Payagala Veheragalakanda Viharaya Veheragalakanda Purana Viharaya , also known as Weragalekande Purana Viharaya (Sinhala: වෙහෙරගලකන්ද පුරාණ විහාරය, වේරගල කන්දේ පුරාණ විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple situated in Pothuwila village near Payagala in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. The ancient Samank Khandha Viharaya is located about 1.2 km west of this temple. History Locals connect the history of this temple to King Saddhatissa (137-119 B.C.) of Anuradhapura (Abeywardana, 2002). It is said that he established this temple while in hiding after his defeat by Dutugemunu (Abeywardana, 2002). The Payyagala Viharaya that is mentioned in the 102nd verse of Gira Sandeshaya of the Kotte Period is thought to be this temple (Abeywardana, 2002; Dissanayaka, 2023). The Viharaya, which had been forgotten for long, was restored and developed again in the early part of the 19th century (Abeywardana, 2002). Presently, only the historical evidence belonging to the Kandyan Period is identified at this site (Dissanayaka, 2023). A protected site The …
