Mahakachchakodiya Purana Gallen Rajamaha Viharaya

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Mahakachchakodiya Purana Gallen Rajamaha Viharaya
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Mahakachchakodiya is a remote village located about 13 kilometers from Vavuniya town. It stands out as one of the few Sinhalese settlements in the Vavuniya District that withstood the decades-long onslaught by the LTTE terrorist group.

The Ten-Yard Flag

The village holds particular importance in Sri Lankan history, as it is believed to be the birthplace of Nandimithra, one of the ten legendary giant warriors who served under King Dutugemunu (161–131 BCE). Local tradition claims that when Prince Dutugemunu defeated the South Indian invader Elara, the villagers at this location celebrated by flying a flag made from a Redi Kachchiya (a ten-yard cloth), giving rise to the name “Kachchi Kodiya.”

Early Settlements of Mahakachchakodiya

The village of Mahakachchakodiya in Kilakkumulai South is also considered one of the earliest Sinhalese settlements in the Wanni region, potentially dating back to pre-Christian times. According to H. W. Codrington, its ancient name in Sinhalese was Tittaveli (Lewis, 1895).

Both Lewis and Parker, two 19th-century colonial surveyors and chroniclers, provide accounts of the Buddhist ruins found in the area. In 1886, Parker reported rocks, caves, and remnants of several monastic structures, including the ruins of a Poya-Ge (an assembly hall), where two rows of plain-squared stone pillars still stood—five on one side and three on the other.

A flight of steps and a visible guardstone marked the end of the hall, while debris filled its center. Elsewhere in the jungle, he noted a stone altar and a doorpost, with the original square-shaped boundary of the temple complex defined by rows of cut stone blocks.

One notable cave had been converted into an image house and housed two headless stone Buddha statues—though both heads had been preserved separately. Outside the cave, the bases and feet of the statues were found, along with five Sri Pathula stones—sacred footprints of the Buddha.

One of these footprint stones was especially large and featured a beveled edge. All five stones had a carved motif between the feet that resembled a vase with a closed lotus flower hanging from each side—possibly a unique stylistic element of the local artisans.

Lewis, in 1889, also recorded ruins on the summit of a nearby hill, including the remains of a stupa and another Poya-Ge similar in design to the first, although with fewer surviving pillars (Lewis, 1895).

Due to prolonged LTTE terrorist control and the security situation, Mahakachchakodiya and its surrounding regions remained largely inaccessible to the public for nearly 30 years, until the end of the war in 2009. Despite this long period of isolation, the area still shows signs of having once been a thriving monastic community, as evidenced by the scattered Buddhist ruins across the region.

Current Status

The Mahakachchakodiya Purana Gallen Rajamaha Viharaya lies amidst this ancient heritage. Nestled between the Mahakachchakodiya reservoir and a rocky hillock surrounded by vibrant paddy fields, the temple stands on the grounds of a former monastery. New temple structures have been constructed directly atop ancient drip-ledge caves and natural rock formations, resulting in an unusual blend of the old and the new—imbuing the temple with a unique and compelling character, distinct from its surroundings.

Rev Medhānanda Thero reported in 2005 that ;

One cave is a shrine The paint on the walls of the cave is still seen as patches. Two lime stone Buddha torsos are inside. A stone seat that supported a statue is now lying at the foot of the rock close to this cave. In one of my earlier visits, I saw seven Foot Print slabs here, but now there are only five of them remaining. Pillars attached to a foundation are seen and it can be concluded that it was a shrine and later the Buddha statues were shifted to the cave shrine.
A little away from the monastery are the remains of another square building. Nine stone pillars remain, while pieces of tiles and bricks are strewn all around. On the top of a small rock is a stupa about eleven feet in height and thirty five feet in circumference. Much harm was done to the stupa. The Central pillar 8 in height is lying prostrate on the stupa. A footprint stone quite different in appearance and size lies near the stupa.
Considering the other remnants around, we can say that Mahakachchakodiya viharaya was a large monastery. The archaeological finds say that it existed from the Pre Common Centuries to recent times. Non-Buddhist people’s damages to many valuable objects are seen in regard to all constructions.

Ruins of a square building north-east of the current road near Mahakachchikodiya Temple with granite pillars. This Building is 7'50"x 5'30" meters in size and the pillars are about 2 meters high. Based on the style of this building, it belongs to the Medieval Period. — Ruins of a square building northeast of the current road near Mahakachchikodiya Temple with granite pillars. This Building is 7’50″x 5’30” meters in size and the pillars are about 2 meters high. Based on the style of this building, it belongs to the Medieval Period.
Source : වන්නි පුනරාවලෝකන (2016)

Despite the temple’s more modern appearance today, its ancient roots are still evident through significant archaeological features found within its grounds. Among these are the Sri Pathul Gala (sacred footprint stone) and the Yupa Gala (sacrificial post stone), both of which remain partially concealed by overgrown shrubs. The Sri Pathula Gala served as an early object of veneration before the widespread use of Buddha statues, which only began to appear around the 2nd century CE. Similarly, the Yupa Gala is characteristic of the earliest forms of stupas.

Furthermore, the temple premises house at least 23 drip-ledge caves, many of which contain ancient Brahmi rock inscriptions.

References

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.
Lewis, J.P. (1895). Manual of the Vanni Districts (Vavuniya and Mullaittivu), of the Northern Province, Ceylon. 1st ed. Colombo: H.C. Cottle, Acting Govt. Printer.
Brohier, R., 1980. Ancient irrigation works in Ceylon. 1st ed. Colombo: Ministry of Mahaweli Development.
Lewis, J.P. (1895) “Archaeology of Wanni,” Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society , 23(1893-1894), pp. 156–176.
Withanachchi, C. R. (2016). වන්නි පුනරාවලෝකන. Rajarata University of Sri Lanka / Security Service Headquarters, Vanni.

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