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Atambagaskanda, GalgiriKanda Rajamaha Viharaya, Horowpathana, Irrattaperiyakulama, Irrattaperiyakulama Viharaya, Issinbessagala, MaduKanda Dalada Viharaya, MaduKanda walauwa, Mahakathickudiya rock temple, Mahakathickudiya tank, Mamaduwa, Medawachchiya, Thonigala, Vavuniya, 2012, Culture, Dry Zone, February, History, Road Trip, Three Days

Author: soysa (4 Trips)

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Places visited:

• Issinbassagala Rajamaha Vihara
• Iratperiyakulam Shailabimbarama Viharaya
• Atamagaskada Kiri Viharaya
• Mamaduwa Temple
• Mahakatchikodiya Viharaya
• Thonigala Rock Inscription
• Madukanda Dalada Viharaya
• Galkiriyagama Kanda viharaya
• Remains of a Dalada vihara

Having read the book the Sinhala Buddhist Heritage in the east and the North of Sri Lanka by Reverend Ellawala Medahananada Thero we decided to visit some of the accessible Viharas of the Vauniya South and North east of the district.

We set out on a three day trip but left on the 16th evening and spent the night at Anuradahapura Sarvodaya rest center so that we could leave to Vauniya in the early morning of 17th to save time and before sun get too hot.

Vauniya District
Vavuniya district is located in the north of Sri Lanka in the Northern Province. It has an area of 1,967 square kilometers (759 sq mi)

According to Reverend Ellawala Medahananada Thero there are 410 Buddhist Viharas in the district most destroyed by the war, vandals and treasure hunters.

The Tanks commencing from Ampara district ended at Vauniya and it was Wawa Nimawa, end of the string of wawas . Waw nimawa became Vauniya.

The birth place and the village of Nandimitra Yodaya of the King Dutugamunu army is in the Vauniya District

The tooth relic which was brought from Kalinga Desaya now Orissa state in India was taken via Vauniya to Anuradhapura. Prince Danta and princess Hemamala landed in east cost at Lanka Patuna (see my Trip Reports Four Day Trip Visiting Buddhist Vihara and other Important Sites in East about Lanka patuna), and traveled via the distinct up to Saliyapura and King Maghawaranatissa received the Dalada at Saliya pura.dalada viharaya now at Anuradhapura District.

Historical data and directions to the sites and places were obtained from the book Sinhala Buddhist Heritage in the east and the North of Sri Lanka by Reverend Ellawala Medahananada Thero and from some of the Venerable Thero’s living in the temples and in Vauniya.

Our first stop was Issinbessagala”.

Driving on the main A9 towards Vauniya passing Madawatchiya 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) the stupa on a large rock is seen on the right side of the road this beautiful stupa situated on top of a large rock and a name board show the direction to the new temple.

Issinbessagala

Issinbessagala

The name loosely translates to “the rock that the sage came down from”. This temple complex was built by the King Devanampiyathissa (250-210 BC) right after the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Today what you see at the top of this rock is recent constructions done in the 1st half of the 20th centaury. This new stupa has been built on the same location where the original stupa was. Excavations on this stupa area has recovered an ancient Naga Gala (Snake Stone) and some Sri Pathul Gala (Foot Print of Buddha).

Statue Of King Devanampiyatissa at the top of the rock
The new temple	The new temple is a pirivena and an image house is at the ground level

Today what you see at the top of this rock is recent constructions done in the 1st half of the 20th century. This new stupa has been built on the same location where the original stupa has been found

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It is said Arahath Maha Mahinda thero also rested here before they left to Mihintalaya and a picture to that effect is at the top of the mount

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Leaving Issinbassa gala we travelled towards Vauniya

We went to Irratperiyakulama viharaya on the way to Vauniya

The temple is located at the left side of the road opposite of the Irattperiyakulam tank. Today the ancient archaeological monuments destroyed and new vihara constructed.

Many ancient rock pillars and near the Bo tree. A sign of the foot print of the Lord Buddha on a rock slab is also half buried near the boo tree.

A sign of the foot print of the Lord Buddha on a rock slab	.
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The Image house is recently built using some of the ancient stone pillars and slabs

Now we enter VAUNIYA passing the permanent pandal put across the A9 road and into Vauniya

We booked a room in the new temple Sri Bodhi Dakshinaramayain Vauniya town which rents rooms for budget travelers and resting halls to bus loads of pilgrims travelling to Jaffa and Trincomallee .Comfortable room with two beds with mosquito nets and attached bathroom is Rs 1000/-.

Rooms can be booked by telephoning 02422222041 and speaking to the High Priest Reverend Wimalasara Thero

Sri Bodhi Dakshinaramaya in Vauniya town	.
The room which we stayed

Stayed the night at the temple room and left in the morning first to Atambagas kada temple.

Its on the Vauniya Horowpatana road.

Travelling about 4 KM one has to turn at the road turning to Mamaduwa and travel about 7 km on the road. There is a sign board indicating the turn off. The temple a large complex now with new buildings put up with the help of the army. The ruins had been removed and put inside the new shrine room. But could not see as the priest has left to Vauniya Town that morning

An old inscription with a sign of a DOG is uprooted and fixed on a new rick panel near the bell tower,.

