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The Asanaghara shrine at Rajagala |
Asanaghara (Sinhala: ආසනඝර) is a type of ancient Buddhist structure found in several places in Sri Lanka. They have been built to house an Asana (a seat or throne) which symbolizes the Adamantine throne (Vajrasana) of the Buddha on which he attained enlightenment (Perera, 1976).
History
In the early period of Buddhism, Asanas were venerated by Buddhists as a sacred object as it was considered a symbolical representation of the Buddha. In Sri Lanka, edifices housing Asanas were built during the Period of Anuradhapura and several such shrines are found in sites associated with Bodhi Tree Shrines or Stupas (Bandaranayake, 1974).
The structure
It is apparent that the Asanagharas (Asana = seat, Ghara = house) have been built according to a particular architectural plan and design. The only object of veneration in an Asanaghara shrine was a throne in the shape of a large rectangular slab of stone, smoothly chiselled, set up on a raised platform (Beligatamulla & Siyambalapitiya, 2016).
Distribution of Asanaghara shrines in Sri Lanka
Asanaghara shrines are recorded at a number of places scattered in various districts of the country.
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1) Abhayagiri Bodhigharaya III
3) Erupotana
5) Ganewewa
7) Hammillawetiya
9) Kok-ebe
11) Manik Vatadage
13) Pihimbiyagollewa
15) Rajagala
17) Seruvila Viharaya
19) Uttimaduwa
21) Yatala Vehera
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2) Allewewa
4) Gan-arambe
6) Kotagamuwa
8) Katuwannawa
10) Mahanaga Pabbatharamaya
12) Naigala Viharaya
14) Pulukunawa Viharaya
16) Rajangane Hatthikucchi
18) Tantirimale Viharaya
20) Veheragala
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References
Books, Journal Articles
1) Bandaranayake, S., 1974. Sinhalese monastic architecture: the Viharas of Anuradhapura (Vol. 4). Brill. p.178.
2) Beligatamulla, G.; Siyambalapitiya, N., 2016. Preaching Identity: Cultural Meaning of FurnitureIn Religious Contexts in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Design Journal 01 (03). p.19.
3) Perera, A.D.T.E., 1976. Asanaghara Shrines of Ancient Sri Lanka: Who built them, the Buddhists or pre-historic Yakkhas?. Journal of the Sri Lanka Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 20, pp.31-41.
