Wegama Rajamaha Viharaya | AmazingLanka.com

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Wegama Rajamaha Viharaya, situated in the Wegama Grama Niladhari Division of the Nuwara Eliya District, is believed to have been originally built during the Gampola period by Henakanda Biso Bandara, who is thought to have been the queen of King Wickramabahu III (1357–1374 CE).

However, evidence suggests that the temple site has even more ancient origins. The drip-ledged caves found within the temple premises are believed to date back to the reign of King Walagamba (89–77 BCE). According to historical texts, during the 12-year famine known as Baminithiya Saya, Buddhist monks from Sithulpawwa Monastery sought refuge in these caves at Wegama, using them as a sanctuary during that difficult time.

Wegama Rajamaha Viharaya and Henakanda Biso Bandara

According to the Kothmale Purawurtha written by P. B. Kehelgamuwe in 1935, the story of Henakanda Biso Bandara is steeped in legend and mysticism. During the Gampola period, an unusually large beli fruit appeared on a tree at the Beligala Temple. One night, the temple’s chief priest had a dream in which a deity revealed that a blessed child would be born from this miraculous fruit. Following the divine message, the priest carefully plucked the fruit and placed it on the temple altar.

Astonishingly, one night the fruit split open with a sound like thunder. When the priest and villagers rushed to the altar, they discovered a baby girl had emerged from the fruit. Because of the thunderous sound that marked her arrival, she was named Henakanda Biso Bandara.

The villagers raised the child, who grew into a woman of extraordinary beauty and deep devotion to Buddhism. She generously supported many temples in the region. Though many princes sought her hand in marriage, misfortune seemed to follow them, and none succeeded. Eventually, Henakanda Biso Bandara left her village and sought solitude on Hindurankanda Mountain.

She frequently visited the Embekke Devalaya to worship the Kataragama deity, who became captivated by her beauty and began visiting her in return. To escape his advances, she moved to Kothmale, where she worshipped at the sacred Pusulpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya and built a hidden residence at Meddegoda. This site later became known as Maligathanne, and remnants of her palace reportedly remained visible up until the 1930s.

One version of the legend also suggests that Henakanda Biso Bandara eventually married King Wickramabahu III (1357–1374 CE).

Among the temples she is believed to have built, Wegama Rajamaha Viharaya stands out as the only one known to house a statue of the queen, preserving her memory in both stone and story.

Attacks by Treasure Hunters

Unfortunately, this temple has faced seven attacks by treasure hunters in the past. In 1932, the left shoulder of the statue of the Henakanda Biso Bandara was broken, and the treasure hidden in the statue was taken. Later, the statue was dragged out of the temple and broken into pieces, looking for more treasures. In around 1952, a 30-kilogram gold-plated ancient Buddha Statue was stolen. Once the Makara Torana ( the dragon’s arch) in the temple was broken, people looked for treasures. Another time, the ancient Samadhi Buddha Statue near the stupa was broken. The final attack by the treasure hunters occurred in 2007 when the statue of Henakanda Biso Bandara and a Buddha statue believed to be made by her were destroyed.

Refuge of the Sacred Sacred Tooth During the 1803 British Invasion

During the British invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1803, this temple played a significant role in safeguarding the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. According to an ancient palm leaf manuscript, the relic was secretly relocated to Hanguranketha by King Sri Wickrama Rajasingha in 1802, following a British assault on Kandy. As British forces advanced toward Hanguranketha, the relic was moved from the Kitulpe Rajamaha Viharaya to the Wegama Rajamaha Viharaya to ensure its protection (Dissanayake, 1997).

A majestic Sapu tree within the temple grounds is believed to be the very spot where the Sacred Tooth Relic was hidden from the British. Nearby, a large sweet mango tree is said to have grown from a seed of a mango offered in devotion to the relic.

Additionally, the temple’s Bo tree is revered as a sapling from the Sri Maha Bodhi, further enhancing the sacred significance of this historic site.

Alternate names : “Wagama Rajamaha Viharaya”

References

Dissanayake, S. B. (1997). දියතිලක නුවර : පැරණි ස්මාරක හා ස්ථාන. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.
Kehelgamuwe, P. B. (1935). කොත්මලේ පුරාවෘත. G. A. Dissanayake.

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