Matara Wellamadama Ganadevi Ambalama

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ගරාවැටී ඇති මාතර වැල්ලමඩම ගණදෙවි අම්බලම ණටබුන් - Wellamadama Ganadevi Ambalama Ruins

Dondra, also known as Devinuwara, is one of the most ancient and historically rich cities in Sri Lanka. Its origins trace back to the reign of King Dappula II (797-801 CE), who is said to have renovated the old Rajamaha Viharaya and the Upulwan Devalaya in the area. In addition to these, he established four major devalayas at the four corners of the city, along with seven smaller devalayas, seven reservoirs, and seven ponds.

Numerous ancient texts—including Thisara Sandesha, Paravi Sandesha, Kokila Sandesha, Devinuwara Purana, and Devanagara Purana—refer to other Hindu temples (kovils) once located nearby. Among these are the Gana Devi Kovil in Wellamadama, the Naga Kovil in Meddawatte, the Shiva Kovil in Kaisawella, and a Devol Devalaya.

A reference to the Gana Devi Kovil appears in verse 30 of the Thisara Sandesha, in which the poet instructs the swan (Thisara) traveling from Dondra to Dathigampura:

සියුමැලි තගෙ තෙලෙ සපල්ලේ තුඩ ම
පෑයේ සිරිනි එත කිරණැල්ලේ සැඩ ම
නොම සිට නෙරළු තුරු සෙවණැල්ලේ වැඩම
කෙරෙමින් ගණිඳු දැක යව වැල්ලේ මඩම

In this verse, the poet urges the swan to travel under the shade of coconut trees and pause at the Gana Devi Devalaya in Wellamadama. Though the author of Thisara Sandesha remains unnamed, it is believed to have been written during the reign of King Parakramabahu V (1344–1359), and the writer is thought to have been a virtuous monk residing in Dondra.

Even today, the stretch of land from Ruhunu University to Dondra along the Wellabada road retains the name Wellamadama. The Gana Devi Kovil, however, no longer stands in its original form. What remains is part of the Gana Devi Ambalama (a traditional rest shelter), constructed with coral and stone. Until around 2013, its roof remained intact, but now only the front and side walls and the internal stone bench (pil bankuwa) survive.

Referenes

දෙවිනුවර ප්‍රෞඩත්වය බදු වූ පෞරාණික රස්සන්දෙනිය වැල්ලමඩම ගණදෙවි අම්බලමේ පුරාණය : කරන්දෙණිය මහදුරගේ පසිදූ දේශාන්.
තිසර සන්දේශය – si.wikibooks.org

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Traveling Directions to Matara Wellamadama Ganadevi Ambalama

From Matara to Wellamadama Ganadevi Ambalama

Via: Towards Devinuwara
Total Distance: 4.5 km
Time to Travel: 10 minutes
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Map of Matara Wellamadama Ganadevi Ambalama

Traveling Directions to Matara Wellamadama Ganadevi Ambalama

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