Heritage

Ran Avuda Mandapaya of Kandyan Kingdom (රන් ආයුධ මණ්ඩපය – මහනුවර රාජධානිය)

54 years ago1 day ago06 mins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Reflecting the majesty and grandeur of Sri Lanka’s magnificent history and rich traditions, the Ran Avuda Mandapaya stands tall within the premises of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. The reconstruction was recently carried out by the Housing and Construction Ministry under the supervision of the Archeology Department and was handed over to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by Construction Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

The newly restored ancient building dazzles with radiance and splendour. Its whitewashed walls and finely chiselled wood carvings invite visitors to take a closer look and the beauty of ancient artwork leaves them awestruck.

The State Engineering Corporation has undertaken the task of giving life back to the building. Once complete the Ran Avuda Mandapaya will house the Media and Special Projects unit of the Sri Dalada Maligawa.

“This will be the second stage of the renovation process. Foreigners and locals will be able to skim through the temple’s annals and go through information on Buddhism at the complex. All the details will be at their fingertips. They will go through tedious tasks like hunting for information at various places because all the data about Buddhism practised in the country will be available. We hope to complete work in time for the 2600th Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi,” Sri Dalada Maligawa Media and Information Unit Head Krishantha Sanjeewa Hissella said.

He noted that modern technological equipment such as Wi-fi facilities will be available for visitors.

Constructed in 1592 by King Wimaladharmsooriya I, the Ran Avuda Mandapaya was believed to be the place where the crowns and swords of the Kandyan kings were designed, moulded and bejewelled. It was one of the first features which has been adjoined to the Dalada Maligawa complex. It was later renovated by Kings Senerath, Rajasinghe II and Wimaladharmasooriya II.

The building was damaged due to foreign invasions and finally fell into the hands of the British during their reign. They attached it to the Kandy District Courts complex after the Kandyan Convention was signed in 1815.

“The British changed the age-old carvings and replaced them with their architectural features. All but the traditional wood carvings were changed according to their tastes. Records relate that the British were the last party to renovate the building,” Hissella added.

In 1880, Colonial Governor Sir James Longden destroyed the king’s stores and made it into the District Court.

“The former District Court houses the International Buddhist Museum. The two-storey building encompasses details of 17 countries which have established Buddhism and have been propagating the religion across the globe. China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, India and Afghanistan are some of the countries included in the list. The Museum has a rare collection of Buddhist artefacts, replicas of ancient murals and scrolls. Visitors will be able to get details of some of the religious practices engaged by the Buddhists when they visit the place,” Hissella explained, adding that the project which was estimated to cost about 2.4 billion was funded by the featured countries.

The Sri Dalada Maligawa is the abode of the Buddha’s sacred Tooth Relic. It is the highest symbol of royalty. Throughout the years many kings who have invaded the land have tried to take possession of the Tooth Relic because it empowers the kings to rule over the people and land.

The Ran Avuda Mandapa was one old building in the Dalada Maligawa premises which had been neglected for years till recently.

by Ruwini Jayawardana
Pictures by Gamini Ramanayake
Daily News

Also See

Kandy – The Last Kingdom of Sinhale

Map of Ran Avuda Mandapaya

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

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

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Traveling Directions to Ran Avuda Mandapaya

Route 1 from Colombo to Kandy	Route 2 from Colombo to Kandy
Though : kadawata – Warakapola – Ambepussa – Mawanella Distance :120 km Travel time : 3.45 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Though : Katunayake Expressway – Distance :150 km Travel time : 3.20 hours Driving directions : see on google map
Route From Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Though : Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance :100 km Travel time : 3.0 hours Driving directions : see on google map

