Devalaya in Sri Lanka

Devalaya (lit: the Abode of God) is a type of shrine normally located within or attached to a Buddhist Viharaya in Sri Lanka (Holt, 2004). Although, the rituals perform in Devalaya are similar to those observed in Hindu shrines (Kovils), they have evolved their own practices and deity concepts (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). Devalas are venerated by Sinhalese Buddhists and sometimes by Tamil Hindus.

Deities

Devalas are found scattered throughout the country mainly in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Southern provinces. Presently, in every Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, there is at least a small Devalaya shrine dedicated to a deity. Most of the Devalas have either lost their original links with the Indian sub-continent or have generated new deities unknown to the Indian region (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). Kataragama, Visnu or Upulvan, Saman, Pattini, Devol, Suniam, Dedimunda, and Natha are a few popular deities worshipped in Devalas in Sri Lanka.

Architectural aspects

The Devalaya can be a small, separate, and simple building or an adjacent cave or Puja room next to the main shrine hall dedicated to worshipping the Buddha (Holt, 2004). A typical Devalaya building mainly contains two sections, viz; the sanctum or Garbhagruha (the room housing the image of the deity) and the Digge or audience hall, where devotees present themselves and their petitions to the Kapurala [(shrine priest) Holt, 2004]. In some Devalas, there is a verandah attached at the front where ritual drumming occurs during Pujas offered by the Kapurala to the deity (Holt, 2004).

The sanctum remains a strictly private area meant only for the Kapurala assigned to service the temple (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). The part between the sanctum and Digge is called Antaralaya (the connecting passage) from where the Kapurala accepts the offerings of the devotees and carries them to the sanctum thereafter (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). Usually, a part of these offerings (mostly foods) is returned to the devotees.

In some major shrines, the Devalaya building is surrounded by an inner court that retains other shrines such as the image house of the Buddha (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). At the lower level in front of this is another courtyard where the ceremonial procession commences. The entrance of this procession path is an elaborate gateway leading to the Mahaveediya (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). At the further end of the processional path is the Sinhasanaya, the depositary where the weapons of the deity taken during the annual procession are kept (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009).

Notable Devala shrines in Sri Lanka

Dedimunda Devala

1) Aluthnuwara Devalaya (Kegalle District)

Devol Devala

1) Seenigama Devalaya (Galle District)

Kataragama Devala

1) Ganegoda Devalaya (Kandy District)
3) Kataragama Devalaya, Badulla (Badulla District)
5) Kataragama Devalaya, Morape (Nuwara Eliya District)
7) Soragune Devalaya (Badulla District)
9) Walwasagoda Devalaya (Kandy District)

2) Embekke Devalaya (Kandy District)
4) Kataragama Devalaya, Kandy (Kandy District)
6) Okanda Devalaya (Ampara District)
8) Uggal Aluthnuwara Devalaya (Ratnapura District)
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Natha Devala

1) Dodanwala Devalaya (Kandy District)
3) Pasgama Devalaya (Kandy District)

2) Natha Devalaya, Kandy (Kandy District)
4) Wegiriya Devalaya (Kandy District)

Pattini Devala

1) Halpe Devalaya (Badulla District)
3) Nawagamuwa Devalaya (Colombo District)
5) Pattini Devalaya, Badulla (Badulla District)
7) Pattini Devalaya, Kandy (Kandy District)

2) Lindamulla Devalaya (Badulla District)
4) Niyamgamdora Devalaya (Nuwara Eliya District)
6) Pattini Devalaya, Hanguranketha (Nuwara Eliya District)
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Saman Devala

1) Alawathugoda Devalaya (Kandy District)
3) Maha Saman Devalaya (Ratnapura District)

2) Bolthumbe Devalaya (Ratnapura District)

Visnu/Upulvan Devala

1) Devinuwara Devalaya (Matara District)
3) Sinhasana Devalaya (Matara District)

2) Visnu Devalaya, Hanguranketha (Nuwara Eliya District)
4) Visnu Devalaya, Kandy (Nuwara Eliya District)

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References

1) De Silva, N.; Chandrasekara, D.P., 2009. Heritage Buildings of Sri Lanka. Colombo: The National Trust Sri Lanka, ISBN: 978-955-0093-01-4. p.13.
2) Holt, J.C., 2004. The Buddhist Visnu. In The Buddhist Visnu: Religious Transformation, Politics, and Culture. pp.170-171.

This page was last updated on 5 December 2022