Lenagala Raja Maha Viharaya

Lenagala Raja Maha Viharaya

Lenagala Raja Maha Viharaya (Photo credit: Kosala Perera, Google Street View) Lenagala Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: ලෙනගල රජමහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Kegalle District, Sri Lanka. History As the presence of an Early Brahmi Cave Inscription , the history of Lenagala can be dated back to the pre-Christian era. Locals also link the history of this temple to King Valagamba [(103 B.C. and c. 89–77 B.C.) Abeyawardana, 2002]. It is evident from the murals and sculptures in the cave temple that this Viharaya was renovated during the Kandyan Period . Inscriptions A long early-Brahmi inscription has been found engraved below the drip-ledge of the cave temple. According to the view of Bell, the text of this inscription is virtually the same as that on the caves at Yatahalena, recording a grant by the same donor "Duhatara" (Bell, 1904). Lenagala cave inscription Period: 2nd century B.C.                   Script: Early Brahmi Language: Old Sinhala Transcript: (1) Aya-Duhatara-puta-…