Hakurugala Viharaya (Sinhala: හකුරුගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Nikawalamulla in Kegalle District, Sri Lanka.
History
The history of this temple runs back to the early Anuradhapura Period (Abeyawardana, 2002). During the reign of King Rajasinghe I (1581-1593 A.D.), this Viharaya is said to have been bestowed to Buddhist monks by a Disawe named Mattamagoda (Abeyawardana, 2002). According to folklore, the queens of Rajasinghe I who heard about the king's defeat had committed suicide by leaping from the rock near this temple (Abeyawardana, 2002).
A protected site
The cave temple of Hakurugala Vihara situated in Nikawalamulla/Hakurugala village in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Dehiovita is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 8 July 2005.
References
1) Abeyawardana, H.A.P., 2002. Heritage of Sabaragamuwa: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Sabaragamuwa Development Bank and The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. ISBN: 955-575-077-7. pp.65-66.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no: 1401. 8 July 2005.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 8 January 2023