Vidyodaya Pirivena (Sinhala: මාළිගාකන්ද විද්යෝදය පිරිවෙණ) is a Buddhist Pirivena (a monastic college for the education of Buddhist monks) located in front of the Agrasrawaka Viharaya in Maligakanda in Colombo District, Sri Lanka.
History
The Pirivena was founded in 1872 by Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera (1827-1911) who is considered one of the pioneers of the Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist movement in the 19th century. It is said that the land and funds for its foundation were donated by the philanthropist Andiris Perera Dharmagunawardhana (1809-1890), the grandfather of Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933).
The image house of the temple was built in 1874 and the preaching house was constructed in 1887 (Manathunga, 2016). The Stupa which is believed to have been constructed by enshrining the relics of the Buddha which were in the possession of the Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera was opened for worship in June 1906.
In 1959, the Vidyodaya Pirivena was granted university status by the Government of Sri Lanka. After two years, this university was moved to a plot of land at Gangodawila and in 1978, it was renamed the "University of Sri Jayewardenepura".
A Protected Site
The image house and the Awasa Geya (Bhikkhu dwellings) within the premises of Vidyodaya Pirivena at Maligakanda in Colombo Divisional Secretariat Division are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notification published on 18 June 1999.
References
1) Manathunga, S. B., 2016. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Kolamba Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-9159-39-9. p.64.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1085. 18 June 1999.
