Nadun Viharaya

Nadun Viharaya (Sinhala: කිරිඇල්ල නදුන් විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Kiriella village in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka. History A red-robed monk named Maha Galgamuwa Ganinnanse is said to have established this temple (Abeyawardana, 2002). The Tempita Viharaya (temple on pillars) of this temple is was constructed under royal sponsorship in 1801 by a Buddhist monk named Karandana Devarakkhita Thera (Abeyawardana, 2002). As it was constructed using Nadun woods ( Pericopsis mooniana ), the temple then came to be known as Nadun Viharaya (Abeyawardana, 2002).  Karandana Devarakkhita Thera was famous for his ola writings. King Sri Vikrama Rajasinghe (1798-1815 A.D.) is said to have admired him for translating the Pali Majjhima Nikaya into Sinhala (Abeyawardana, 2002). A grant note written on a small palm leaf umbrella reveals that a " Nindagama " (villages gifted to officers for royal services) of about 8,355 acres has been gifted to this temple by the Dumbara Maha Nilame (Abey…