Temple Archives

“Girihandu Seya” – first Buddhist stupa? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Girihandu Seya (“Seya” meaning stupa or dagoba) also known as “Nithupathpana Vihara” is an ancient Buddhist Temple in *Thiriyaya in *Trincomalee. Girihandu Seya is considered as the first Buddhist Stupa in Sri Lanka, believed to have been constructed by two seafaring merchants *Tapassu and *Bhalluka. Names of the two merchant bothers are recorded on a rock inscription in the temple premises. According to the inscription, Girihandu Seya was constructed by the guilds of merchants named “Trapassuka” and “Vallika”, Their names were written as “Tapassu” and “Bhalluka” in Sinhala chronicles. Situated on a small hillock near the sea coast, approximately 47 kilometers (29 miles) towards north of Trincomalee, the stupa of the Temple has been enlarged during the 8th century A.D. The Vatadage (literally meaning circular relic house or shrine) covers the stupa with concentric circles of stone pillars, almost similar ...

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple – vibrant ancient Kandyan art – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Situated in Amunugama, approximately seven kilometers from Kandy City and considered as a Cave Temple with Kandyan era paintings and architecture, Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Viharaya is well-known among local and foreign tourists due to the magnificent intriguing multi-colored artworks of *Kandyan Kingdom that adorn its walls. According to chronicles, the cave of the Temple has been hollowed out of a rock (by breaking the rocks) that rose to a height of around 40 feet (approximately 12 meters) and shelters the Shrine Room as well as an entrance (an area leading to the Shrine Room). The Temple had been constructed at a location where two rocks were touching each other from above and below and the rock mass has a height of approximately 40 feet (approximately12 meters). Construction of the Temple has been initiated by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe ...