Metikotamulla Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya – මැටිකොටමුල්ල සද්ධර්ම තිලකාරාම පුරාණ විහාරය

King Weera Parakramabahu VIII of Kotte Kingdom (1477 – 1489)  had two wives who were sisters. He had five sons; Dharma Parakamabahu, Sri Rajasinghe and Vijayabahu by one wife and Sakalakala Vallabha and Thaniya Wallabha by the other wife. 

When the sons grew up, the king divided his kingdom in to five regions and allowed the five sons to rule the area as regional kings. Dharma Parakamabahu (1489-1513) ruled the capital Kotte, Sri Rajasinghe from Manikkadawara, Vijayabahu from Raigama, Sakalakala Vallabha from Udugampola and Thaniya Wallabha from Madampe. For years these 5 regional rulers worked as one helping each other bringing stability to the whole region.

Sakalakala Vallabha is said taken an immense effort to develop agriculture of Udugampola region and when he planned to built a new irrigation reservoir in the Hissella area he found the ground too sandy. Therefore picked a nearby area to mix clay with sand  to build the reservoir. The area which he used to mix clay became to known as Mati-ketu-mulla which became Mati-kota-mulla (Maetikotamulla).

Metikotamulla Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya today does not show any history going back to this era but the Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era is one of the important structures of the Temple.

Tampita Viharaya (Temple on Pillars) 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 and the inner walls are generally covered with frescoes drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

This Tampita Viharaya is built on nine granite stumps of about 2 feet in height. The inner chamber of the structure is 14 feet 6 inches long and 10 feet 4 inches wide. A 4 feet 6 inch wide varandha goes around the inner chamber. The roof is tiled with flat clay tiles and Sinhala Ulu ( tapered semi cylindrical clay tiles).  The year 1899 can be seen carved on to the timber used on the roof indicating that the roof has been restored in 1899.

Metikotamulla Sadharmathilakarama Purana Viharaya lies between Veyangoda and Minuwangoda Road. Travelling from Veyangoda, travel 5.8 km upto the Wadumulla Junction and take the road to the right towards Metikotamulla.  The temple lies 2.5 down the road.

Also See

• Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
• Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
• Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity

• මැටිකොටමුල්ල සද්ධර්මතිලකාරාම පුරාණ විහාරය

Map of Metikotamulla Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya

Traveling directions to Metikotamulla Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya

Travel directions from Anuradhapura to Metikotamulla Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya

Distance : 54 km Travel time : 1 hour mins Time to spend : 20 mins Driving directions : see on google map