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Buttala Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya – බුත්තල යටියල්ලාතොට කුටුම්බාල රජමහා විහාරය

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The larger of the dilapidated stupas of Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya

Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya in Yatiyallathota in Buttala is an ancient temple scatted with ruins of the ancient civilization in Rohana.

History of this temple goes back to the period of king Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC). The second queen of king Devanampiyatissa had been scheming to kill the heir apparent, sub king Mahanaga to make way for her son to be throned as the next king. One day the queen send a basket full of poisoned mangos to Mahanaga who was at a construction site. The son of the queen was too with Mahanaga, helping in the construction. The son of the second queen was the first to eat the mangoes and the poison killed him instead of Mahanaga. Mahanaga fearing a State Conspiracy to kill him, left to Rohana along with his wife who was pregnant at the time. While passing Yatalapura (Yatiyallathota today) in Buttala, the wife gave birth to a son who was named as Yatalatissa. Mahanaga became the ruler of Ruhuna and prince Yatalatissa is said to have built this temple in remembrance to his birth and his family.

Mahanaga was the first ruler in Ruhuna and Yatalatissa took over the sub kingdom from his father. His son was Gotabaya and Gotabaya’s son was Kavanthissa whos son were prince Gemunu and Saddhatissa.

The temple is hidden deep inside Buttala on the Sella Kataragama road. The temple contains ruins of a two stupas out of which one is considerably large stupa which has not been conserved but cleared of debris and trees. The stupa is about 10 meters in diameter. Current height of the ruins is about 8 meters. A pit has been dug at the center of the stupa by treasure hunters.

In addition these two stupas you will find a large number of various granite artifacts scattered around the temple area.

About 1 km before this temple lies the Yatiyallathota Archaeological Reserve. Here you will find a conserved Padanagara, a large pond, base of a tampita viharaya and remains of other buildings conserved by the department of archaeology. These ruins and the Kutumbala Viharaya might have been part of a larger monastic complex in the past.

Yatiyallathota Kutumbala rajamaha viharaya

References

Okamura, T., 2021. Ruins in and Around Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. 1st ed. Tokyo: NPO-SARERS – South Asian Ruins Exploration and Research Society.

Also See

Map of the Buttala Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya

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

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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

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Driving Directions to Buttala Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Sella Kataragama to Buttala Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya

Though : Buttala road
distance : 35 km
Travel time : 45 minutes
Driving directions : see on google map

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