Pahala Baladora Sri Nagarukkarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

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Pahala Baladora Sri Nagarukkarama Purana Tampita Viharaya during renovations - පහළ බලදොර ශ්‍රී නාගරුක්ඛාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය — Pahala Baladora Sri Nagarukkarama Purana Tampita Viharaya during renovations – පහළ බලදොර ශ්‍රී නාගරුක්ඛාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය
Source : www.dinamina.lk

Pahala Baladora Sri Nagarukkarama Purana Tampita Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple with a Tampita Viharaya belonging to the Kandyan era which lies Kobeigane, about 9 km off Panduwasnuwara. To reach the temple from Kuruanegala, travel towards Wariyapola for 3 km up to Hathapola junction and take the road towards Kobeigane. Travel 4 km on this road up to Moragalla. From here turn right and take the narrow road towards Baladora. 2 km down this road you will come across the above shown by the road toward Pahala Baladora and with the name board of the temple. The temple lies 300 down this road.

A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a 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. The walls inside the chamber are more or less always covered in paintings drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

According to folklore, the temple at Pahala Baladora was established to serve the villagers specifically, as they wished to have their own place of worship rather than relying on the temple in the upper village. The Pahala Baladora Tampita Viharaya is a unique two-story structure built atop 20 unusually tall stone pillars, creating a functional ground floor beneath it. The upper chamber of the image house, measuring 2.6 meters in width and 3.3 meters in length, is accessed via a wooden staircase on the left side. The beam framework supporting the upper floor extends over the stone pillars, providing support for the lower roof eaves that encircle the structure (Chandrasekara & Silva, 2021).

Inside the inner chamber, there are seven statues, including one of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, who ruled between 1734 and 1782, and another of Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero (1698–1778). The Buddha statues have been carved out of wood and plastered in clay. These statues suggest that the viharaya was constructed in the mid-18th century. The tall stone pillars are believed to have been repurposed from an ancient structure in the historic citadel of Panduwasnuwara, located just 9 kilometers away (Chandrasekara & Silva, 2021).

In 2017, the Tampita Viharaya underwent a comprehensive restoration. The interlaced bamboo framework within the walls had suffered extensive termite damage. Consequently, the clay plaster layer and murals were carefully removed, the inner wall structure was repaired, and the original plaster and murals were skillfully restored.

Restoration work on the Pahala Baladora Sri Nagarukkarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

References

Chandrasekara, D. P., & Silva, K. D. (2021). The Ṭämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image- Houses in Buddhist Architecture. Anthem Press.
Godakumbura, C. E. (1968). Administration Report of the Archaeological Commissioner for the financial year 1965-66: Part IV – Education, Science and Art (G). Government of Ceylon.

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