Mahiyangana – Kandy

Mahiyangana – Kandy

Mahiyangana is 42 km from Kandy.

It is on the banks of the Mahavali river. Legend says this was the first stupa in Sri Lanka. The Buddha is said to have visited Mahiyangana nine months after his enlightenment on the full moon of Phussa (Dec ? Jan). Foreseeing that the Dhamma would become established in Lanka he came to dispel the yakkhas and preach to the devas. As he was about to leave, Samantha who had become a Stream Enterer, begged him to give the devas an object of worship and so the Buddha gave him a few hairs from his head. On receiving the hairs Samantha, placed them in a golden urn and then enshrined them in a stupa of blue sapphire seven cubits high. The Mahavamsa says that after the Buddha?s cremation a monk named Sarabhu took some ashes from the pyre and bought them to Sri Lanka where he deposited them in the sapphire stupa and then encased it in brick and stone. This, according to the legend, is the stupa that we see today. Moving from legend to history the Mahavamsa says that at the time of Devananpiyatissa, Prince Uddhaya Culabhaya enlarged the stupa making it 30 cubits high. Duttagamani enlarged it further and on orders from Vijayabahu I it underwent major renovations. An inscription dating from the 10th century gives an example of the unexpected benefits of pilgrimage. When King Udaya IV visited Mahiyangana on pilgrimage some of his subjects begged an audience with him and informed him of numerous malpractices in the local market. The king consequently ordered his officers to draw up new regulations for the better running of the market.

Several of the kings of Kandy made pilgrimages to Mahiyangana. King Narendrasinghe went twice and King Virawickrama performed the whole pilgrimage on foot. By the 19th century the stupa and most of the shrines around it were in a very dilapidated state and in 1949 a society was formed to restore it.

Mahiyangana – Kandy

The Department of Archaeology was invited to do a thorough investigation of the stupa before it was repaired. The relic chamber was opened and its walls were found to covered with paintings, their colours as fresh as if they had just been done. The paintings show the Buddha being tempted by Mara as he sits under the Bodhi Tree. Other paintings show Brahma, Siva, Vishnu and other devas. The relic chamber is thought to date from Vijayabahu?s renovations in the 11th century and has now been reassembled in the Anuradhapura museum.

Read More

Lankatilleke Rajamaha Viharaya – Kandy

Lankatilleke Rajamaha Viharaya – Kandy

Situated Handess, Kandy District, It is about 3 miles off the Daulagala road which turns right from near the 65th mile-post on the Colombo-Kandy road.. The Ancient Temple developed during Gampola period Mid. 14th-Beg. 15th Cen.Although not as well known as the Temple of the Tooth, the Lankathillake Rajamaha Vihara is another interesting site in the district of Kandy.

The Vihara, also known as the Blue Temple, is built on the summit of a rock known as Panhalgala is the village of Rabbegamuwa in the Udunuwara Division of the Kandy district. The Temple which depicts both Buddhist and Hindu features, is situated about 12 kilometers away from the Peradeniya bridge.

The Lankathillake Vihara is believed to have been constructed between the 14th and 18th centuries and is said to be one of the largest buildings to be constructed during this period.

Lankatilleke Rajamaha Viharaya – Kandy

Senalankadhikara, a warrior under King Buwanekabahu IV (who reigned from 1344 to 1354), is generally believed to have constructed the temple.

Its architectural features, sculpture, inscriptions on the rock – face and paintings are distinctive to the Kandy period. Some say the brick-built structure has feature similer to those of the Polonnaruwa era except for the two halls infront of the image house.

The wall built around the building has given it a rather square shape instead of the usual rectangular shape.The temple’s long series of steps cut directly into the rock is a peculiar architectural design. Beautiful paintings can be seen all over the temple which also carries images of the 24 Buddhas and a huge seated statue of the Budda. The three-storeyed building has carvings belonging to the Kandy period.

It provides a magnificent view of the surrounding country-side.

Read More

Tooth Temple (Dalada Maligawa) – Kandy

Tooth Temple (Dalada Maligawa) – Kandy

The Sacred Tooth Relic, which is housed at the Dalada Maligava in Kandy , is the most precious and venerated object for Buddhist in Sri Lanka . It is treated with the same reverence and dignity as a living Buddha.

