Niyuguna Kanda Viharaya

Niyuguna Kanda Viharaya (also known as Niyuguna Purana Raja Maha Viharaya) is a Buddhist temple situated in Niyuguna village near Eragama in Ampara District, Sri Lanka.

History

The site consists of a large number of ancient ruins including a dilapidated Stupa mound on the top of the mountain, rock-cut flight of steps, pillars of ancient buildings and structures, cave and rock inscriptions (Medhananda, 2003; Withanachchi, 2013). A number of caves with drip-ledges have been found on the slope of the southern side of the Niyuguna Kanda mountain and some of them contain early Brahmi inscriptions inscribed just below the drip-ledges (Medhananda, 2003; Withanachchi, 2013). 

 

Period: 3rd century B.C.- 1st century A.D.          Script: Early Brahmi          Language: Old Sinhala
Transcript: Bata bama datasha lene shagasha dine

Translation: The cave of lord Brahmadatta was given to Buddhist monks

Citation: Medhananda, 2003. p.192.

 

Besides the cave inscriptions, a few rock inscriptions have been discovered from the site (Medhananda, 2003). Of them, one mentions about a Stupa and a land grant made to this place (Medhananda, 2003). According to the view of Medhananda, some ruined buildings at this site belong to the 4th century A.D. (Medhananda, 2003).

A protected site

The hill called Niyuguna Kanda with caves with inscriptions and drip-ledges, rock inscriptions, hillock covering Chaitya, stairways and mound ruins belonging to Helagampura (Malayadigama) village situated at No. 5-2- 34-050-04 Irakkamam 05 Grama Niladhari Division in Eragama (Irakkamam) Divisional Secretariat is an archaeological protected site, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 10 October 2014.

References

1) Medhananda, E., 2003. Pacheena passa - Uttara passa: Negenahira palata ha uturu palate Sinhala bauddha urumaya (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-686-112-9. pp.189-193.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1884. 10 October 2014 p.915.

3) Withanachchi, C. R., 2013. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Ampara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-9159-44-5. pp.48-49.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 18 January 2023