Soragune Devalaya

Photo credit: Suranjan Fernando, Google Street View

Soragune Devalaya (also known as Soragune Kuda Katharagama Devalaya) is a Devalaya Shrine situated in Soraguna village in Haldummulla in Badulla District, Sri Lanka. It has been dedicated to God Kataragama, a Sinhalese deity who is considered as one of the patron deities of the Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka. 

History

The history of Soragune Devalaya can be dated back to the 16th century (Uduwara, 1990). According to the ola document which contains the history of this shrine, a village named Medagama had been bestowed to gods by a ruler named Udarata Yapa after he was cured from a throat ailment he was affected with (Uduwara, 1990). It is said that the name of this village (Medagama) underwent a change and began to call as Soragune when Udarata Yapa regained his voice in this village (Uduwara, 1990). Later, a Devalaya dedicated to God Kataragama was constructed at this site by the name Medagama Kuda Kataragama Devalaya (Priyadarshani & Gunasena, 2017; Uduwara, 1990).

The Devalaya was destroyed during the 1818 Uva–Wellassa uprising that occurred between native Kandyan rebels and the British (Uduwara, 1990).  After that the shrine was restored time to time, and it was conserved to the present state by the Department of Archaeology by 1988 (Uduwara, 1990).

The shrine

The Devalaya complex consist of Devala Maligaya, Dig-ge, Gabada-ge, Aramudal-ge, Sinhasana Mandiraya, Stupa, Bodhi Tree and a Vihara. An ancillary shrine dedicated to Goddess Pattini is also located at the site. The architecture of these buildings display features of the Kandyan Period.

A protected site

The Soragune Devale located in Soraguna village in the Haputale Divisional Secretary’s Division is an  archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 30 November 1979.

References

1) Priyadarshani, S.A.N.; Gunasena, I.P.P., 2017. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Badulla Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology. ISBN: 955-9159-48-8. pp.11-12.

2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no: 65. 30 November 1979.

3) Uduwara, J., 1990. Section V: History of the Department of Archaeology: 1970-1990. (Editor in chief: Wijesekara, N.) Archaeological Department Centenary (1890-1990): History of the Department of Archaeology. Vol. 1. Commissioner of Archaeology. pp.185-186.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 9 June 2022
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