Kanabisopokuna Purana Viharaya, also known as Kanabisawarama Viharaya (Sinhala: කණබිසෝපොකුණ විහාරය, කණබිසවාරාම විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple situated in Handapanagala village in Monaragala District Sri Lanka.
History
According to local belief, this temple was erected during the reign of King Dutugemunu [(161-137 B.C.) Uma-oya, 2010].
Monuments
Although there are many ruins throughout the temple premises, the dilapidated Stupa mound, the ruins of the three ancient buildings, and the two caves near the southern embankment of the Handapanagala Reservoir can be identified as the main monuments. Most of them are still in a state of ruins. As the presence of a Yupa-stone, the Stupa of the temple can be assumed as a work that belongs to the early part of the Anuradhapura Period. However, it has been vandalized by the treasure hunters.
A protected site
The ancient Stupa and drip-ledged caves situated in the premises of Kanabio Pokuna Vihara in Handapanagala village in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Wellawatta are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notification published on 22 November 2002.
.References
1) Uma-oya, 2010. Final Report of Uma-Oya Multipurpose Development Project. November 2010. pp. 185-186.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no: 1264. 22 November 2002.
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This page was last updated on 14 January 2023