GALMADUWA VIHARA

This half-built ancient temple is situated in Kundasale, in the Kandy District. It is just outside Kandy city and is a short distance away from the Kundasale junction.

The temple building had commenced during King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1782), who had ordered the construction to halt the discovery of a cave called Degaldoruwa nearby. It is here that the beautiful Degaldoruwa Rajamaha Vihara lies today.

The only ancient structure seen on the premises now is an impressive pavilion built of stone and brick, commonly called digge. It is of great historical importance for its distinctly Hindu architectural features. It is a highly Hindu-looking Buddhist temple. Some experts have likened the architectural style of the Vihara to those of Siva Dewales No. 1 and No. 2 of Polonnaruwa.

With a deeply moulded cornice, the pavilion is impressive for its size (60 feet by 60 feet). Built atop its clay-tiled roof is a tall seven-tiered spire ending in a final, evocative gopuram, which is the hallmark of Hindu temples. The embellishments, made of a mixture of stone and brick, remain unplastered.

The pavilion, which is still in excellent condition, is enclosed with large windows on all four sides. The fourth wall has a doorway at the entrance that is slightly bigger than the windows. The shape of the windows and doorway-arches is intriguing. They are semi-circular in shape and have cusped edges and a key-stone, more evocative of Hindu rather than Buddhist architecture. The overall look of the pavilion reminds one of an Islamic structure as well.

The chamber in the centre is fully enclosed except for a door that leads to the inner sanctum. This space is empty save for an empty pedestal that was apparently built to hold a large sculpture of the Buddha.

Although the temple was unfinished, a small Vihara on the side appears to have been built several decades ago, most likely by villagers eager to make it a place of worship. Several new structures such as a stupa, several Avasa, and a bodhi maluwa have been added recently. Unfortunately, restoration work on the pavilion ceiling has masked the beauty of the ancient stone and brickwork.

(A Short Guide to Some less-visited Temples in Sri Lanka by Malika Jayasinghe 2015. P19 )

Unique Sri Lanka

Galmaduwa Viharaya

CONTACT US

Email: info@virandesilva.com

CONNECT WITH US