An old inscription with a sign of a DOG

The new temple

The old temple KIRI vihara at Atamagas kada is behind this temple in a mud hut the building had been enclosed by a brick wall but now with wattle and daub hut.

The old temple KIRI vihara at Atamagas kada	.
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The head of the Buddha statue the eyes are hollow holes and it is said gem stones had been embedded in it which has been removed by treasure hunters,

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From Atambagas kada we left to see the Mamaduwa temple.

There are few stone pillars and not much is historical information was found

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From there we travelled 12KM north. Road to Mahakathickudiya rock temple was gravel and tared .It’s said the prince and princes carrying the Dalada wahanse stopped here too.

Mahakathickudiya rock temple

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This has been a large monastery caves with drip ledge is found in the new Buddha image house.

large monastery caves with drip ledge	.
A statue newly made of foot print of the Buddha and a standing statue of Lord Buddha at the top of the mount	Caves and damaged stone inscriptions and slabs were seem all over the site
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The old sluice gate of the Mahakathickudiya tank	Mahakathickudiya tank
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Returned back to Vauniya as we could not proceed to Erupotana site as the road was muddy and van got stuck in the mud van had to be pulled out with the help of a tractor and the helpful villagers.

Next day we left back again on the Horowpatana road to Madu Kanda Dalada Viharaya

The importance of the temple goes to various eras in history; this village was the birthplace of Nandimitra who was the earlier giant (General) with King Elara and subsequently turned towards King Dutugemunu. The other importance is that, this is one of the places where Hemamali and Dantakumaru stayed with the sacred tooth relic. It was also the learning centre for Buddhist monks. It is said that the construction of the temple started during the era of Nandimitra.

It was told by the priest residing there that they have brought lime for construction from Chunnakam. Nandsimitra was a nature lover. He had a flower garden at Kokilai to supply necessary flowers to the temples in the area. There had been a huge Bo tree adjoining the villa. Bodhi villa later became became Bodhivill and subsequently ‘Pothuvil’. There is a village close to the area called ‘Maha Kachchikudal’ which had been famous for copper. Also there is a village called ‘Thapaswela the name derived from the ‘Thambawela’. There are lots of archeological evidences found in Thapaswela to show that there was a successful copper industry at Mahakachchikudai area during Nandimitra’s time. Reverend Ananda of the temple was very accomadative and gave all the help.

Later ,The trip to Thiongala was arranged by him personally accompanying us.

The Madukanda viharaya

Madukanda viharaya	Madukanda viharaya
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The Vihara Buildings were water cooled as it had two walls and between which water flowed cooling the building.

The spout jutting out from the outer wall is said to be to get the water out, after circulating around the building.

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Sand is filled between the two walls in the building today by the archeology department	Sand is filled between the two walls in the building today by the archeology department
The spout to take the water out

We next visited the Madu Kanda walauwa the home of the last Rate Mahattaya

Madu Kanda walauwa	.
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The last Rate Mahattaya of Madukanda koralaya	The photo of the last six Ratemahattayas in the northern Division
The head gear worn by the ratemahataya	The head gear worn by the ratemahataya

The next visit was to THONIGALA Rock Inscription.

Reverand Ananada of the Madukanda temple accompanied us as the people there could not trace the site

Traveling about 4 km on the Horoupatana road we stopped near a hotel run by the Gramaaraksakaya of the village. They too have not gone to site so they said. A priest from the Sarvodaya and a willing villager too accompanied us.

we stopped near a hotel run by the gramaaraksakaya of the village

A priest from the Sarvodaya and a willing villager too accompanied us

We traveled 2 KM into the jungle track.

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The Tonigala inscription which describes a banking system during the during the 4th century.

The rock inscription is covered by sand and a foot high bund is made to save the inscription from wild elephants

It is mentioned in Thonigala rock inscription, that the bank had been giving 50% interest for their deposits to the maintenance of the Madukanada Vihara complex.It shows the level of development and economic status of the area..

Remains of a STUPA is seen as a earth mount close to the rock inscription

Remains of a STUPA	.
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The main rocks have a few large ponds in the shape of Boats. Boats were called thonni because of that the name Thonigala was derived.

The main rocks have a few large ponds in the shape of Boats

large ponds in the shape of Boats

Next day Sunday we left, back to Colombo visiting the Galgiri Kanda Rajamaha Viharaya

Galgiri Kanda Rajamaha Viharaya

Galgiri Kanda Rajamaha Viharaya

We turned off passing Kubugollawa on the A9 road and turn left in to a gravel road which leads to the temple. Drip ledge is seen at the vihara now enclosed by a new image house.

Drip ledge is seen at the vihara now enclosed by a new image house	.
King Batiya tissa statue. The king who built the vihara	.
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We were informed that the dalada when taken to Anuradhapura the prince and princess rested at this above unknown temple but no priest reside there and abandoned.

By noon we left Vauniya via Mihintale Dambulla Kurunegala after visiting the eastern part of Vauniya visiting the important Buddhist sites.

END