Muruddeniya Tempita Viharaya (Sinhala: මුරුද්දෙණිය ටැම්පිට විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Muruddeniya in Kandy District, Sri Lanka.
History
The Tempita Viharaya at Muruddeniya temple is said to have been constructed in the mid-18th century under the patronage of Weliwita Saranankara Thera [(1698-1778 A.D.) 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).
Muruddeniya Tempita Viharaya
The Tempita Viharaya of Muruddeniya temple is a rectangular building with a narrow ambulatory around it (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). The raised shrine room has been balanced on 23 short stone pillars and the original wooden stairway provided to enter the shrine is now replaced with a masonry flight of steps (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). The ambulatory is enclosed with a timber wall.
A protected site
The Tampita Viharaya at Kandepitiya Viharaya situated in Muruddeniya village in Hatharaliyadda Divisional Secretary Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 22 November 2002.
.
Attribution
1) LankaPradeepa.com would like to thank Vishwa Sri Jayasinghe for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.
References
1) Silva, K.D. and Chandrasekara, D.P., 2021. The Tämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image-Houses in Buddhist Architecture. Anthem Press. pp.82-83.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1264. 22 November 2002.
3) Wijayawardhana, K., 2010. Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-551-752-2. pp.12.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1264. 22 November 2002.
3) Wijayawardhana, K., 2010. Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-551-752-2. pp.12.
Explore Other Nearby Attractions
Location Map (Google)
This page was last updated on 3 April 2023
