Kandulawa Mediriya Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: කඳුලව මැදිරිය රජමහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Kandulawa village in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka.
History
The history of this temple goes back to the first half of the Anuradhapura Period as evidenced by the Brahmi Cave Inscriptions and other artefacts such as the Yantra Gala (Mendis et al., 2019). The Yantra Gala indicates that there was a Buddha statue (probably standing) in the past (Mendis et al., 2019).
Mediriya Vihara Cave Inscription
Period: 2nd-1st century B.C.
Script: Early Brahmi
Language: Old Sinhala
Text: Tishagutasha Bata Sumanasha lene shagasha cudasha.
Translation: The cave of Tissagutta and Chief Sumana as well as Chuda was donated to the Sangha
Reference: The information board at the site by the Department of Archaeology.
According to tradition, the cave temple of Kandulawa Viharaya has been renovated by King Kirti Sri Rajasinha [(1747-1782 A.D.) Mendis et al., 2019].
References
1) Mendis, D.T.; Wijepala, W.M.T.B.; Harshajith, D.M.N., 2019. දැදුරු ඔය සහ මී ඔය අතර කලාපයේ පුරාවිද්යාත්මක ස්ථාන පිළිබඳ මූලික විමර්ශනයක්. මධ්ය දැදුරු ඔය හා මී ඔය නිම්නයේ ජනාවාස පුරාවිද්යාව. Research and Publication Fund, Rajarata University Of Sri Lanka. ISBN: 978-955-0189-14-1.pp.33-103.
