Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya - Kurunegala

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Perched atop a 61 m (200 ft) rocky hill near Kurunegala, Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient cave temple linked to Kuveni, queen of legend. Its Kandyan-era image houses, pre-Brahmi inscriptions, and centuries-old stupa ruins echo the spiritual and historical depth of Sri Lanka’s early civilization.

Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient cave temple located on a rocky outcrop rising about 61 meters (200 feet) high, approximately 5 kilometers from Kurunegala. The oldest artifact found at this site is a pre-Brahmi cave inscription, dating back to the late pre-Christian or early Christian era, confirming its antiquity.

Legends and the Historical Background

According to legend, the temple is linked to Kuveni, the princess of the Yaksha clan who married Prince Vijaya around 505 BC. A copper plate dated 1744, issued by King Sri Weera Parakrama Narendrasinghe (1707–1739), records a royal grant to the temple and notes that Kuveni’s body was buried in the village of Vilbawa. The inscription also mentions an earlier donation to the temple by a prince named Pussadeva from the village of Thalkota.

Architectural and Archaeological Features

The site contains two image houses, a Patthini Devalaya, and a small stupa, all dating to the Kandyan period, situated some distance from the temple’s modern buildings. These structures are built on two adjoining caves located at the summit of the hill. The small stupa measures 2.2 meters in diameter and stands 2 meters tall, positioned on a cave about 6.7 meters long. The adjoining cave is divided into four sections.

The first section, a 12.2-meter-long image house, consists of an inner and outer chamber. The outer section is a later addition, while the inner section dates to the Kandyan era. The inner chamber measures 9.08 meters in length and about 5.5 meters in width. Among the many statues housed here, only two seated Buddha statues, one standing figure, and the main reclining Buddha are original to the Kandyan period. However, extensive restoration to their heads and bodies has diminished much of their original craftsmanship. The ceiling paintings have also been retouched, though traces of their authenticity remain.

Adjacent to this chamber is a 4.02-meter-long empty room. The third section, known as the Kuda Viharaya, is 5.6 meters long, with most of its paintings having been repainted carefully to preserve the original designs. It contains five Buddha statues that, while newly painted, have not been structurally altered. The standing Buddha statue to the left of the entrance measures 2.35 meters in height and depicts the Abhaya Mudra posture. On the left wall stands a large Samadhi statue 1.65 meters tall, next to which is a damaged standing statue—its head and chest destroyed by treasure hunters in 1999. Two additional Samadhi statues of similar size are located along the inner cave wall. The fourth section of this cave is a small, unused room.

Below the image houses lies a Pattini Devalaya built within another cave. Its foundations indicate that it was constructed atop an earlier shrine, remnants of which are still visible today.

Surrounding Archaeological Features

About 350 meters east of the Devalaya is a large drip-ledged cave measuring 10.8 meters in length and 4.5 meters in depth. The floor has been covered with clay to make it habitable, and traces of enclosing walls remain visible. Another cave with the pre-Brahmi inscription is situated roughly 130 meters east of the monks’ present living quarters. This isolated cave is 9.3 meters long and shows no remaining signs of habitation. Approximately 50 meters northeast of it lies a natural rock pool known as Kuweni Pokuna (Kuveni’s Pond).

A mound located about 140 meters south of the ancient Bo tree is believed to be the remains of an old stupa, though no bricks have been discovered. Treasure hunters have dug a large hole at its center. The mound stands on a square platform measuring 12.25 by 13.9 meters. On its western side is a granite flower altar measuring 2.56 by 1.06 meters, featuring a simple floral design carved at the center. Several other granite artifacts, likely from the Anuradhapura period, are scattered across the temple grounds.

Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya faces a peaceful stretch of paddy fields along the Polgahawela–Kurunegala road, maintaining an atmosphere of serene antiquity amid its historic remains.

References

ගවේෂන – 2 කලාපය – වයඹ පලාතේ පුරාවිද්‍යා ගවේෂන – 1 අදියර විශේෂ කලාපය – පුරාවිද්‍යා දෙපාර්තුමේන්තුව

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Driving Directions to Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Colombo to Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya	Route from Kurunegala to Vilbawa Rajamaha Viharaya
Though : Katunayake – Divulapitiya – Giriulla -Narammala Distance : 106 km Travel time : 2.5 hours Time to spend : 30-45 mins Driving directions : see on google map	Though : Distance : 5 km Travel time : 10 mins Time to spend : 30-45 mins Driving directions : see on google map