Kathaluwa Purwarama Maha Viharaya

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Murals of the image house at Kathaluwa Purwarama Rajamaha Viharaya

Kathaluwa Purwarama Maha Viharaya (Poorvarama Viharaya) is located in the quiet village of Kathaluwa, approximately 2 kilometers inland from the Galle–Matara main road. Built on an elevated terrace encircled by a granite boulder wall, the temple has a serene and commanding presence. The site is estimated to be around 200 years old and features two separate entrances—one leading to the stupa and the other to the image house. At the center of the terrace is the main stupa, surrounded symmetrically by four smaller stupas positioned at each corner.

Origins and British Influence

According to temple records, the current structure of the vihara was built in 1840 by Rev. Kataluwe Gunaratana Thero. The image house, however, displays the year 1886 CE painted beneath a British royal crest bearing the portrait of Queen Victoria, suggesting that renovations and artistic updates were carried out during that time. The temple’s chief prelate believes that the murals may have been repainted in the 1880s, incorporating noticeable colonial influences over earlier Kandyan-style artwork.

The Image House

The image house is composed of three main chambers: an inner sanctuary, a middle chamber, and an outer hall. The inner chamber houses a large reclining Buddha, a seated Samadhi Buddha, and two statues of deity Saman, all retaining stylistic features of the Kandyan period. In the middle chamber, murals depict key moments from the life of the Buddha. The outer chamber is adorned with murals illustrating the ‘Suvisi Vivarana’ (Prediction of the 24 Buddhas) and episodes from various Jataka tales.

Murals Reflecting Colonial Influence

Among temples in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, the murals of Kathaluwa stand out for their bold infusion of colonial themes. In addition to traditional religious scenes, the walls depict horse-drawn carriages, Western-style dresses, shoes, jewelry, and lamps. Unusual for a Buddhist temple, some murals show soldiers with guns, men drinking wine, and individuals playing cards—a clear departure from conventional Buddhist imagery. Even the traditional temple guardian, typically armed with a sword, is shown holding a firearm.

This artistic blend also replaces traditional elite transport like palanquins and elephants with colonial horse carriages. While the attire of men and women in several scenes reflects European fashion—dresses, trousers, and shoes—there remains a visible presence of traditional Sri Lankan dress as well.

Artistic Style and Technique

The mural background retains the dark tonal characteristics typical of Kandyan-period paintings. However, the figures themselves are rendered in softer, pastel tones with intricate fabric patterns for each character. The overall technique and attention to detail demonstrate a high level of artistic skill, with some art historians suggesting that the paintings were created prior to 1886.

While some scholars argue that two distinct styles are visible in the murals, others maintain that the variation is due to the work of two different artists from the same artistic lineage—the ‘Kadolgalla Sittara’, a guild known for its temple paintings.

British Queen at the entrance of the image house of Kathaluwa Purwarama Rajamaha Viharaya

A statue of Vishnu in the Kathaluwa Purwarama Rajamaha Viharaya

Buddha statues in the image house of Kathaluwa Purwarama Rajamaha Viharaya

Deity Saman in the Buddha statues in the image house of Kathaluwa Purwarama Rajamaha Viharaya

British King at the entrance of the image house of Kathaluwa Purwarama Rajamaha Viharaya

References

Abeyawardana, H. A. P. (2001). Heritage of Ruhuna: Major Natural, Cultural, and Historic Sites. Ruhuna Development Bank.
Editorial Board. (2025, February 25). බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ඔටුන්නට සහ මහා රැජිනට හිසනමා ඇතුළුවිය යුතු බුදු මැඳුරක්. lankadeepa.lk. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://www.lankadeepa.lk/thaksalawa/බරතනය-ඔටනනට-සහ-මහ-රජනට-හසනම-ඇතළවය-යත-බද-මඳරක/55-667416

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Route from Colombo to Dodanduwa Shailabembaramaya Viharaya	Route from Galle to Dodanduwa Shailabembaramaya Viharaya
Through : Southern Highway Distance : 117 km Travel time : 2.5 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Through : Ginthota – Ratgama Distance : 12.5 kilometers Travel time : 20 minutes Driving directions : see on google map