Sunday, 29 September 2019

Polonnaruwa Siva Devale No. 1

By Lanka Pradeepa September 29, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Hindu temples in Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa, Polonnaruwa District, Sinhalese inscriptions, Tamil inscriptions in Sri Lanka No comments

The Siva Devale No. 1, also known as Shiva Kovil No. 1 (Sinhala: පොළොන්නරුව ශිව දේවාලය අංක 1), is one of the Siva temples situated in the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.

History

The Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka was invaded in 993 A.D. by the South Indian King Rajaraja I (985-1014 A.D.) and his son, King Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044 A.D.) completed the conquest in 1017 A.D. by taking the control of the country. They chose Polonnaruwa as their administrative centre and ruled Sri Lanka from 1017 A.D. to 1070 A.D. until they were defeated and expelled by King Vijayabahu I (1055–1110 A.D.).

The throne of Polonnaruwa Kingdom after King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A.D.) was passed to King Nissankamalla (1187–1196 A.D.) and then to the hands of a few rulers who were weak in reigning (Dias et al., 2016). As a result of that, the country's political stability became poor and the situation was comported for the invasions carried out by several Tamil invaders from South India. Magha (1215–1236 A.D.) of Kalinga (India) who came with a large army from Malabar (Kerala) invaded Sri Lanka during this period and became the ruler of the country. He ruled Polonnaruwa for 21 years until he was expelled in 1236 A.D.

Siva Devale No. 1

While Siva Devale No. 2 was built in the Chola style in the name of the queen of King Rajaraja I, the original name or the builder of Siva Devale No. 1 is not known. However, the architecture of the temple indicates that it may have been built during the 13th century A.D. Therefore, the temple is believed to be a product of the Pandya style built after the occupation of Polonnaruwa by Magha of Kalinga.

Ruins of another old monument?
The base of this shrine was in a hazardous condition for a long period and had subsided recently. To remove the weak base of the monument properly and to strengthen and reconstruct it again, the Siva temple was technically dismantled by the authorities. However, several news portals reported in 2019, that some ruins which are apparently of Buddhist origin were discovered and identified from the base of the current Siva temple.

Inscriptions

A short stone post with a record in 12 lines of Grantha-Tamil characters was discovered from the hall (Mandapam) of the Siva Devale No. 1 (Bell, 1907). It records that the stone was set up by Lanka Vijaya Senevirat, a Sinhalese General, by the orders of King Gajabahu II for some purpose which is not clear (Bell, 1907).

Another stone slab/seat containing a Sinhala inscription in five lines was found inside Siva Devale No. 1 (Wickremasinghe,1928). It records that the seat was the one which Nissamkamalla used to occupy when performing the function of lustral bathing at the ceremony of propitiating the nine planetary gods (Wickremasinghe,1928).

Temple

The existence of a Hindu shrine alongside of main Buddhist edifices may signify the religious tolerance exercised by the Sinhala Buddhist royalty. The Siva Devale No. 1 which was erroneously called the Dalada Maligaya (the Temple of the Tooth Relic) by the local people, is located between the citadel and the Sacred Quadrangle. It was distinguished by H. C. P. Bell as Siva Devale No. 1 in his Sessional Paper No. V of 1911 (Arunachalam, 2004). Considering the location is situated, this temple may have been regarded at that time as an important shrine.

The shrine has been constructed within a quadrangle 150 ft. by 75 ft. bounded by a brick wall (Prematileke, 1990). It is built with fitted granite blocks without any binding material between them. The outer wall has been decorated with nice carvings including figures of sages. The inner chamber without a roof houses a stone-cut Siva-linga, the main religious object of the Siva worshipers.

The temple is most significant for the discovery of the first hoard of Hindu bronzes now exhibited in the Colombo National Museum (Arunachalam, 2004; Prematileke, 1990; Wikramagamage, 2004).

Related articles: Nataraja (Colombo National Museum), Siva Parvati (Colombo National Museum), Uma Maheshvara (Colombo National Museum), Manikkavacakar (Colombo National Museum)

The Siva-linga, Polonnaruwa Siva Devale No. 1

The Siva-linga, Polonnaruwa Siva Devale No. 1

Broken sculptures, Polonnaruwa Siva Devale No. 1

Polonnaruwa Siva Devale No. 2

By Lanka Pradeepa September 28, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Hindu temples in Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa, Polonnaruwa District, Sinhalese inscriptions, Tamil inscriptions in Sri Lanka No comments

The Siva Devale No. 2, also known as Shiva Kovil No. 2 (Sinhala: පොළොන්නරුව ශිව දේවාලය අංක 2), is one of the Siva temples situated in the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.

History

The impact of the Chola rule on Sri Lankan culture is clearly visible in the monumental and sculptural art of the Polonnaruwa Period. During this period, the Cholas built temples in Polonnaruwa for the worship of Hindu deities such as Siva, Vishnu, Ganesha and Kali.

Siva Devale No. 2

The Siva Devale No. 2 is considered the oldest Hindu shrine located in Polonnaruwa ancient city and was built by King Rajaraja I (Wikramagamage, 2004). According to a Tamil inscription found in situ, this Siva temple has been named after Vanavan Madevi (Vanavan Madevi Ishwaram), a consort of King Rajaraja I (Ray, 1960).

Inscriptions

Tamil inscriptions
Three inscriptions written in Grantha Tamil characters are found on the outer walls of the Devalaya (Arunachalam, 2004). The earliest of these inscriptions has been dated to the reign of Rajendra Chola I (Pathmanathan, 1987).

