Baladora Tempita Viharaya, also known as Sri Nagarukkarama Purana Viharaya (Sinhala: බලදොර ටැම්පිට විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple situated in Pahala Baldora village in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka.
History
The Tempita Viharaya of this temple is believed to have been erected in the mid-18th century (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). The folklore reveals that the temple was constructed by the Pahala-Baladora villagers as they did not want to depend on the temple of nearby Ihala-Baladora village (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).
The temple was renovated by the Department of Archaeology in 1995.
Tempita Viharaya
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).
Baladora Tempita Viharaya
The Baladora Tempita Viharaya is a two-storey like structure built upon relatively tall stone pillars and the upper floor in which the sanctum has been created can be accessed through a wooden stairway (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). The sanctum is surrounded by a narrow ambulatory enclosed with walls containing five small windows. Of the seven images that are found in the sanctum, two depict King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1782 A.D.) and Weliwita Saranankara Thera (1698-1778 A.D.). The stone pillars of the temple are believed to have been brought from the ruins of Ancient Panduwasnuwara City (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).
References
1) Silva, K.D. and Chandrasekara, D.P., 2021. The Tämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image-Houses in Buddhist Architecture. Anthem Press. pp.96-97.
2) Wijayawardhana, K., 2010. Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-551-752-2. p.12,291-294.
Explore Other Nearby Attractions
Location Map (Google)
This page was last updated on 26 March 2023
