Dambakola Patuna Sangamitta Viharaya (Sinhala: දඹකොළ පටුන සංඝමිත්තා විහාරය; Tamil: ஜம்புகோளப்பட்டினம்) is a Buddhist temple situated in Sambilturai in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
History
Ancient Jambukola port and Viharaya
Dambakola Patuna Viharaya is a modern Buddhist temple with recently built structures. However, the history of this site runs back to the period of
King Devanampiyatissa (247-207 B.C.). According to chronicles,
Jambukola (Sinhala: Dambakola) was the port which the envoys of Devanampiyatissa set forth to India (Nicholas, 1963). The landing of the Sacred Bodhi Tree Sapling with Sanghamitta Theri also took place at the same port (Nicholas, 1963). This site of the ancient Jambukola port has been
identified as the present Sambilturai area where the present Dambakola Patuna temple is located
(Codrington, 1995; Nicholas, 1963).
A temple named Samudda Panasala is said to have been built on the spot where the Devanampiyatissa awaited the coming ashore of the Bodhi tree (Nicholas, 1963). A sapling of this tree was planted later at Jambukola in the Jambukola Vihara built by the king (Nicholas, 1963). King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) repaired the Jambukola Viharaya in the 11th century A.D. (Nicholas, 1963).
A temple named Samudda Panasala is said to have been built on the spot where the Devanampiyatissa awaited the coming ashore of the Bodhi tree (Nicholas, 1963). A sapling of this tree was planted later at Jambukola in the Jambukola Vihara built by the king (Nicholas, 1963). King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) repaired the Jambukola Viharaya in the 11th century A.D. (Nicholas, 1963).
A protected site?
A monument is said to have been erected at Dambakola Patuna by the Department of
Archaeology to commemorate the historical events that took place at the site
(Sirisoma, M.H.). The government gazette notification published on 23 February 2007 declared a monument named Sangamitta Memorial in Sammithurai village (in the Grama Niladhari Division of Madaghal West bearing No. J-152 in the Divisional Secretariat of Welikamam South West) as an archaeological protected monument.
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References
1) Codrington, H.W., 1995. Short History of Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. p.14.
2) Nicholas, C. W., 1963. Historical topography of ancient and medieval
Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New
Series (Vol VI). Special Number: Colombo. Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon
Branch). p.83.
3) Sirisoma, M.H. Buddhist remains in the Jaffna Peninsula. Eelam the truth - pps submitted to Sansoni Commission.
4) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. no: 1486. 23 February 2007. p.129.
3) Sirisoma, M.H. Buddhist remains in the Jaffna Peninsula. Eelam the truth - pps submitted to Sansoni Commission.
4) 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 6 June 2022
