Kasagala Raja Maha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Angunukolapelessa village. Locals believe that it was built by King Kavan Tissa.
Kasagala Raja Maha Viharaya (Angunukolapelessa) Not to be confused with Kasagala Raja Maha Viharaya (Kumbukgete) K asagala Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: කසාගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in the village of Angunukolapelessa, Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. The gold-gilded Buddha statue which is in the custody of this temple was taken to London for the Exhibition of Ancient Arts of Sri Lanka in 1981 (Uduwara & Wijesekara, 1990). History
Locals believe that the Kasagala temple was established by Kavan Tissa (205–161 B.C.). It was first restored by Dappula of Rohana (c. 659 A.D.) and again by King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) during the 11th century (Abeyawardana, 2004; Nicholas, 1963; Ray, 1960; Vanarathana, 1994). Several gifts endowed by King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1782 A.D.) of Kandy to Vehelle Dhammadinna Thera are preserved in the temple (Vanarathana, 1994). An insitu inscription dated to the 2nd century A.D. refers to the site as Kasagala (Kacagala) Vihara (Uduwara & Wijesekara, 1990; Vanarathana…
