Aluthdivulwewa Viharaya

Aluthdivulwewa Viharaya (Sinhala: අළුත්දිවුල්වැව විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Alutdivulwewa village near Divulwewa reservoir in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka.

History

The history of this temple probably runs back to the Anuradhapura Period as the nearby Divulwewa reservoir is believed to have been built during the reign of King Vasabha [(67-111 A.D.) Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021]. The Tempita Viharaya of the temple was constructed in 1744 under the guidance of Welipota Kumarihami of the Morawaka Bandara family (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).

Tempita Viharas were popular in 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 form the main enclosed shrine room containing Buddhist sculptures and murals in 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).

The Alutdivulwewa Tempita Viharaya has been built upon 10 short stone pillars with one pillar added later to support the rear cross beam (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). The sanctum is surrounded by a narrow ambulatory which is not enclosed by a handrail or a short wall. Besides the main seated Buddha statue, two Buddha and two deity images are found inside the sanctum. 

1) Silva, K.D. and Chandrasekara, D.P., 2021. The Tämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image-Houses in Buddhist Architecture. Anthem Press. pp.90-91.

2) Wijayawardhana, K., 2010. Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-551-752-2. p.12,291-294.

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This page was last updated on 30 March 2023