The Tooth is believed to be a left incisor of the Buddha. It is said that Khema Thera retrieved this relic from the Buddha’s funeral pyre and handed it over to King Bambadath of Dantha, Kalinga. It continued to be honoured and venerated under the many kings that followed. During the era of King Guhaseeva, a king of neighboring city waged war to claim ownership of the relic. Guhaseeva, who was fearful of the Sacred Tooth Relic falling in to enemy hands, instructed his daughter Princess Hemamala and her husband Price Dantha to smuggle it to Sri Lanka . So the relic arrived in Sri Lanka hidden inside the Princess’ hair and was handed over to Bhikku residing at Meghagiri Vihara. The Bhikku informed then the king of Anuradhapura , Krithisena Mevan of it , and the king received the Tooth Relic with much pomp and pageantry and built special premises to house it.

It remained in Anuradhapura for over 700 years and removed to Polonnaruwa when the kindom saw a foreign invasion. The relic was moved each time a new kingdom was established and special premises were built to accommodate it. It moved from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa and thereafter to Dmbadeniya, Kurunegala, Gampola, Sri Jayawardenapura and Kotte before making its way to Kandy .

The present Temple was of the Tooth in Kandy was constructed by King Wimaladharmasuriya I and was renovated by Wimaladharmasuriya II.

The inner palace was created by King Kreethi Sri Rajasinha who carried out special Dalada Poojas without a break and also introduced the Dalada Maligawa Perehara to the annual Kandy Perehara.

He protected it during Dutch invasions too. The Tooth Relic was under King Sri Wickrema Rajasinha when the British invaded and was removed to various safe places outside the main city for protection.

It is said that Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera kept the relic hidden in his robes to protect it from foreign invaders. The British, hearing of this, arrested the Thera and took the relic under their wing.

Tooth Temple (Dalada Maligawa) – Kandy

When they finally took over Sri Lanka on March 2, 1815, the Sacred Tooth Relic was brought back to Kandy and was reinstalled at the Dalada Maligawa with full honours on April 25, 1815.

After Sri Lanka regained independence, the Tooth Relic was put under the charge of the Malwatte and Asiri Theras and the Diyawadane Nilame.

The Sacred Tooth Relic is now placed under seven protective golden caskets.It is brought out only during special public viewings held once every couple of years. Ever since the sacred Tooth Relic arrived in Sri Lanka, it had been afforded pried of place by the country’s rulers and there have always been strong links between the rulers and those in charge of the Dalada Maligawa.

Read More

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya – Colombo

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya – Colombo

Situated about six miles from Colombo, set within a sacred area of around ten acres, the Kelani Vihara stands beside the Kelani river as evidence of a Buddhist tradition in this country.Most sacred worshipping places of the Buddhists of Sri Lanka since it is a site made hallowed by the visit of Lord Buddha. In the past Kelaniya itself was a large city and the Kelani Raja Maha Viharaya was one of the largest and one of the most beautiful temples of Sri Lanka.

The spot on which this vihara stands derived its sanctity in the Buddhist era 2531, with the third visit of the Buddha to this country.The fact that the Buddha visited the spot on a Wesak day on the invitation of King Maniakkhika is given in the historic epics of Sri Lanka.

The Naga King, according to these chronicles had invited the Buddha to a repast at this spot which following the expounding of the Dhamma was consecrated and on which the King had built a vehera wherein the Buddha’s hair and the utensils use at the repast together with the seat on which the Buddha sat were buried.
However with the advent of time and the destruction of the vihara by the foreign invaders has resulted in the original dageba being lost today.

Kaleniya Vihara however, received its hallowed status and became a place of Buddhist worship after venerable Mahinda brought the Dhamma to this country.

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya – Colombo

According to the Mahawansa King Devanampiyatissa’s brother Uttiya renovated the vihara for the first time. He is also said to have built the first Quaters of the Monks (Sanghawasa) there.

Historical evidence shows that the Kelaniya Vihara was at its highest glory during the Kotte Era. By the time the Portuguese conquered the country considerable land had been donated by the kings to the Kelaniya Vihara, and when in 1510 the Portuguese entered and destroyed the secret temple. They had confiscated this land preventing Buddhists from worshiping at the temple.

Restrictions placed on the development of Kelaniya were reduced with the advent of the Dutch. They in 1767 perhaps in order to gain King Kirthi Sri Rajasingha’s good will permitted him to develop Kelaniya Vihara. Thus the reconstruction of the Vihara was undertaken by the then Chief incumbent Venerable Mapitigama Buddharakkhita. He was provided with funds from the treasury. The King was so overjoyed at the way the work was handled that further grants of lands had been given to the vihara.