The longest inscription found in this temple is dated in the reign of Parakesarivarman alias Udaiyar Sri Adhirajendra Deva [(1070 A.D.) Arunachalam, 2004; Pathmanathan, 1987]. It records an endowment (a lamp and five gold coins) made to the temple by a certain Chola Pallavaraiyan, a dignitary of high rank from Mankalappadi in Virpeddunadu (Pathmanathan, 1987). According to the inscription, the endowed lamp should be maintained from the interest on the money (five gold coins) deposited (Pathmanathan, 1987).

Sinhala inscription

A rectangular stone pillar built into a foundation of a small ruined structure standing near Siva Devale No. 2 contains a Sinhala inscription belonging to the 10th century A.D. (Ranawella, 2004). The record has been dated in the twelfth regnal year of King Dappula IV [(924-935 A.D.) Ranawella, 2004].

Temple

The temple is entirely built out of stones (mainly granite) and remains in a satisfactory state of preservation (Prematileke, 1990; Wikramagamage, 2004). The remaining architectural details indicate the same stage in their evolution as in South Indian temples from the Chola epoch (Ray, 1960).

The shrine mainly consists of three parts: the Garbhagrha (the sanctum) and the Antarala and Ardhamandapa (Prematileke, 1990). The Antarala which is facing to the east gives access to the Garbhagrha. The stone-cut Siva-linga, the main religious object of worship is found erected in the Garbhagrha (Wikramagamage, 2004). The roof is an octagonal shaped dome and end at a height of 31 ft 9 in. above the ground (Prematileke, 1990; Ray, 1960). The exterior walls of the shrine are decorated with ornate carvings and some of the stone slabs on the walls contain inscriptions written in Grantha Tamil characters. A broken figure of bull Nandi, the vehicle of God Siva is presently placed in front of the shrine building. Besides that, many Hindu sculptures have been found from this site.

Hindu religious rituals are performed here even at the present time (Wikramagamage, 2004).

Bronzes from Polonnaruwa Siva Devale

Nilavarai Well and Archaeological Ruins

By Lanka Pradeepa September 28, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Jaffna District, Ponds in Sri Lanka No comments

The Nilavarai Well is an old underground water well located in Navakkiri village in Puttur in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. This ancient well which has been identified as an archaeological monument is also known by the locals as the Nilawarai Bottomless Well.

The well is famous among the people as a water source that never dries up, not even during severe droughts. Presently, the water of this well is pumped out and used for irrigation purposes.

The well

The Jaffna peninsula is mainly underlain by hard, well dissolvable Lower Miocene Limestone (Mikunthan et al., 2013; Panabokke & Perera, 2005). Although the porosity of the Miocene Limestone is low, some macro-pores, channels and large cavities can be developed in this layer through the dissolving of the limestone (Joshua et al., 2013). The water can accumulate in these pores, channels, and cavities and serve as shallow aquifers. The water from precipitation percolates downwards through the soil and feeds these aquifers and forms mounds or lenses of freshwater floating over the heavy seawater (saline water) that is already present in aquifers (Joshua et al., 2013; Mikunthan et al., 2013; Panabokke & Perera, 2005). When the topsoil layer is collapsed due to some reason such as surface erosion, these limestone caverns are exposed as depressions at the surface like the well at Nilavarai. It has been found that the topwater layer of the Nilavarai well contains freshwater and after some depth, the salinity of the water increases towards the bottom of the well.

Folklore

According to Hindu mythology which is usually based on their traditional mystic emotions and religious literary works, the history of this place is related to Rama, a mythical figure presenting in the Indian epic Ramayanaya. Local people believe that this well was created by Rama when he strokes his arrow into the earth to provide water to refresh his men (Raghavan, 1971). However, the authenticity of the Ramayanaya is controversial and hence it is today dismissed as a myth by Sri Lankan scholars (JRASSL, 2014)

Another folklore says that there was an old Hindu shrine with an underground cave where saints meditated (Raghavan, 1971).

It is also believed that the well at Nilavarai has an underground connection with the Springs of Keerimalai, a freshwater pool located about 11 km away from the Nilavarai well (Raghavan, 1971).

Archaeological significance

The existence of a Buddhist temple in close proximity to Nalavarai well is found mentioned in the travel records of Rev. Philippus Baldaeus (1632-1671 A.D.), a Dutch minister who was in Jaffna during the Dutch Period of Ceylon (Dias et al., 2016). The Buddhist temple mentioned by him is said to have existed in a village which was called Budgamuwa during the ancient period (Dias et al., 2016). This temple at Budgamuwa had been renovated by King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) who fought with Colas in 1053 (Dias et al., 2016).

Paul E. Peiris (1874-1955 A.D.), the District Judge for Jaffna in 1917, also mentions in his notes that in addition to this well there had been Buddhist ruins in the area (Dias et al., 2016; Wijebandara, 2014).

Nilavarai Buddha Statue

A broken limestone statue of Buddha (only the portion from the waist above) was discovered by a cultivator about 250 yards (228.6 m) west of the Nilawarai well. The remaining portion of the statue is 3 ft 3.5 inches high while the head part is about 1 ft 2 inches in length. The nose had been partly damaged at the time of its discovery. The preserved portion indicates that the Mudra (gesture) of the original statue was Abhaya. Fragments of other portions together with some potsherds were also found buried about 2-4 feet deep in the earth. This statue was transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Jaffna by the Archaeological Commissioner (9 December 1952).

