Galmaduwa Viharaya – extraordinary building of unique architecture – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Photo By Gaurika Wijeratne Situated in Nattaramapotha (traditional craft village in Kandy) in Kundasale approximately 14 kilometers from Kandy City, Galmaduwa Viharaya is an extraordinary building of unique architecture. The Temple is an incomplete structure traditionally ascribed to King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe’s era (1747- 1782). The structure of the Temple has a Tamil-Hindu influence, although it is a Buddhist place of worship. Constructed of stone and brick with a high gopuram (monumental tower, usually ornate at the entrance of a temple, a feature prevalent in South India), it is the only temple in Sri Lanka with Tamil-Hindu influence within a Buddhist place of worship. The incomplete stone temple that combines Buddhist and Hindu architectural features is an edifice that displays the excellence of massive stone and brick masonry that existed during the *Kandyan Kingdom. Although, it is an ...

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