digamadulla Kingdom. […]
Madawalalanda Mattayagala Archaeological Site in Ampara (මඩවලලන්ද මොට්ටයාගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
In the remote village of Madawalalanda lies two rocky mountains, one named Mattayagala. Number of drip ledge caves and ruins of a ancient buddhist complex have been discovered on this rock which have been declared as protected archaeological monuments. […]
Pannalgama Ruwanmaluwa Aranya Senasanaya Archaeological Site in Ampara (අම්පාර රුවන්මළුව ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
There are number of sites where ruins of the ancient Digamadulla kingdom exists scattered in the jungles around Pannalgama. One such site is the Ruwanmaluwa Aranya Senasanaya, a living forest hermitage of meditating Buddhist monks. […]
Illukpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya and Malayadikanda Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර ඉළුක්පිටිය රජමහා විහාරය හා මලයඩිකන්ද පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Illukpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya (Malayadikanda Rajamaha Viharaya) complex along with the ruins on the Malayadikanda hillock has been dated to the reign of king Kavantissa of Ruhunu kingdom who ruled from 205 BC to 161 BC. […]
Ekgaloya Reservoir Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර එක්ගල්ඔය වැව පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
A site of ruined buildings with granite pillars belonging to the ancient Digamadulla kingdom has been discovered on the Ekgaloya Wewa and this area of ruins were declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014. […]
Kotawehera A.C. Camp Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර කොටවෙහෙර ඒ. සී. කඳවුර කැලයේ ප්‍රාග් ඓතිහාසික සිතුවම් සහ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The village of Kotawehera of Ampara lies about 8.5 km away on the Inginiyagala Road from the Ampara town. Pre historic paintings in drip ledge caves have been discovered in the jungles surrounding the A.C. Camp Village in Kotawehera. […]
Samapura Veheragodella Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර සාමපුර වෙහෙරගොඩැල්ල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The hillock with a dilapidated stupa along with granite ruins of ancient buildings on the hillock called Veheragodella in Samapura was declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014, […]
Samapura Pullayar Kovil Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර සාමපුර පුල්ලියාර් කෝවිල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Samapura Pullayar Kovil lies just 800 meters from the Ampara roundabout on the Inginiyagala road adjoining the Ampara Wewa. The Rock plain with chronicles at the premises this Pullayar Kovil has been declared as a protected archaeological site by the Government in 2014. […]

Also See

Map of Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

Travel Directions to Naindanawa Rajamaha Viharaya

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