Uruwala Valagamba Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: ඌරුවල වලගම්බා රජ මහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple located in the village of Buthpitiya (North) in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. The temple is situated on the wayside of the Wathurugama road about 6 km distance from the Yakkala Junction.
History
Locals link the history of this temple to King Valagamba (103 B.C., 89–77 B.C.). The rock cave that houses the image house today is a drip-ledged one and
therefore, it can be assumed that the cave was an abode of Buddhist
monks in ancient times. The cave temples at Koskandawala,
Maligathenna, Varana, Miriswatta, and Pilikuththuwa which are
situated in the vicinity of Uruwala temple are said to have formed
one major cave site during the early part of the Anuradhapura Period.
The large drip-ledged cave which houses the temple image house is adorned with paintings and sculptures of the Buddhist tradition.
The large drip-ledged cave which houses the temple image house is adorned with paintings and sculptures of the Buddhist tradition.
A protected site
The old Poya Geya (Chapter House), drip-ledged caves, the ancient Bodhi tree, and its rampart in the Uruwala Walagamba Raja Maha Viharaya situated in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Mahara are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notification published on 8 July 2005.
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See also
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1401. 8 July 2005.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 14 January 2023