Besides the statue, the remains of a Stupa which is believed to belong to the 10th century A.D. were discovered near to the place where the statue of Nilavarai Buddha was found. Remains of a rectangular building were also identified at the same site.

The bottom of the well

Local people identify this well as a bottomless well. However, the depth of the well was figured in 1895, by H. F. Tomalin by conducting some pumping and plumbing operations at the site. From these operations, he figured the depth of this well as 145 feet (44.196 m) on the northern side, 120 feet (36.576 m) on the south side and 121 feet (36.88 m) on the western side (Raghavan, 1971). S. Arumugam, a Sri Lankan irrigation engineer in his book published in 1969 have mentioned the depth of this well as 164 feet 6 inches [(51.81 m) Arumugam, 1969].

On 15 August 2013, the Central Cultural Fund with a group of marine archaeologists carried out an expedition to Nilavarai well to find out the bottom of the well (Dias et al., 2016; Wijebandara, 2014). During this expedition, they successfully discovered the bottom of the well and concluded it by recording the maximum depth of the well as 50 m [(164.04 feet) Dias et al., 2016; Wijebandara, 2014]

The Sri Lanka Navy, who also conducted an expedition at the site with an automated robot found the bottom of this well at a depth of 52.5 m (172.24 feet). During this expedition, several tunnels that are located at different levels and lead toward different directions were observed by them. They further found out that the first 18.3 m of the well contains freshwater and after that point, the salinity of the water increases with the depth. Debris of three carts fallen into the well was also recorded during this expedition.

A protected site

The Nilawarai pond situated in the Grama Niladhari Division of Nawakkiri bearing No. J-275 in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kopai is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 23 February 2007.

Attribution

1) Nilavarai, Jaffna by AntanO is licensed under CC BY SA 3.0
2) M 9 by Kanatonian is licensed under CC BY SA 3.0

References

1) Arumugam, S., 1969. Water resources of Ceylon: its utilisation and development. Water Resources Board. p.290.

2) Dias, M.; Koralage, S.B.; Asanga, K., 2016. The archaeological heritage of Jaffna Peninsula. Department of Archaeology. Colombo. pp.198-199.

3) Joshua, W.D., Thushyanthy, M. and Nanthagoban, N., 2013. Seasonal variation of water table and groundwater quality of the karst aquifer of the Jaffna Peninsula-Sri Lanka. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 41(1). pp.3-12.
4) JRASSL, 2014. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka New Series, Vol. 59, No. 2, Special Issue on the Ramayana (2014). https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40203619. pp.1-112.

5) Panabokke, C.R. and Perera, A.P.G.R.L., 2005. Groundwater resources of Sri Lanka. Water Resources Board, Colombo, Sri Lanka, p.3.
6) Raghavan, M.D., 1971. Tamil culture in Ceylon. Kalai Nilayam. pp.40-41.
7) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1486. 23 February 2007. p.129.
8) Mikunthan, T.; Vithanage, M.; Pathmarajah, S.; Arasalingam, S.; Ariyaratne, R.; Manthrithilake, H. 2013. Hydrogeochemical characterization of Jaffna’s aquifer systems in Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). pp.3-4.
9) Wijebandara, I.D.M., 2014. Yapanaye Aithihasika Urumaya (In Sinhala). Published by the editor. ISBN-978-955-9159-95-7. pp.118-120.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 14 April 2022
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Gadaladeniya Viharaya

By Lanka Pradeepa September 22, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, Kandy District, Sinhalese inscriptions No comments

Gadaladeniya Viharaya,also known as Sri Saddharmathilaka Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: ගඩලාදෙණිය විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Gadaladeniya village in Kandy District, Sri Lanka.

History

The history of the Gadaladeniya temple goes back to the Gampola Period. According to epigraphic sources, the Buddha shrine and Devalaya at Gadaladeniya were erected by the great monk Dharmakirti Sthavira during the reign of King Buvanekabahu IV [(1341-1351 A.D.) Abeywardana, 2004; Paranavitana, 1934]. The temple was repaired later by King Parakramabahu VI [(1412-1467 A.D.) Seneviratna & Polk, 1992].

Several celebrated scholarly monks who have contributed to the literary development of the country, such as Dharmakirti II and Vimalakirti I, are said to have resided at Gadaladeniya temple (Seneviratna & Polk, 1992). Presently, the temple is looked after by the pupillary succession of Ven. Weliwita Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Thera [(1698 - 1778 A.D.) Abeywardana, 2004].

Inscriptions

Several inscriptions have been found from the temple premises. Among them, two inscriptions are found inscribed on a slab-pillar erected near the entrance of the Buddha shrine. Another two are on the rock near the Bodhi tree and five inscriptions are found on the rock plain near the steps of the south entrance gate of the temple (Paranavitana, 1934).

Gadaladeniya Slab-Pillar Inscription

This slab-pillar with inscriptions was found inside of the temple by H. C. P. Bell, the then Archaeological Commissioner (Codrington, 1934). It contains two inscriptions inscribed on its four surfaces. The first of the two is a record of the fifth year of King Siri Sangabo Sri Jayavira Parakrama Bahu granting amnesty to Menawara Tunayan, nephew of the Apa Parakramabahu of Dodamwela and the people of the five countries (Codrington, 1934). The second inscription records that Menawara Tunayan, nephew of the Apa Parakramabahu of Dodamwela, and all others were given amnesty by King Siri Sangabo Sri Jayavira Parakrama Bahu (Codrington, 1934).

