Etambagaskada Kiri Vehera Rajamaha Viharaya Ruins

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The remains of the ancient building at Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya

The name Etambagaskada is shared by several villages and temples across Sri Lanka, and likewise, the name Kiri Vehera is commonly found in many locations. However, the Kiri Vehera of interest here lies in the Vavuniya District.

The jungles surrounding Etambagaskada are believed to contain numerous undocumented Buddhist ruins known only to older generations of villagers. This area, along with other Sinhalese settlements around Mamaduwa, remained uninhabited for many years following the outbreak of civil conflict in 1983, when the LTTE terrorist group launched frequent attacks. In the years since, most of the archaeological remnants have either been destroyed by the LTTE terrorists or looted by treasure hunters and relic seekers after the war. Even today, these sites face unchecked plundering, largely due to a lack of protection and oversight.

The ruins of the Kiri Vehera at Etambagaskada are situated behind the Sri Sudharmarama Maha Viharaya. Although this site is not hidden in the jungle, it remains without formal protection. Historian Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero has identified this as the probable location of a stupa, though no visible remains of such a structure exist today. What does survive are 11 well-preserved stone pillars believed to belong to an ancient building. These pillars, measuring approximately 8 inches by 8 inches and rising up to 8 feet, have been safeguarded by the local villagers.

Among the scattered remains is the broken head of a standing Buddha statue, now resting atop a pair of carved feet. The hollow eye sockets suggest that precious stones had once been embedded in them. Another granite statue of a standing Buddha, now headless and broken into three pieces, is estimated to have originally stood about six feet tall.

According to a 1983 appeal report submitted to UNESCO for the protection of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage, these statues were damaged by vandals rather than natural degradation over time. That report also mentions a rare limestone Samadhi Buddha statue discovered in the nearby village of Ruwanmaduwa, close to Etambagaskada. This statue is considered unique because the halo (ras valalla) behind the Buddha’s head is carved from the same piece of stone as the figure itself. Measuring approximately 4½ feet in height with a 14-inch halo, the statue was found in the 1930s and later brought to the temple. Today, it is prominently displayed at the new Vavuniya Museum.

Limestone image from the 1983 report of Cyril Mathew — Limestone image from the 1983 report of the late Cyril Mathew

Three notable archaeological artifacts are currently preserved inside the Sri Sudharmarama Maha Viharaya. These include a Siripathul Gala (a footprint slab of the Buddha), a Buddha statue in meditation, and a stone inscription slab. The footprint slab, measuring 1 foot 10 inches on each side, exhibits subtle toe imprints similar to those found on other ancient examples, though they are not sharply defined.

The vandalized statue at Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya

References

වීරසිංහ එස්. පී. එස්. (2014) අපේ වැව්නියාව – වව්නියා දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ සිංහලයන්ගේ පුවත. කොළඹ, ශ්‍රී ලංකාව: විසිදුණු ප්‍රකාශකයෝ.
Mathew, C. C. (1983, July 20). An Appeal to UNESCO to Safeguard and Preserve the Cultural Property in Sri Lanka Endangered by Racial Prejudice, Unlawful Occupation or Willful Destruction [Letter].
Medhananda, E. (2005) The Sinhala Buddhist Heritage in the East and the North of Shri [i.e. Sri] Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Dayawansa Jayakody & Company.

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