Kongahagedara Sri Bodhidrumaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya

The Tampita Vihara is in the village of Kongahagedara in Kurunegala district. It is located off Kuliyapitiya Madampe road.

It has been built during the period of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe in the 16" century. "Meegastenne Agiar' was in charge, and the head of the "Sathkorale'" district and was also the second Adigar for the king.

There is a belief among people that there had been a huge "Kon" tree close to Adigars house, and he had visited this particular temple and therefore the Tampita Vihara, which was built after his visit, was named as the Kongahagedara Tampita Vihara.

Tampita Vihara stands on sixteen stone pillars of irregular shape. The stone pillars on which the building stands are placed on a raised platform. The building has an inner shrine and an outer verandah. At the extreme end of the shrine is the main seated Buddha statue.

The interesting idea of using the wood of the "Mee" tree is to remind and symbolize Adigar's visit and his name. All wooden columns are carved and are different to each other. Thus they carry unique features.

All interior wall paintings belong to the Kandyan period. There is also a painting of the "Adigar' on the rear wall of the building. The roof is double pitched and covered with flat tiles.

The image house had been repaired in 1911. Some of the original murals also have been re-painted. The roof of the building had been restored recently.

(Architecture of Tampita Viharas in Sri Lanka by D. P. Chandrasekara and D. M. K. D. Silva, 2002, P117)

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Kongahagedara Sri Bodhidrumaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya

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