Five Rock Inscriptions near the South Entrance

I) This is a 15th-century Sinhala inscription containing four lines. It mentions a king styled Sirisangabo Sri Parakramabahu Vikramabahu (Paranavitana, 1934).

II) This is also a 15th-century Sinhala inscription containing five lines. It has been inscribed in the third year of Sirisangabo Sri Parakramabahu (Paranavitana, 1934).

III) Gadaladeniya Inscription of Dharmakirti Sthavira

This is the earliest and lengthiest inscription (45 lines) at the site. Inscribed in the 3rd year of King Bhuwanekabahu IV, this inscription is considered important as it contains details about the history of Gadaladeniya Viharaya.

The inscription which has been written in modern Sinhala scripts is dated to 1344 A.D. It records the construction of the Buddha shrine at Gadaladeniya by the great Thera Dharmakirti Sthavira of the Ganavasi school and a list of lands dedicated to it by various personages.

It further reveals that Sthavira Dharmakirti had constructed or repaired a two-storied image house at Sri Dhanyakataka (i.e. Amaravati) in India, before the construction of the Gadaladeniya temple (Paranavitana, 1934). Senarath Paranavithana points out this fact as an example that shows the efforts made by Sri Lankan Buddhists of the fourteenth century to revive Buddhism in South India (Paranavitana, 1934).

IV) Gadaladeniya Inscription of Senasammata Vikramabahu

This inscription has been inscribed in the eighth regnal year of King Senasammata Vikramabahu (1469-1511 A.D.). It records a proclamation made by Senasammata Vikramabahu, his son Yapa Bandara and other important persons to effect that no loss of life shall happen in certain territories of the Kandyan Kingdom.

V) This weathered inscription has been dated to 2054 of the Buddhist era (1511 A.D.). The name of the king mentioned in this epigraph is Jayavira (Codrington, 1934).

Architecture

The architecture of the Gadaladeniya temple is similar to the contemporary Hindu shrines of South India in the early Vijayanagar style (Abeywardana, 2004; Paranavitana, 1934). According to the Gadaladeniya inscription of Dharmakirti Sthavira, the architecture of this temple was designed by a person named Ganeshvarachari who is believed to be an architect from South India (Paranavitana, 1934).

Buddha shrine

The Buddha shrine is built entirely of sculptured granite, except at the Shikharas where the top is built of bricks (Seneviratna & Polk, 1992). The shrine consists of a Garbha-gruha (a sanctum), an Antharalaya (a vestibule), a Devalaya, and a porch. The Garbha-gruha is the most inner part of the shrine and it accommodates a large statue of seated Buddha who is in a pose of meditation under a Makara Thorana (a dragon arch). The Makara Thorana is decorated with images of gods such as Sakra, Brahma, Suyama, Santusita, Natha, and Maitri (Seneviratna & Polk, 1992).

The Devalaya is in a separate chamber that projects from the Antharalaya part. According to the inscription of Dharamakirti Sthavira, the Devalaya has been built for the protection of the Viharaya (Abeywardana, 2004). The deity who is being worshipped at the Devalaya is God Vishnu.

Vijayothpaya

The structure which consists of a central main Stupa surrounded by four other small-size Stupas is called Vijayothpaya (or Vijayantha Prasada). As the Buddha shrine, the Vijayothpaya at Gadaladeniya temple is also believed to be constructed by Dharmakirti Sthavira (Rajapakse, 2016).

The central Stupa has been built on a square-shaped elevated platform built of stone. It is covered by a four-sided roof supported by four pillars. The roof is built of timber and belongs to the Kandyan style. It is said to be added to the Vijayothpaya by King Parakramabahu V [(1344/1345 - 1359 A.D.) Rajapakse, 2016]. On the four sides of the central Stupa are four small Stupas built on platforms containing shrine rooms (de Thabrew, 2013).

The Chapter House, the Vahalkada, the Sinhasana Mandapaya, and the Dig-geya are among the other significant structures of the Gadaladeniya temple (Rajapakse, 2016).

A protected site

The ancient Buddha shrine, Devalaya and rock inscriptions situated in Gadaladeniya Raja Maha Vihara premises in Udunuwara Divisional Secretary’s Division are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notification published on 11 May 1956.

Rock inscriptions near the Bodhi-tree, Gadaladeniya

A Buddha statue in one of shrine rooms, Vijayothpaya

The Buddha shrine under renovation, Gadaladeniya

References

1) Abeywardana, H.A.P., 2004. Heritage of Kandurata: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Colombo: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. pp.74-75.
2) Codrington, H. W., 1934. The Gadaladeniya Inscription of Senasammata Vikrama Bahu. and The Gadaladeniya Slab-pillar inscriptions. Epigraphia Zeylanica being lithic and other inscription of Ceylon. Vol. IV. Archaeological Survey of Ceylon. London. pp.8-15,16-27.
3) de Thabrew, W. V., 2013. Monuments and Temples of Orthodox Buddhism in India and Sri Lanka. Author House. p. 66.
4) Paranavitana, S., 1934. Gadaladeniya Rock Inscription of Dharmakirti Sthavira. Epigraphia Zeylanica being lithic and other inscription of Ceylon. Vol. IV. Archaeological Survey of Ceylon. London. pp.90-110.
5) Rajapakse, S., 2016. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Mahanuwara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. ISBN:955-9159-34-8. pp. 58-60.
6) Seneviratna, A. and Polk, B., 1992. Buddhist monastic architecture in Sri Lanka: the woodland shrines. Abhinav Publications. p.82.
7) The government gazette notification. No: 10928. 11 May 1956.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 7 October 2022

Kadurugoda Pillar Inscription

By Lanka Pradeepa September 15, 2019 Jaffna District, Sinhalese inscriptions No comments

Kadurugoda fragmentary pillar inscription

The Kadurugoda (or Kandarodai) Pillar Inscription is a fragmentary stone pillar inscription discovered from the archaeological reserve at Kadurugoda in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.

