Ratnapura Pothgul Viharaya

Ratnapura Pothgul Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: රත්නපුර පොත්ගුල් රජමහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Karangoda village in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka. History Locals link the history of this temple to the period of King Valagamba [(103, 88-77 B.C.) Abeyawardana, 2002]. During the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha ( 1747-1781 A.D. ) of  Kandy , the temple was refurbished (Abeyawardana, 2002). Two Viharas belonging to these two periods are found at the site. The temple is called Pothgul (a library or bookstore) by locals as they believe that this Viharaya was a place where Buddhist sacred books were rewritten and distributed (Abeyawardana, 2002). The temple complex As the temple has been constructed on a rock, a panoramic view is available from a distance. There are a total of 454 steps to be climbed before entering the Vihara precincts (Abeyawardana, 2002). The shrine room in which a reclining Buddha statue measuring 27 cubits (about 40 ft.) is found is accommodated within a large …