Read More

aram

---

Naguleshwaram 

Keerimalai Springs & Maviddapuram

Naguleshwaram (on the left as it was, and on the right, as it is today, after the armed conflict)   was one of  the celebrated ancient five Shiva Sthalams known to have existed even before the Vijayan era. It was situated on the northern seacoast of the Jaffna Peninsula, about three kilometres west of Kankesanturai. The ancient temple is now no more, only a rocky cave can now be seen at the site, about a kilometre east of Keerimalai. However, the modern Shivan Kovil at Keerimalai, known as Naguleshwaram, perpetuates the ancient name.

Nagula Munivar

Keerimalai is a well-known bathing ghat. Keeri means "Mongoose" and malai is a "hill"; hence literally, "The Mongoose Hill". Tradition has it that once a Munivar spent his days performing tapas in a cave in these rocky hills and having ablutionary baths in the waters of the springs.

Due to his severe austerities, he gradually shrank physically, so much so that he became referred to as Nagula Munivar (Nagula = a mongoose in Sanskrit).

Eventually the rock also got the name of Nagula Giri (Giri =rock in Sanskrit) The location became a sacred sthalam with the name of Naguleshwaram. Thereafter, according to tradition and history, several afflicted persons sought cure here, by having curative baths in the spring waters of Nagula Giri (Sanskrit) or Keeri Malai (Tamil).

Maviddapuram and Kovil Kadavai

Maviddapuram is situated about a mile south of Kankesanturai. Kovil Kadavai was the original name of the Maviddapuram region; it forms with Naguleshwaram (Keerimalai) and Kasathurai (Kankesanturai), a celebrated triangular region of ancient fame.

Marutha PiravikaValli

According to tradition thither came Chola Princess Marutha Piravika Valli, daughter of Thissai Ukkira Cholan.

She was afflicted with a congenital disease, which affected her facial appearance. All medical treatment having failed she took to pilgrimage to sacred sthalams. Sage Shanthi Linga Munivar, pitying her plight  advised her to proceed to Keerimalai, near Kovil Kadavai, where the Lord of Naguleshwaram was presiding and to perform daily theertham baths in the sacred fresh water spring there.

Marutha Piravika.Valli at Kovil Kadavai

She arrived at Kovil Kadavai with her retinue of escorts and maids in attendance and took up residence in proximity to the theertha sthalam, at a locality, which even today is referred to as Kumarathi Pallam. Her daily obeisance and the curative value of the medicinal waters of the fresh water spring gradually helped her to rid of the facial horse-like affliction.

Her Resolve

In her daily journeys to the theertha sthalam, she noticed an old man by the name of Sadaiyanar venerating with daily pu jas a silver Vel. the emblem of God Skanda Kumaran, placed in a cove on a mango tree. she made a vow then. she felt the divine urge to build a proper temple for housing the deity and informed her father of her resolve. Very soon sthapathy architects and craftsmen arrived from Chola Nadu and erected a magnificent Kandaswamy Temple.

In due course, Maruthapiravika Valli married Ukkira Singan, a Kalinga King (8th century) of Kathiramalai (Kanterodai) Jaffna. who had asked for her hand.

New place Names

A Skanda Vigrakam "Kankeyan" was brought from India and landed at Kasaturai (consequently the place assumed today's name of Kankesanturai). it was installed with proper Kumba Abishekam ceremonies on ani-uthiram day in the ninth century.

Priests, who came from India, Iooked after the affairs of the temple and maintained it to a high standard. The name of the place was also changed from Kovil Kadavai to Maviddapuram.

---

Shri S. Arumugam
Shruthi Laya Shangham gratefully acknowledges Shri Arumugam's contribution in compiling the history of the five Shiva Sthalams of ancient Ceylon.
Shri S. Arumugam was born in Nallur, Jaffna. He obtained a Science Degree from the University College, Ceylon in 1928 and then proceeded to Kings College, London, UK, where he obtained a Degree in Civil Engineering in 1931. After graduating, he worked for the Manchester City water supply works, and then returned to Sri Lanka in 1933 where he joined the Irrigation Department and finally retired as Deputy Director in 1965.

His work in the Irrigation Department required him to travel widely in Sri Lanka, and this gave him the opportunity to study about the ancient Hindu temples in all parts of the country. He has also studied Hindu temples in India during his several visits. Apart from his technical publications (he was President of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka) his published works connected with temples include "Some Ancient Hindu Temples of Sri Lanka (1980), "The Lord of Thiruketheeshwaram"(1981), "Thiru Koneshwaram" (1990), "Stone Scupitures in Colombo Hindu Temple" (1990) etc.

