Kananke Raja Maha Viharaya, also known as Kananke Ganegoda Viharaya (Sinhala: කනන්කේ රජමහා විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple situated in Kananke village in Matara District, Sri Lanka.
History
This temple is believed to have been built during or before the reign of King Parakramabahu VI (1412-1467 A.D.) of Kotte (Abeyawardana, 2004). The Pepiliyana Sannasa of King Parakramabahu VI records several donations made to the temple at Kananke (Ranaweera, 2015; Vanarathana, 1994). Some documents that are in the possession of the temple reveal its history during the Kandyan Period (Abeyawardana, 2004). King Kirti Sri Rajasingha (1747-1782 A.D.) of Kandy restored and made some donations to this temple (Ranaweera, 2015).
Old bricks similar in dimensions to those found in Umangala Raja Maha Viharaya have been unearthed from the building foundations of this temple and they have been dated to the Anuradhapura Period (Vanarathana, 1994). Also, a fragment of a Buddha statue and a Siri Pathul Gala have been discovered at the temple premises (Vanarathana, 1994).
The image house of the temple has been constructed in the 19th century (Abeyawardana, 2004).
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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.58.
2) Ranaweera, D. D., 2015. Matara Urumaya (in Sinhala). ISBN: 978-955-30-6285-7. S. Godage & Bros. pp.99-101.
3) Vanarathana, K., 1994. Matara Puravidyathmaka Ithihasaya (In Sinhala). ISBN: 955-9325-00-0. p.194.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 26 November 2023
