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Habarana Tempita Viharaya |
Habarana Tempita Viharaya, also known as Habarana Purana Tempita Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: හබරණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple situated near Habarana town in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka.
History
The Tempita Viharaya at Habarana temple is said to have been constructed in the 18th century by the local community to honour a Buddhist monk who had impressed King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1781 A.D.) with his virtuous conduct (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).
Tempita Viharaya
Tempita Viharas were a popular aspect of many Buddhist temples during the Kandyan Period. These structures were usually built on a wooden platform resting on bare stone pillars or stumps which are about 1-4 feet tall. The roof is generally made of timber and held by wooden stumps. The walls are usually made of wattle and daub and they form the main enclosed shrine room containing the Buddhist sculptures and murals belonging to the Kandyan style. Some Tempita Viharas have narrow verandas and ambulatories circulating the main enclosed space. The construction of these buildings started in the 17th century and lasted until the end of the 19th century (Wijayawardhana, 2010).
Habarana Tempita Viharaya
The Tempita Viharaya of Habarana Temple is a small rectangular building with a narrow ambulatory around it without a handrail (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). The Buddha images have been placed in the shrine room balanced on 11 short stone pillars (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). Eight masonry stumps have been added along the periphery of the ambulatory to make additional support to the floor of the shrine room.
A seated Buddha statue in Samadi position (gesture of meditation) and two standing statues of Buddha are found in the shrine room. Two free-standing Devata (deities) figures are also found placed on either side of the main Buddha statue. The walls of this room are filled with paintings depicting Buddhist themes.
A Protected Site
The Tampita Viharaya at Habarana Viharaya, situated within the Palugaswewa Divisional Secretary Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 1 November 1996.
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References
Books, Government Gazette Notifications
1) Silva, K.D. and Chandrasekara, D.P., 2021. The Tämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image-Houses in Buddhist Architecture. Anthem Press. pp.94-95.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 948. 1 November 1996.
3) Wijayawardhana, K., 2010. Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-551-752-2. pp.12.
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Attribution
To Whom
LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Ankumbure Chandananda Thero for providing the necessary photographs required for this article.