Ashokarama Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: කළුතර අශෝකාරාම මහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Kalutara North in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka.
History
According to the details in the plaque fixed on the front wall of the image house, a wealthy devotee named Wel Arumage Elliyas Fernando established the Ashokaramaya temple in the Buddhist Year 2411 (1868 A.D.) and bestowed it to Buddhist monks headed by Matara Sri Dhammarama Maha Swamipadayan Vahanse (Priyandana, 2013). Later, they (the Buddhist monks) handed over the custody of the temple to the lineage of students of Alutgama Sangharatana Maha Sthavira (Priyandana, 2013).
The Stupa of the temple, as mentioned on the upper part of it (in the Hatares Kotuwa), has been built in the Buddhist year 2442 (1899 A.D.). The decorative gate in front of it has been constructed by a person named A.F. Jayasekara Dharmasiriwardana Mudiyanse Ralahami.
Image house
The image house can be considered the main monument of this temple. Having Dutch architectural features, the image house consists of a sanctum (Garbha), a vetibule (Antarala), an ambulatory and a portico. The building is 67 ft. in length and 65 ft. in width and preserves a valuable collection of Buddhist sculptures and paintings of the Kandyan style (Priyandana, 2013).
.References
1) Priyandana, W.H.R., 2013. කලුතර අශෝකාරාම මහ විහාර බිතු සිතුවම්. ARSRU. University of Rajarata. pp.164-166.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 17 January 2023