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Thottama Ariyakara Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Site (තොට්ටම අරියාකාර රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Thottama is an remote village far away from any major road network in Damana Divisional Secretaries Division. The ancient temple of Thottama Ariyakara Rajamaha Viharaya is believed to be built during the 1st century BC to the time of king Saddhatissa. […]
Mirahala Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Site in Bakmitiyawa (බක්මිටියාව මීරහල රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Mirahala Rajamaha Viharaya (Meerahala Rajamaha Viharaya) is an ancient temple complex in Bakmitiyawa with a history going back as far as 1st century BC to the times of king Saddhatissa. It is said that the name the villagers in this area has been distilling from Mee flowers thus the name "Mirahala" (Meerahala) was coined to the area. […]
Ilukpitiya Cave Archaeological Site in Hingurana (හිඟුරාන ඉළුක්පිටිය ගල්ලෙන පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Ilukpitiya Archaeological Cave lies close to the Ilukpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya in Hingurana. This cave was declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014. […]
Veheragala Archaeological Site in Damana (දමන වෙහෙරගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Veheragala Ruins of Damana lies in the village of Peranigama in Veheragala inside the area known as the 19A colony. These remains of the ancient Digamadulla Kingdom was declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014. […]
Kethsirigama Archaeological Site in Damana (දමන කෙත්සිරිගම පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Kethsirigama in Damana, Ampara is better Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya, a forest monastery built on an ancient aramic complex which is believed to be going as far as 1st century BC. In addition to this site, there are few other places in Kethsirigama where remains of the ancient Digamadulla Kingdom. […]
Madawalalanda Mattayagala Archaeological Site in Ampara (මඩවලලන්ද මොට්ටයාගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
In the remote village of Madawalalanda lies two rocky mountains, one named Mattayagala. Number of drip ledge caves and ruins of a ancient buddhist complex have been discovered on this rock which have been declared as protected archaeological monuments. […]
Pannalgama Ruwanmaluwa Aranya Senasanaya Archaeological Site in Ampara (අම්පාර රුවන්මළුව ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
There are number of sites where ruins of the ancient Digamadulla kingdom exists scattered in the jungles around Pannalgama. One such site is the Ruwanmaluwa Aranya Senasanaya, a living forest hermitage of meditating Buddhist monks. […]
Illukpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya and Malayadikanda Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර ඉළුක්පිටිය රජමහා විහාරය හා මලයඩිකන්ද පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Illukpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya (Malayadikanda Rajamaha Viharaya) complex along with the ruins on the Malayadikanda hillock has been dated to the reign of king Kavantissa of Ruhunu kingdom who ruled from 205 BC to 161 BC. […]
Ekgaloya Reservoir Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර එක්ගල්ඔය වැව පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
A site of ruined buildings with granite pillars belonging to the ancient Digamadulla kingdom has been discovered on the Ekgaloya Wewa and this area of ruins were declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014. […]
Kotawehera A.C. Camp Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර කොටවෙහෙර ඒ. සී. කඳවුර කැලයේ ප්‍රාග් ඓතිහාසික සිතුවම් සහ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The village of Kotawehera of Ampara lies about 8.5 km away on the Inginiyagala Road from the Ampara town. Pre historic paintings in drip ledge caves have been discovered in the jungles surrounding the A.C. Camp Village in Kotawehera. […]
Samapura Veheragodella Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර සාමපුර වෙහෙරගොඩැල්ල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The hillock with a dilapidated stupa along with granite ruins of ancient buildings on the hillock called Veheragodella in Samapura was declared as a protected archaeological site in 2014, […]
Samapura Pullayar Kovil Archaeological Ruins in Ampara (අම්පාර සාමපුර පුල්ලියාර් කෝවිල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Samapura Pullayar Kovil lies just 800 meters from the Ampara roundabout on the Inginiyagala road adjoining the Ampara Wewa. The Rock plain with chronicles at the premises this Pullayar Kovil has been declared as a protected archaeological site by the Government in 2014. […]

Also See

Map of Ran Avuda Mandapaya

Traveling Directions to Ran Avuda Mandapaya

Share this:

Like this:

Leave a ReplyCancel reply