Discovery

The pillar was unearthed from the premises of the Kadurugoda archaeological site in 1981 and was later taken to the Archaeological Museum of Jaffna for conservation. (Ranawella, 2004).

Pillar

The pillar is about 2 feet 7 inches in height and contains an inscription written in the Sinhalese scripts of the 10th century. Three out of the four sides of the pillar have been used for inscribing the text of the inscription and each side contains eight lines of writing preserved (Ranawella, 2004). The fourth side has been reserved for an outline drawing of Dhamma Chakraya or the sun (Dias et al., 2016; Ranawella, 2004). The upper part of the pillar is ended with a pot of special shape (Godakumbura, 1968).

Content

A regal proclamation of the bequest of gifts and benefits to a Buddhist place of worship is recorded in the pillar. The preserved fragment does not contain the name of the king or the date of its issue (Ranawella, 2004). However, the donor here is mentioned as the king of the lineage Okavak and the ruler of Ruhuna. Depending on the morphology of the language used, some scholars had dated this proclamation to King Kassapa IV [(898-904 A.D.) Dias et al., 2016; Godakumbura, 1968; Wijebandara, 2014]. However, presently, scholars such as Prof. Sirimal Ranawella have dated this inscription to the reign of King Dappula IV [(923-935 A.D.) Ranawella, 2004].

The interpretations for the Kadurugoda pillar inscription by Sirimal Ranawella (2004) are given below,

Kadurugoda pillar inscription
Reign : Dappula IV (923-935 A.D.)
Period : 10th century A.D.
Script & Language: Medieval Sinhala
Citation: Ranawella, 2004. pp.103-104.

Transcript: (Svasti) siribara (Kat)kula kot O(ka)vas parapu(re)n himi vu Ruhun danavu Malamandulu......>>

Translation: Hail!....who secured for himself the Malamandalas of the province of Ruhuna, which he......>>

The inscription reveals certain immunities granted in respect of some lands belonging to Abhayagiri Viharaya at Anuradhapura, which were situated in the Jaffna Peninsula (Ranawella, 2004). This information, according to Prof. Sirimal Ranawella, is historically important as it indicates that the northern part of the country, including the Jaffna Penninsula, was under the control of Sinhala Kings at Anuradhapura during the 10th century (Ranawella, 2004).

References

1) Dias, M.; Koralage, S.B.; Asanga, K., 2016. The archaeological heritage of Jaffna peninsula. Department of Archaeology. Colombo. p.223.
2) Godakumbura, C.E., 1968. Kantarodai. The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 12, pp.67-85.
3) Ranawella G.S., 2004. Inscription of Ceylon. Volume V, Part II. Department of Archaeology. pp.103-104.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 14 January 2023

Maritime and Naval History Museum (Trincomalee)

By Lanka Pradeepa September 14, 2019 Colonial buildings in Sri Lanka, Museums in Sri Lanka, Trincomalee District No comments

The Maritime and Naval History Museum (Sinhala: ත්‍රිකුණාමලය සමුද්‍ර හා නාවික ඉතිහාස කෞතුකාගාරය) is situated in Trincomalee town, Sri Lanka.

History

The museum has been established in an old building used as the official residence of the Dutch Naval Commissioner in Trincomalee.

Official residence of the Dutch Naval Commissioner
During the period between 1640 – 1796, most of the coastal areas in Sri Lanka were controlled by the Dutch. The Dutch constructed this two-story building following their traditional architectural practices, in Trincomalee during this period to be used as the official residence of the Naval Commissioner. After the British assumed the control over the all-island (1795-1948 A.D.), they used this building as the official residence of a civil service official designated as a commissioner.

Subsequently, the building has been unused and the government of Sri Lanka renovated the building to be used as the Trincomalee British Center (the Kachcheri). However, the Kachcheri was brought to two buildings located inside Fort Fredrick, and as a result of that, this building once again became a deserted place. When Ranasinghe Premadasa became the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1977-1986), he tried to renovate this building but the efforts carried out during this period were not successful.

Later, this building and the land was handed over to Eastern University to be used as a university property. The university used this building as a canteen and started to build a new lecture hall on the premises. However, the war between LTTE (a rebel group designated as a terrorist organization) and the government forces in the area resulted in the end of the university activities and therefore, this building and the land again became an uninhabited place. During this war season, the building was swallowed and ruined by the wild.

Once again, in 2008, with financial assistance from the government of the Netherlands, the Sri Lanka Navy under the guidance of the Archaeological Department started the restoration work of the building. The conserved building was finally converted to a museum and declared open to the public on 3 February 2013, by the then Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksha.

Museum

The museum preserves a collection of items that explaining the country's maritime history, marine biodiversity and the history of the local naval affairs.