Read More

Koneswaram temple

Koneswaram Kovil
Shiva temple front gate with the bell tower
Koneswaram Kovil Location in Sri Lanka
Name
Proper name	Thirukonamamalai Koneswaram Kovil
Tamil	திருக்கோணேச்சரம்
Geography
Coordinates	8°34′57″N 81°14′44″E
Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Eastern
District	Trincomalee District
Location	Swami Rock (Konamamalai),Trincomalee
Culture
Primary deity	Konesar (Shiva)
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture
History and governance
Date built	Unknown; earliest reference in the 6th century BCE,[1] latest reconstruction 1952 CE

Tamil

Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee (Tamil: திருக் கோணேச்சரம் கோயில்) or Thirukonamalai Konesar Temple – The Temple of the Thousand Pillars and Dakshina-Then Kailasam is a classical-medieval Hindu temple complex in Trincomalee, a Hindu religious pilgrimage centre in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. Built significantly during the reign of the early Cholas and the Five Dravidians of the Early Pandyan Kingdom atop Konesar Malai, a promontory overlooking Trincomalee District, Gokarna bay and theIndian Ocean, its Pallava, Chola, Pandyan and Jaffna design reflect a continual Tamil Saivite influence in the Vannimai region from the classical period. The monument contains its main shrine to Shiva in the form Kona-Eiswara, shortened to Konesar and is a major place for Hindu pilgrimage, labelled the "Rome of the Gentiles/Pagans of the Orient". Connected at the mouth of the Mahavilli GangaRiver to the footprint of Shiva at Sivan Oli Padam Malai at the river’s source, the temple symbolically crowns the flow of the Ganges River from Shiva’s head of Mount Kailash to his feet.

Developed from 205 BC, the original kovil combined key features to form its basic Dravidian temple plan, such as its thousand pillared hall – "Aayiram Kaal Mandapam" – and the Jagati expanded by King Elara Manu Needhi Cholan. Regarded as the greatest building of its age for its architecture, elaborate sculptural bas-relief ornamentation adorned a black granite megalith while its multiple gold plated gopuram towers were expanded in the medieval period. One of three major Hindu shrines on the promontory with a colossal gopuram tower, it stood distinctly on the cape’s highest eminence. The journey for pilgrims in the town begins at the opening of Konesar Road and follows a path through courtyard shrines of the compound to the deities Bhadrakali, Ganesh, Vishnu Thirumal,Surya, Raavana, Ambal-Shakti, Murukan and Shiva who presides at the promontory’s height. The annual Koneswaram Temple Ther Thiruvilah festival involves the Bhadrakali temple of Trincomalee, the Pavanasam Theertham at the preserved Papanasuchunai holy well and the proximal Back Bay Sea (Theertham Karatkarai) surrounding Konesar Malai.

The complex was destroyed in colonial religious attacks between 1622 and 1624 and a fort was built at the site from its debris. A 1632 built temple located away from the city houses some of its original idols. Worldwide interest was renewed following the discovery of its underwater and land ruins, sculptures and Chola bronzes by archaeologists and Arthur C. Clarke. It has been preserved through restorations, most recently in the 1950s. Granted ownership of villages in its floruit to form the Trincomalee District, Trincomalee village is located on the cape isthmus within the compounds. The modern temple has been a source of conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils due to its position in a geostrategically important area. Revenue from the temple provides services and food to local residents.

Koneswaram has many strong historical associations. The shrine is described in the Vayu Purana, the Konesar Kalvettu andTevaram hymns by Sambandhar and Sundarar as a Paadal Petra Sthalam along with its west coast counterpart Ketheeswaram temple, Mannar, it is the birthplace of Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras and was praised for its tradition by Arunagirinatharupon his visit. The Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Manmiam works note it as Dakshina/Then Kailasam (Mount Kailash of the South) for its longitudinal position and pre-eminence, it lies directly east of Kudiramalai west coast Hindu port town, while it is the easternmost shrine of the five ancient Iswarams of Shiva on the island. Mentioned as a widely popular bay temple of the island in theMahabharata, Ramayana and Yalpana Vaipava Malai, the Mattakallappu Manmiam confirms its sacred status for all Hindus.Kachiyappa Sivachariar’s Kanda Puranam compares the temple to Thillai Chidambaram Temple and Mount Kailash in Saivite esteem. Konesar Malai may have been the site where Yoga originated; some scholars have suggested that the worship of the almighty god Eiswara on the promontory is the most ancient form of worship existing.^[2]

Read More