Agalakada Sri Dhammarakkhita Viharaya

Agalakada Sri Dhammarakkhita Viharaya (also known as Agalakada Dhammarakkhitaramaya) is a Buddhist temple situated in the Akuressa area in Matara District, Sri Lanka. 

History

This temple was constructed by a Buddhist monk named Agalakada Sri Dhammarakkhita Thera during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe [(1747-1782 A.D.) Abeyawardana, 2004; Wikramaratne, 2015]. This monk is said to be the first one from the Southern Province to obtain the Upasampada (the Higher Ordination) from the famous scholarly monk Welivita Sri Saranankara Thera [(1698-1778 A.D.) Abeyawardana, 2004].

The temple

The Vihara-ge (image house), Stupa and Awasa-ge (monks dwelling) are identified as old monuments of this temple (Wikramaratne, 2015). The small image house preserves a collection of paintings and sculptures of the Kandyan Period (Abeyawardana, 2004; Wikramaratne, 2015). The group of short stone pillars which is found within the temple premises provides evidence of the existence of a Tempita Viharaya (temple on pillars) in ancient times (Abeyawardana, 2004; Wikramaratne, 2015).

References

1) Abeyawardana, H.A.P., 2004. Heritage of Ruhuna: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Colombo: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. ISBN: 955-575-073-4. p.84.

2) Wikramaratne, I., 2015. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Matara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-9159-54-2. pp.35-36.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 27 February 2022
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map