References

1) Information boards at the Maritime and Naval History Museum, Trincomalee.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 20 August 2022

Sri Sugathanandanarama Viharaya, Pahala Yagoda

By Lanka Pradeepa September 13, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, Gampaha District No comments

Sri Sugathanandanarama Purana Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated in the village of Pahala Yagoda in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka.

Image house

The image house is the main attraction of this temple with an archaeological significance. It consists of an inner shrine and a narrow ambulatory around it. The inside walls of the inner shrine are adorned with Buddhist sculptures and murals belonging to the Kandyan style. Inside the image house is a seated Buddha statue accompanied by two images of Sariputta (left) and Moggallana (right), the two chief disciples of Gautama Buddha. Two standing statues of Vishnu and Kataragama with Makara Thoranas (dragon arches) are found facing each other at both left and right walls. The Sath Sathiya (Seven weeks after the enlightenment) has been drawn on the upper section of the inner side of the entrance wall. The outer walls of the inner shrine contain no sculptures or murals.

The image house has been conserved by the Archaeological Department on 3 August 2011.

A protected site

The image house situated in Pahalayagoda Sugathanandanarama Vihara premises in Pahala Yagoda Grama Niladhari Wasama of the Gampaha Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 22 November 2002.

References

1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1264. 22 November 2002.

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This page was last updated on 15 September 2019

Kaballelena Raja Maha Viharaya (Wellagala)

By Lanka Pradeepa September 13, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, Cave temples in Sri Lanka, Kurunegala District No comments

Kaballelena Purana Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: වැල්ලාගල කබල්ලෑලෙන පුරාණ විහාරය) is a Buddhist cave temple situated in the village of Wellagala in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka.

Folklore

Locals connect the history of this temple with King Valagamba (103, 89-77 B.C.). They believe that the caves of this place had been used by the king when he was in hiding, seeking refuge from the threats by Cola invaders who were at the time ruling the Anuradhapura Kingdom.

Etymology

The name of this temple, Kaballelena is thought to have been evolved from the name of God Suniyam (Suniyam Deviyo), the main deity of Kaballelena Viharaya. Suniyam Deviyo is considered a powerful deity who is capable of placing curses on other people. The god is also called Kaballe Devi by the locals and hence it is believed that the current name of this temple has come into the parlance through the local name of Suniyam Deviyo.

Cave temple

Kaballelena Raja Maha Viharaya, Wellagala

The main cave which shelters the Len Viharaya (cave temple) is located in the middle of the rocky mountain. A Bodhi-tree, the Suniya Devalaya, and several other rock caves with drip-ledges are also found on the same terrace.

The cave temple is the main attraction of this temple with an archaeological significance. It is divided into two shrines, viz: the Stupa cave and the cave of reclining Buddha. The two shrines have been divided from each other and can be entered separately through a small antechamber. The Stupa cave is at the left corner of the main cave and it contains a small size Stupa and murals & sculptures belonging to a modern period. A large reclining Buddha statue along with other sculptures and paintings is found in the cave of reclining Buddha. The reclining Buddha statue is approximately 50 feet long and said to be one of the longest statues in the country. The inner surface of this cave is covered with an interesting collection of murals belonging to the Kandyan tradition. The paintings chiefly depict various Jathaka stories and life events related to the Lord Buddha. A decayed statue of Buddha made of timber is also found placed in the cave temple.

A protected site

The cave temple (and paintings) of Kabellelena Vihara situated in Wellagala village in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Wariyapola is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 8 March 1974.

References

1) The Gazette notification. No: 102. 8 March 1974.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 14 January 2023

Nainativu Tamil Slab Inscription of Parakramabahu I

By Lanka Pradeepa September 12, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Jaffna District, Tamil inscriptions in Sri Lanka No comments

Nainativu Inscription of Parakramabahu I

A Tamil slab inscription containing an edict by King Parakramabahu I (1123-1186 A.D.) has been discovered from the island of Nainativu (or present Nagadeepa/Nagadipa) in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. The epigraph is considered as an important archaeological heritage found from the Jaffna Peninsula as it reveals about the commercial activities that existed in the time of King Parakramabahu I (Dias et al., 2016; Indrapala, 1963).

Discovery

The slab was found at the entrance of the famous Hindu shrine, Nagapooshani Amman Temple in Nainativu island (Indrapala, 1963). At the time of its discovery, a portion of the slab had been broken off and built into the wall of the Hindu temple (Indrapala, 1963).

Presently, the inscription is placed in the museum of Nagapooshani Amman temple.

Inscription

The inscription has been engraved on both sides of a stone slab of about 4 feet tall and 2 feet 5 inches wide. The obverse side which contains the first part of the record has been completely mutilated and obliterated by the sharpening of metal implements on it by the temple laborers (Indrapala, 1963). However, the reverse side is free from mutilations and contains details about the purpose of the edict and the name of the ruler who issued it (Indrapala, 1963). Without the portion of the obverse side and the last few lines of the reverse side, the inscription has 23 lines survived (Indrapala, 1963).

The inscription has been written in Tamil scripts interspersed with Grantha belonging to about the 12 century A.D. (Indrapala, 1963). The last two lines as well as the main portion on the obverse side of the inscription, according to Indrapala, are in Grantha characters (Indrapala, 1963). The main language used in the inscription is medieval Tamil but contains few lines written in the Sanskrit language (Indrapala, 1963).

Content

As mentioned in the inscription itself, it has been indited by Deva Parakramabhujo, Sakala Simhala Cakravartti, which means, King Parakramabahu, the overlord of all Sinhalas (Dias et al., 2016). According to Indrapala, this is the only known Tamil inscription erected by this great Sinhalese monarch (Indrapala, 1963).

