Lahugala Kiri Vehera, also known as Kirivehera Viharaya (Sinhala: ලාහුගල කිරි වෙහෙර), is an ancient Buddhist temple located in the village of Lahugala in Ampara District, Sri Lanka.
History
According to local beliefs, the history of this temple runs back to the reign of King Dappula I [(661-664 A.D.) Withanachchi, 2013]. A dilapidated Stupa, Siri Pathul Gal and the ruins of several ancient buildings and structures probably belonging to the Anuradhapura Period are found scattered around the temple premises (Medhananda, 2003).
A Protected Site
The ancient Chaithya (Stupa) and ruins of the Vihara complex in the territory of Kirivehera Viharaya, belonging to Lahugala village in Perani Lahugala PP 10 Grama Niladari Division in the Divisional Secretary’s Division, Lahugala are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notifications published on 10 October 2014.
References
1) Medhananda, E., 2003. Pacheena passa - Uttara passa: Negenahira palata ha uturu palate Sinhala bauddha urumaya (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-686-112-9. pp.140-143.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1884. 10 October 2014. p.917.
3) Withanachchi, C. R., 2013. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Ampara
Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN:
955-9159-44-5. p.25.
