Varana Raja Maha Viharaya (Gampaha)

Varana Raja Maha Viharaya (Gampaha)

Varana Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: වාරණ රජමහා විහාරය) Warana Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated in Mangalathiriya village in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. History The history of Varana Viharaya goes back to the pre-Christian era. An Early Brahmi Rock Inscription belonging to the 2nd-1st century B.C. has been found at the site (Paranavitana, 1970). The drip-ledged caves at the site are believed to have been used as the abodes of Buddhist monks since the B.C. era. The other cave temples located in the vicinity of the Varana Viharaya such as Uruwala , Pilikuttuwa , Maligatenna , Miriswatta, and Koskandawala also have archaeological evidence dating back to the pre-Christian era and therefore, it has been assumed that this cluster of cave temples including the Varana have existed as one major cave site during the early part of the Anuradhapura Period . Inscriptions A rock inscription written in early-Brahmi characters has been found engraved on the rock known as dig-gala. Varana Vihara ro…