Kottukachchiya Bodhirukkharamaya Purana Tampita Viharaya – කොට්ටුකච්චිය බෝධිරුක්ඛාරාමය පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය

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Kottukachchiya Bodhirukkharamaya Purana Viharaya is a temple built on an aramic complex belonging to the Anuradhapura era. The current temple with a Tampita Viharaya built during the era of the Kandyan kingdom. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on number of stone stumps usually 3-4 feet tall. The roof is held by a structure built of timber and the walls are generally made of wattle and daub.

A broken statue belonging to the Anuradhapura era discovered at this site has been placed in the Puttalam Archaeology Museum. Ruins of a stupa belonging to the same period can be seen at the temple premises. This temple complex has lost its glory thereafter and around 1750 has been again developed as an Buddhist temple including a Tampita Viharya.

This two storied Tampita Viharaya is built on 16 stone pillars with a average hight of 5 feet. Six more 5 feet 8 inch high pillars made of cement has been added at a later date. The ground floor is 22 feet 11 inches long and 16 feet 7 inches wide. The upper floor is 21 feet 8 inches long and 13 feet 8 inches wide. The inner chamber (image house) at the top is 12 feet 11 inches long and 8 feet 9 inches wide. The front porch outside the image house is 6 feet 2 inches deep. The circumambulating path around the image house is 2 feet 6 inches wide on the 2 sides and2 feet 8 inches wide at the rear.

Unfortunately this viharaya has been completely renovated losing most its historic value. The statues and the paintings of the Kandyan era have been completely removed and new statues has been placed and walls freshly pained. Fortunately the pillars and the lower floor have not seen much damage and the Department of Archaeology has carried out restorations on this section of the tampita Viharaya. Most of the wooden beams have been carved with various designs. You can observe traditional woodcarvings of Narilatha, Sansa Puttuwa, Lotus flower designs, Lakshmi, Gaja Singha. Singha, Rabit, parrot and lion, elephant and various creeper carvings on the beams.

This temple lies  18 kms (30 mins ) from Puttalam and 55 km (1 hours) from Chilaw. To reach the temple from Chilaw, Travel to Anamaduwa and then turn towards Puttalam. Travel 10 km on this road and take the left lane after passing Kottukachchiya Reservoir and Kachchimaduwa Reservoir which lies on the two sides of the road.

This Tampita Viharaya was declared as a protected archaeological monument by the gazette dated 23 January 2009 as describes as follows ;

“The Tempita Vihare and dagoba belonging to the Bodhi Rukkarama Vihare situated in the Grama Niladhari Division of Kottukachchiya First Colony in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Anamaduwa, in Puttalam District, North Western Province”

References

  • Thalgahawela Sumedha Thero, 2021. පුත්තලම දිස්ත්රික්කයේ ටැම්පිට පිලිමගෙවල් සහ ටැම්පිට දේවාල. 1st ed. Chilaw: Thalgahawela Sumedha Thero.

Also See

Map of the Kottukachchiya Bodhirukkharamaya Purana Viharaya

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)
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The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

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Driving Directions to Kottukachchiya Bodhirukkharamaya Purana Viharaya

Route from Colombo to Kottukachchiya Bodhirukkharamaya Purana Viharaya

Though : Chilaw – Anamaduwa
distance : 136 km
Travel time :3 hours
Time to spend : 20 – 30  mins
Driving directions : see on google map

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