Ran Avuda Mandapaya of Kandyan Kingdom (රන් ආයුධ මණ්ඩපය – මහනුවර රාජධානිය)
Reflecting 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.
Reflecting 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.
At the entrance to the Kandy city as you travel form Colombo we see near the Kandy Police Station, a Hindu Temple popularly known to the Sinhalese as Pillaiyar Kovil dedicated to God Ganesh,
The “Pattini Devale” dedicated to goddess Pattini is situated to the west of the “Natha devale”. In the past, the two devales were separated by a cross-road called “Et Vidiya” or the Elephant Street which is no more.
Gampola Niyamgampaya Rajamaha Viharaya is situated at Mariyawattha on the road from Gampola to Nawalapitiya. The origin of the temple is not very clear but according to historical documents it can be assumed that this temple has been in existence since the early Christian Era.
Niththawela Raja Maha Viharaya which accommodated venerable Velivita Sri Sarankara in his educational activities during the reign of King Narendrasinghe (1707 – 1739) must have been existed from much earlier times.
Natha Devalaya is one of the Hatara Devale in the Kandy, the other three being the Vishnu, Kataragama and Patini. These four Devalayas have a long association with the Royal Palace ( Maha Vasala) and the Temple of Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
Just above the Malwatu Maha Viharaya in Kandy and near the present Wales Park on the hills is found a small but beautiful old viharaya called Naga Vimanaya. This is a supposed to be a place where Velivita Sri Saranankara Thero lived for some time.
The superstructure of the Minimarupitiya Tampita Viharaya is composed of wattle and daub and is square in shape. The height of the doorway is about four feet and its dimensions are 10 feet by 15 feet, standing on six stone dwarf pillars.
Across the lake from the temple of the Tooth Relic, is situated one of the great centres of the Sangha, belonging to the Siam Nikaya, known as “Malwatu Maha Viharaya”. This great monastery consists of two sections.
The “Magul Maduwa” of the Palace is where the king met his ministers and and carried out his daily administrative tasks. This was also known as the “Maha Naduwa” (high court) by the local residence as this building was used by the king as the court.
The majestic Lankatilaka Raja Maha Viharaya, believed to be one of the most magnificent architectural edifice in the Gampola kingdom, was built at the crest of a large rock named “Panhalgala” overlooking the Hantane mountain range in the Hiripitiya hamlet in Udunuwara.
The Kataragama Devalaya at Kandy is run by Hindu priests unlike the other 3 devales in Kandy. The entrance to the main shrine faces the main street through a colorfully ornamented vahalkada.
Kandy Lake or the Nuwara Wewa was built by the last king of Kandy (and of Sri Lanka), Sri Wikrama Rajasinhe to beatify the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa) by excavating paddy fields in 1807. He called this artificial lake the :Kiri Muhuda” or the Milky Ocean.
Kadugannawa Ambalama is said to have build during the reign of King Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe and must have been a popular stopover for the merchants traveling on the arduous route between ancient hill capital and the lowlands
Local traditions say that this Hendeniya Rajamaha Viharaya was built at the the request of Henekanda Biso Bandara (consort of King Wickremabahu III) of the Gampola period (1357-1374)
Lewis called this Garrison Cemetery, the ‘European graveyard of Kandy’, in his book on the ‘List of Inscriptions on Tombstones and Monuments in Ceylon’ published in 1913.
Renowned for its murals of the Kandyan Sittara art, “Gangarama Raja Maha Viharaya” is attributed to King Kirti Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781).
A short turn off from the Kundasala Road just outside of Kandy and you will come upon a strange sight: the unfinished Galmaduwa Viharaya.
Passing Suriyagoda Viharaya in Yati Nuwara you come across two more historical locations, Dodanwela Devalaya and Danthre Viharaya. These can also be reached by the main road from Alakolange.
The Kandyan king, Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1780) was a great patron of the arts. It was during his time that some of the best paintings in upcountry temples were created. Among them, the Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Vihara paintings stand out.