The interpretations for the Nainativu inscription by K. Indrapala (1963) are given below,

Nainativu Tamil slab inscription

Reign : Parakramabahu I (1123-1186 A.D.)
Period : 12th century A.D.
Script : Tamil & Grantha
Language : Medieval Tamil & Sanskrit

Reference : Indrapala, 1963. p.68-70.

Transcript: ..nankal..c..uratturai (yil) paratecikal vantu irukka venumenrum avakkal raksaippata .....>>

Translation: ..we..that foreigners should come and stay in Uratturai, that they should be protected .....>>

The inscription contains certain trade regulations enacted by the king. It proclaims that the foreigners who disembark from their ships at Uratturai port (present Kayts) will remain under the security of the state. It further says that the foreigners who disembark from any other port should be assembled in the Uratturai port premises and the ships those suffer wreckage in transit through the waters of port will be charged based on the type of the cargo [wrecked vessels which carrying elephants and horses for the king will be charged a forth share of their cargo but the vessels carrying ordinary merchandise will have to pay a half share to the state treasury (Dias et al., 2016; Indrapala, 1963)].

It is further revealed by this inscription that, this decree was written on a granite slab as well as on a copper plate.

Uratturai

Uratturai is the Tamil name used to identify the island of Kayts. The earliest literary references to this place is found in several Sri Lankan chronicles such as Pujavaliya, Rajavaliya, and Culavamsa (Indrapala, 1963). Karthigesu Indrapala, a Sri Lankan Tamil scholar, has described how the Tamil name Uratturai was evolved from its early names;

In Pali it was known as Sukaratittha while the Sinhalese form was Huratota or Uratota. With the settlement of the Tamils in this area it became Tamilised. In Tamil while the first element of the Sinhalese name was retained, the second element came to be replaced by a Tamil synonym. Thus, it became Uratturai (turai=tota). It appears in this hybrid form in the inscription of Rajadhiraja II and in our record. This form has come down to modern times and is still used in popular parlance. But scholars have distorted its form and given it a pure Tamil look in its written form. This is how it has come to be written ar Ur-kavar-rurai. The Hollanders gave it a Dutch name, Kayts, by which it is still known in English.

Citation : Indrapala, 1963. p. 68.

A protected monument

The Nagadeepa inscription situated in the Grama Niladhari Division of Nainathiw bearing No. J-34 in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Velenai Northern Island is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 23 February 2007.

References

1) Dias, M.; Koralage, S.B.; Asanga, K., 2016. The archaeological heritage of Jaffna peninsula. Department of Archaeology. Colombo. pp.175-177,202.
2) Indrapala, K., 1963. The Nainativu Tamil Inscription of Parakramabahu I. University of Ceylon Review. Vol. XXI; No, I. University of Ceylon. Peradeniya. pp.63-70.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: No: 1486. 23 February 2007. p.129.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 10 January 2020
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Nagapooshani Amman Temple, Nainativu

By Lanka Pradeepa September 08, 2019 Hindu temples in Sri Lanka, Jaffna District, Tamil inscriptions in Sri Lanka No comments

Nagapooshani Amman Temple/ Kovil (Tamil: நயினாதீவு நாகபூசணி அம்மன் கோயில்; Sinhala: නාගපූෂණී අම්මාන් කෝවිල) is a famous Hindu shrine situated on the island of Nainativu (or Nagadeepa/ Nagadipa) in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Parvathi who is known as Nagapooshani or Buwaneshwari and her consort, Shiva who is named Rakshseshwar or Nayinar (Hewapaththuwa et al., 2018).

Presently, the temple is venerated by the people of all religions, mainly by the Hindu devotees.

History

Nagadeepa
Nagadeepa is referred to as Nainativu or Manipallavam or Maninaga island as well (Dias et al., 2016). The place is mentioned in several early Sri Lankan chronicles such as Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa and in ancient Tamil Sangam literature of Tamil Nadu (India) such as Manimekalai and Kundalakesi (Dias et al., 2016; Hewapaththuwa et al., 2018).

Literary mentions

The temple is mentioned in Shakthi Peetha Stotram written by Adi Shankarcharya, an 8th-century Hindu philosopher. Therefore, this temple is considered today as one of the prominent 64 Shakti Peethas (one of the 64 mighty places of the goddess Ambhal) in the Indian sub-continent (Hewapaththuwa et al., 2018).

Legends

According to Hindu mythology, the Nagapooshani Amman temple is standing today on the site where the anklet of Mata Suti was fallen when her dead body was cut into 52 parts by Vishnu (Hewapaththuwa et al., 2018).

According to another legend, two merchants Manayakan and Mahasathavan who were sailing through the sea had seen an eagle (or vulture) preventing the way of a cobra swimming across the sea towards Nainativu with a flower in its mouth, for the worship of the divine on the island (Arumugam, 1991). The merchants asked the eagle to let the cobra go on its way without any harm. The eagle agreed to the merchants' request but asked him to build a beautiful temple for Sri Bhuvaneshwari Amman on the island of Nainathivu if he wanted to let the cobra go free. The merchants agreed to that request and built a beautiful temple accordingly (Dias et al., 2016; Hewapaththuwa et al., 2018).

