Padiyadora Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: පදියතලාව පදියදොර විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in the village of Padiyathalawa in Ampara District, Sri Lanka. The temple can be reached by travelling through Sri Maha Bodhi road about 1.5 km distance from Padiyathalawa town.
History
The Padiyadora temple's history runs back to the era of King Kawantissa [(205–161 B.C.) Withanachchi 2013]. Local traditions suggest that the Bodhi tree at the Padiyadora temple is one of the early offspring of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura.
Archaeological Ruins
Numerous archaeological remains have been discovered within the temple grounds, including a dilapidated Stupa that can be recognised as one of the early constructions of the temple. Adjacent to the Stupa mound, there is a headless standing Buddha statue standing at approximately 4 feet in height.
A Protected Site
The ancient Stupa, ruins of buildings, pond, wall and other archaeological evidence at the archaeological site at Padiyadora situated in Grama Niladhari Division No. 140/D, Thalapita Oya Left in the Divisional Secretary’s Division, Padiyathalawa are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notification published on 10 October 2014.
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References
1) Withanachchi, C. R., 2013. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Ampara
Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN:
955-9159-44-5. p.29.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1884. 10 October 2014. p. 912.