Diyakelinawala Kithsirimewan Viharaya

Diyakelinawala Kithsirimewan Raja Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated in Imbulmalgama village in Kandy District, Sri Lanka.

History

According to local tradition, this temple has been built during the days of King Valagamba (103, 89-77 B.C.) and restored during the reign of King Kithsirimewan [(c.304-332 A.D.) Rajapakse, 2016; Senanayaka, 2018]. The name of this temple is mentioned in the Nampotha, an ancient text written after the 14th century.

 

The sculptures and paintings in the cave temple indicate artistic features of the Kandyan Period (Rajapakse, 2016).

A protected site

The ancient Buddhist shrine situated in Muruthalawa Diyakelinawa Raja Maha Vihara premises in Lower Dodamwela Grama Niladhari Division in Yatinuwara Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 6 June 2008.

 

References

1) Rajapakse, S., 2016. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Mahanuwara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. ISBN:955-9159-34-8. pp.86-87.

2) Senanayaka, P., 2018. Senkadagala Mahanuwara pradeshaye peranima Bauddha Vihara Arama (In Sinhala). Samodhana, The Journal of Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Vol.7 (1). pp.55-83.

3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1553. 6 June 2008. p.524.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 25 September 2021
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map