Destruction

The temple which had been later developed by one Veerasami Chettiyar (Arumugam, 1991) was looted and destroyed in 1620 or 1625 after the Portuguese assumed control over the Jaffna peninsula (Arumugam, 1991; Dias et al., 2016). Subsequently, a small temple was erected at the same site by a person named Ramalingam Ramachandranal of Pattar community (Dias et al., 2016). The temple confronted another threat of destruction by the Dutch but it was prevented by Kadirithambi, a Pattar, by convincing them that the temple is not a Hindu shrine but a church of the Mother Goddess (Dias et al., 2016).

Modern temple

The present temple was established at the site in 1882, during the era of the revival of Hinduism spearheaded by Arumuga Navalar (Arumugam, 1991). A Rajagopuram was erected in the temple in 1935, and its East-Gopuram was constructed in 1951 (Arumugam, 1991; Dias et al., 2016). The management of the affairs of the temple came under a Trustee Board in 1949 (Arumugam, 1991).

Nainativu Inscription of Parakramabahu I

A stone slab containing a Tamil inscription has been unearthed from the premises of the Nagapooshani Amman temple (Dias et al., 2016; Indrapala, 1963). This epigraph is considered an important archaeological heritage found in Jaffna Peninsula as it reveals the commercial activities that existed in ancient times (Dias et al., 2016).

The slab is about 4 feet in height and 2 feet 5 inches in width. It has been written in Tamil scripts interspersed with Grantha (Indrapala, 1963). As mentioned in the inscription itself, it has been indited by King Parakramabahu I (1123-1186 A.D.) to proclaim that the foreigners who disembark from their ships at Uratturai port (present Kayts) will remain under the security of the state. It further says that the foreigners who disembark from any other port should be assembled in the Uratturai port premises and the ships that suffer wreckage in transit through the waters of the port will be charged based on the type of the cargo by the state treasury (Dias et al., 2016; Indrapala, 1963).

Presently the slab is placed in the museum of Nagapooshani Amman temple with other artefacts and ancient coins discovered on the temple premises (Dias et al., 2016).

References

1) Arumugam, S., 1991. More Hindu temples of Sri Lanka. London. pp.49-50.
2) Dias, M.; Koralage, S.B.; Asanga, K., 2016. The archaeological heritage of Jaffna peninsula. Department of Archaeology. Colombo. pp.163,201-202,209-210.
3) Hewapaththuwa, H.P.M., Rupasinghe, R.M.W.K.R. and Herath, H.M.A.S., 2018. Connection of Valluvar community to Naaga and Shakthi worship related to Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple: A Historical Review. pp.85-87.
4) Indrapala, K., 1963. The Nainativu Tamil Inscription of Parakramabahu I. University of Ceylon Review. Vol. XXI; No, I. University of Ceylon. Peradeniya. pp.63-70.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 8 May 2022
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map

Kotte Archaeological Museum

By Lanka Pradeepa September 08, 2019 Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Colombo District, Museums in Sri Lanka, Walawwa No comments

The Archaeological Museum of Kotte, Sri Lanka is one of the Regional Museums Administered by the Department of Archaeology. It is located at Bungalow Junction at a distance of 5 km from the Borella bus stop. The museum contains artefacts mainly discovered in Kotte and the surrounding area.

History

The museum has been established in the old mansion of the late figure Edward Walter Perera (1875-1953), a Ceylonese Barrister, politician and freedom fighter (Welandawe & Weerasinghe, 2016). Two houses named Udaha Walawwa (upper manor house) and Pahala Walawwa (lower manor house) were constructed in adjoining lands by the Perera family and of these two mansions, the Udaha Walawwa was occupied by E.W Perera who later donated it to the Department of Archaeology.

In 1992, this mansion was converted to E. W. Perera Memorial Museum and declared open to the public in 1995 (Rambukwella, 2014; Welandawe & Weerasinghe, 2016).

The mansion

The mansion can be dated to the early 20th century based on its architecture. The oral history indicates that this was the location described in the Paravi Sandeshaya (Message of the Pigeon Epic poem) and Kokila Sandeshaya (Message of the Cuckoo Epic poem) as the place where the temple for God Kataragama was located during the Kingdom of Kotte.

Museum

Artefacts that are being exhibited include ancient monuments, photographs, various flags, swords, knives, guns, statues, coins, ceramic ware, clay vessels, as well as a number of antiquities discovered in excavations and during the construction of buildings in the Kotte and vicinity area. In addition to them, a collection of items used by E. W. Perera and items donated and purchased by Douglas Ranasinghe are also available in the museum.

A protected monument

The residence of E. W. Perera which presently houses the Kotte Archaeological Museum has been declared an archaeological protected monument.

Attribution

1) Kotte Museum by L Manju is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

References

1) Rambukwella, M.W.C.N.K., 2014. Heritage representation in culturally diverse societies: a case study of the Colombo National Museum in Sri Lanka (Doctoral dissertation, School of Museum Studies). pp.413-414.

2) Welandawe, H., Weerasinghe, J., 2016. Urban Heritage in the Western Region Megapolis Planning Project. p.122.

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This page was last updated on 12 March 2023

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Kadurugoda Pillar Inscription

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Maritime and Naval History Museum (Trincomalee)

Friday, 13 September 2019

Sri Sugathanandanarama Viharaya, Pahala Yagoda

Kaballelena Raja Maha Viharaya (Wellagala)

Thursday, 12 September 2019

Nainativu Tamil Slab Inscription of Parakramabahu I

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Nagapooshani Amman Temple, Nainativu

Kotte Archaeological Museum

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