Kosgoda Ganegodella Purana Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated in Nape in Galle District, Sri Lanka.
History
The history of this temple goes back to the Period of Dambadeniya. The establishment of this temple is attributed to Devapathiraja, a minister of King Parakramabahu II [(1236-1270 A.D.) Abeyawardana, 2004; Ranchagoda, 2015]. It is said that Devapathiraja removed a Madel forest that existed in the Kosgoda village and constructed a complete Buddhist temple including a three-storied image house (Ranchagoda, 2015). As found in the records by Joao Ribeiro (17th century), Kosgoda Viharaya was among the Buddhist temples destroyed by the Portuguese (Ranchagoda, 2015).
The temple was re-established during the Buddhist revival of the Kandyan Period (Ranchagoda, 2015).
Artifacts/ murals
A stone slab containing the footprint of the Buddha (Sri Pathul Gala) and a moonstone (Sandakada Pahana) have been found from the site. These artifacts indicate that this temple could have a long history rooted up to the Anuradhapura Period. A marble Buddha statue which is said to have been gifted to the temple in the early 1900s from Thailand is also found placed in the temple.
Also, the temple is famous for its paintings that have certain features characteristic of the maritime style of the Kandyan Sittara Art (Abeyawardana, 2004).
A protected site
The ancient Buddha shrine, two Bhikku dwellings
and the area belonging to Ganegodella Rajamaha Vihara (where archaeological remains including an ancient shrine, Chaitya, the footprint of Buddha, moonstone, the statue of Buddha and ancient tombstone are scattered) situated in Grama Niladhari Division No. 17, Nape in the Divisional Secretary’s Division, Balapitiya are archaeological protected monuments, declared by government gazette notifications published on 6 June 2008, and 9 March 2016.
Attribution
References
1)
Abeyawardana, H.A.P., 2004. Heritage of Ruhuna: Major natural, cultural
and historic sites. Colombo: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. ISBN:
955-575-073-4. p.11.
2) Ranchagoda, T. O., 2015. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Galla Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. ISBN:955-9159-53-4. pp.15-16.
2) Ranchagoda, T. O., 2015. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Galla Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. ISBN:955-9159-53-4. pp.15-16.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no: 1553. 6 June 2008. p.523.
4) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Extraordinary), no: 1957/18. 9 March 2016. p.5A.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 8 January 2023
