Heritage

Old Medawachchiya Ranmaduwa Rajamaha Viharaya

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පරණ මැදවච්චිය රන්මඩුව රජමහා විහාරය - Old Medawachchiya Ranmaduwa Rajamaha Viharaya

Ranmaduwa Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple complex lying between Padaviya and Pulmude in the Parana Medawachchiya area. The temple has been modernised but the ancient ruins can still be seen at the temple premises.

The ruins consist of a remains of an image house and a stupa. Two lines of stone pillars are seen at one location. The pillars are about 2.5 meters tall suggesting a large image house according the Ellawala thero. However these pillars seems to have broken as at today. At one end of these ruins stands an ancient Buddha statue on a recently made pedestal. This larger than life size statue is about 1.8 meters (6.5 feet) in hight. carved out of limestone, the right hand is missing from its shoulder. The fingers of the left hand have gone missing too. The folds of the robes are finely carved resembling the Awkana Statue though smaller in size. The head had broken off the neck and has been re-fixed.

The remains of the stupa lies about 50 yards east to the image house. The stupa is heavily weathered and appears as a mound of earth with bricks scattered around. The mound has been vandalised by treasure hunters long ago. It is 46 meters in diameter and 2.5 meters in height. It stands on a terrace made of pieces of stone. The compound around is paved with stone slabs. A flower altar and a part of a seated Buddha are kept at a side of the stupa.

Ven Ellawala Medhananda thero who visited this site between 1966 and 1986, reports that a wall constructed of stone ran all round, a length of about 150 can be traced at that time. A stone pillar with a fork on top measuring. 7 feet 4 inches (2.209 m) is a curious representation to think of more artistic buildings in the vicinity. Remains of stone work, brick, etc., are seen in an area of more than 15 acres. The huge “Araliya” trees, about 100 years in their age, tells of some incumbents that were here.

The Image House and the ruins of this sacred site, has been designated as a protected monument under section 18 of the Antiquities Ordinance, by the gazette notification number 1723 dated September 9, 2011.

References

E. Medhananda, 2005. The Sinhala Buddhist heritage in the East and the North of Shri [i.e. Sri] Lanka. 1st ed. Colombo: Dayawansa Jayakody & Co

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Map of Ranmaduwa Rajamaha Viharaya

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Traveling Directions to Ranmaduwa Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Anuradhapura to Ranmaduwa Rajamaha Viharaya

Via : Medavachchiya -Padawiya
Distance : 103 km
Travel time: 2 hours
Driving Directions: View on Goog l e Maps

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