Bihalpola Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya – බිහාල්පොල ටැම්පිට රජමහා විහාරය

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According to the legend, Bihalpola Rajamaha Viharaya was constructed during the reign of King Devanmpiya Tissa (250-251 B.C.) and later renovated by King Walagamba  89-77 BC). Among the ruins that can be seen at the site, there are a Stupa, an Attani pillar inscription, several stone pillar base and a flight of steps, possibly belonging to the Anuradhapura period. Some paintings possibly from this period show King Walagamba and the Deity Natha which are in a badly deteriorated.

On one rocky plain, there is a Tampita Viharaya, Dhatu Mandiraya (Relic House), and a Vihara Mandiraya, three buildings joined together built during the Kandyan period. The Tampita Viharaya is built on 9 stone pillar stumps, 2 feet tall. Large beams of timber are laid across the stone pillars and wooden planks are laid across them to make the floor of the structure. The image house on the Tampita Viharaya is 13 feet in length and 9 feet 8 inches wide. A 3 feet wide circumambulating path is built around the image house with a 7 feet wide space at the front. The whole structure is 26 feet long `8 feet wide.

There are 2 entrances to the viharaya. The entrance is faced North and the exit faces West. Stone steps are built at both the entrances. Two statue of guardian deities carrying a flower pot stand guard beside the main entrance. At he top of the door frame is a Makara Thorana with four deities each at two sides. The door frame is built in Suryawanka design. Most of the paint on the statues as well as the Makara Thorana is faded. The murals inside the image house have been re painted in 1928 destroying much of the archaeological value.

A 5 feet 6 inch high (with the pedestal) Samadhi Buddha statue flanked by two standing  Buddha statue lie in the image house. The height of the standing statues are 7 feet and 7 inches high. Figures of Arhaths Sariputta and Moggallana are drawn on the wall beside the seated Buddha statue. painting f Saman and Vishnu deities are drawn beside the standing Buddha statues.

On the ceiling, a delightful lotus design has been painted and along the walls of the corridor the paintings of Vessantara and some other Jathaka stories are depicted. Some of the original murals on the exterior wall of the image house has been recovered during restorations.

The building known a Dhatu Mandiraya  next to Tampita Viharaya is a two storied building built durung the same era. The ground floor of the building is plain lacking any statues or murals. A narrow stairway takes you to the upper floor. The relic chamber at the upper floor is similar to the image house. A circumambulating path is built around the relic chamber. There are two entrances to the chamber. The outer door frame is filled with carvings. At the center is a mermaid blowing a horn. An artistic dragons arch decorates the inner door to the relic chamber.  The door and the frame is decorated with floral patterns. An painting of Bodhisattva or deity Natha can be seen outside the inner chamber. The outer wall of the relic chamber is covered in line drawing depicting the Vessanthara Jathakaya.

The murals on the walls are in its original form with Kandyan Sittara style paintings. A small stupa is drawn on wall where the relic casket is to be kept. Currently a small reclining Buddha statue donated from Thailand occupy this space.

The third building too belongs to the same era but the later renovations has destroyed the architectural value of the murals in the building. Some of the original murals have been recovered during recent restoration work done by the department of archaeology.

The Sacred Footprint of the Buddha and the Statues at the Bihalpola Rajamaha Viharaya have been destroyed by treasure hunters. A fire in 1997 has damaged number of paintings and a wooden Makara Thorana in the temple.

• closest town : Narammala
• Local Authority : Alauwa / Alawwa
• District : Kurunegala

References

• විජයවර්ධන කුසුම්සිරි, 2009, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ටැම්පිට විහාර, දයාවංශ ජයකොඩි සහ සමාගම.
• De Silva, R., 1977. Administrative Report of the Archaeological Commissioner for the years 1970-1971. Colombo: Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.

Also See

• Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
• Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
• Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity

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