Piyangala Aranya Senasanaya

Piyangala Aranya Senasanaya (also known as Piyangala Raja Maha Viharaya) is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Piyangala in Ampara District, Sri Lanka. The site is located about 18 km far from Uhana town.

The temple is a forest hermitage and situated in the eastern part of the Rajagala mountain (Withanachchi, 2013). A large number of caves that were prepared as dwellings for the monks are found in the temple premises. Some of the caves contain early Brahmi inscriptions inscribed just below the drip-ledge. Among these, several inscriptions are considered very important as they give details about the royal relations connected to King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC).

• Piyangala cave inscription of Uttaragutta (above photograph)
  
  
  Transcript  : Utharagutha theraha lene
  Translation : The cave of Uththara Guththa Thera.

• Piyangala cave inscription of Chunda Tissa
  Transcript  : Batha Chudi Thishaha lene dashahagama....shagasha
  Translation : The cave of chief Chunda Thissa/Chula Thissa (is given) to the (Buddhist) priesthood.

Ruins of several Stupas as well as fragments of clay tiles and bricks have been found in the hermitage. Near to the temple, a cave with frescoes of Adiwasi people (Vedda) and a site with ruined stone pillars are found.

The Piyangala Viharaya is a archaeological protected monument declared by the Sri Lanka Archaeological Department.

Attribution
1) Piyangala Rajamaha Vihara 2 by L Manju is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

References

1) Withanachchi, C. R., 2013. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Ampara Distrikkaya (In Sinhalese). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). p. 37.

Location Map