Western Monastery "K" in Anuradhapura

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Ruins of the Western Monastery 'K" of Ancient Anuradhapura — Ruins of the Western Monastery ‘K” of Ancient Anuradhapura

The western suburbs of the ancient capital city of Anuradhapura were considered the least desirable area. This region housed burial grounds, cremation sites, and places of execution, and it was inhabited by the lowest communities responsible for maintaining these areas. In this unpleasant and deprived neighbourhood, a group of monks settled in a vehement protest against what they perceived as the worldliness that had defiled the older foundations. To shield themselves from public view, these monks erected head-high walls. They sustained themselves by consuming rice with the harsh and bitter oil of the margosa tree as a condiment and wore robes fashioned from remnants taken from corpses. These monks were practitioners of forest-dwelling meditation and gained prominence in the seventh century, frequently mentioned in the following two centuries.

The main component of the hermitages of these monks were the padhanagaras or the meditation houses, which were beautifully built of well-proportioned and meticulously- dressed plain stone. The distinguishing feature of these monuments is that they are made up of two sections- a residential pasada or kuti at the back and an open platform or malaka in front- joined together by a relatively narrow passage or stone bridge. Its foundations were built in such a manner that a moat surrounded the platforms. These structures also incorporate a pool and have the main entrance on the east. The main entrance is an elaborate porched doorway built of heavy stone slabs while the subsidiary entrances have similar but smaller porches.

Architecturally the habitations of this Tapovana sect also called Pamsukulin are generic and are duplicated in many other monasteries of the fraternity as at Ritigala and Arnakele. However, according to scholars, the monasteries at Anuradhapura represent the padhanagara in its most developed form.

The Tapovana is first mentioned in the reign of Kassapa IV ( 898 -914 AC) it is said that this king built a dwelling there for the Pamsukulika order of monks. Kassapa V (914 -923 AC) built the Deva dwelling in the Thapovanaya. This ascetic grove was also known as the ‘grove of the penitents’. During the reign of Udaya III ( 946 -954 AC) some court officials who had cause to fear the king sought refuge here only to be followed by the king and his henchmen and beheaded. Outraged the Thapowanaya community departed as a group for Ruhuna, The citizens, as well as the army rose in revolt and scaled the tall Ratnaprasada in which the king and his supporters had in turn taken shelter, beheaded them, and tossed their heads from the windows. Not until desperate emissaries from the king had followed the ascetics to Ruhuna and persuaded them back to accept the king’s abject apology, was peace restored.

The Western Monastery “K” in Anuradhapura lie 800 meters on Watawandana Road from the roundabout where the Watawandana Road joins the Arippu Road. The ruins of “K” lie opposite to the Ruins J on the same road but covered in shrub jungle.

Plan of the Western Monastery 'K' of Ancient Anuradhapura — Plan of the Western Monastery ‘K’ of Ancient Anuradhapura

Western Monasteries Discovered in Thapovana in Anuradhapura

Padhanaghara monasteries found west of Anuradhapura Ancient City are identified as

Western Monastery A
Western Monastery B
Western Monastery C
Western Monastery D
Western Monastery E
Western Monastery F
Western Monastery G
Western Monastery H
Western Monastery I
Western Monastery J and
Western Monastery K
Western Monastery M
Western Monastery N

Primary Source : Kishanie S. Fernando

References

Bandaranayake, S., 1974. Sinhalese Monastic Architecture – The Viharas of Anuradhapura. Leiden: Brill.

Also See

Anuradhapura – The city of the God Kings

Map of Western Monastery “K” in Anuradhapura Tapovana

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Driving Directions to Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura can be reached through many routes from Colombo. The two main routes are through Puttalam (Puttalama) and through Kurunegala. Travelling from Puttalam, you will pass the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main routes to Anuradhapura. The most common route is through Dambulla. The other route is through Galgamuwa. Out of all the routes, the most commonly used is the Kurunegala-Dambulla route (Route 2).

Route 01 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route 02 from Colombo to Anuradhapura
Through : Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo : 210 km Travel time : 4.30- 5.00 hours Driving Directions : see on Google map	Through : Katunayake Expressway – Central Expressway – Kurunegala – Dambulla Distance from Colombo : 223 km Travel Time : 4.30- 5.00 hours Driving Directions : see on Google maps
Route 03 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route from Kandy to Anuradhapura
Through : Katunayake Expressway – Narammala – Wariyapola – Padeniya – Thambuthegama Distance from Colombo :203 km Travel Time : 4.30- 5.00 hours Driving Directions : see on Google map	Through : Katugastota – Matale – Dambulla Distance from Colombo :136 km Travel Time : 3.5 hours Driving Directions : see on Google map