Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya (හුළුගල්ල ටැම්පිට විහාරය)

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Tampita Vihara are temples which have been built on pillars, a popular architectural design during the Kandyan Kingdom. Most of the time these pillars are made of granite.

Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya (Hulugalle Tampita Viharaya) of the Hulugalla Sri Bodhi Rukkharamaya temple is located between Nikaweratiya and Daladagama and is believed to have been built by the “Hulugalla Pahala Walawwa Lekam” in the late 19th century.

The Tampita Viharaya is a wooden structure built on 3 feet 7 inches high and 16 granite pillars. A wooden stair takes you up to an ornate wooden door. A circumambulating path 1 foot 7 inches wide is built around the image house protected by a half-height wall. The top part is covered by wooden planks cut to a design. Four wooden pillars with pillar heads with carvings on the 4 corners hold the roof along with the walls of the image house. A second layer of the roof is built around the Tampita Viharaya at the top level of the half-height wall. Both roofs are tiled with flat clay tiles typical of buildings belonging to the Kandyan Era.

The path is narrow except at the front. The door frame built with Suryawanka design is caved with various floral creeper designs. Two weather-worn guardian deities stand guard beside the entrance.

A Buddha statue in Samadhi posture stands on the main pedestal inside the image house. Two standing Buddha statues in Vitharka Mudra stand beside the main statue. The walls are covered in murals such as Suwisiwiwaranaya and arhaths.

An ancient Buddha statue with murals on the walls is weather-worn. The structure has not received due repairs for a while and seems on the verge of tumbling.

It is believed that the temple was built during the reign of King Mahasen (276-303) who is also the builder of the Hulugalla Reservoir adjoining the temple. According to legend, after King Mahasen built the reservoir the dam was breached several times. Each time, the villagers got together to repair the dam. The last time it was breached, they repaired it and kept a Buddha statue stating if the dam breached again, the statue too would get washed away. But the dam was never breached. The villagers considering this a miracle, built a temple at the location which is the Hulugalla Viharaya.

Unfortunately, no historical evidence exists of its antiquity today other than the Tampita Viharaya.

The reservoir near the Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

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Map of Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

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Travel Directions to Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

Route from Padeniya to Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

Through : Nikaweratiya
Distance :22.5 km
Travel time : 40 mins
Time to spent : 30 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

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Also See

Map of Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

Travel Directions to Hulugalla Tampita Viharaya

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