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Diyavinna Devagiri Viharaya |
Devagiri Raja Maha Vihara, also known as Devagiri Purana Gallen Viharaya or popularly Diyavini Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: ශ්රී දේවගිරි රජමහා විහාරය, දේවගිරි පුරාණ ගල්ලෙන් විහාරය, දියවිනි රජමහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated near Diyavini Ella Falls in Ganelandagama village in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka.
History
Locals believe that this temple was established by Yatalatissa (reigned in the 2nd century B.C.) in the early part of the Anuradhapura Period. A cave inscription belonging to the period between the 3rd century B.C. and the 1st century A.D. is found on the temple premises.
Devagiri Vihara Inscription
Period: 3rd century B.C.-1st century AD
Script: Early Brahmi
Language: Old Sinhala
Transcript: .......ha lene agata anagata catu disha shagasha
Translation: The cave of .......... (is given) to the Sangha of four quarters, present and absent
References: Paranavitana, 1970. p.58.
Another inscription belonging to the 6-8 centuries A.D. is found at the site (Collins, 1932). Consisting of four lines within a frame, it gives some Sinhala and Tamil names probably of pilgrims (Collins, 1932). In a cave named Piyangiri Oya Galge located on the slope of the nearby mountain, there is another Early Brahmi Inscription belonging to the pre-Christian era (Collins, 1932).
A Protected Site
The ancient cave temple and two caves with drip ledges in the premises of Ganelandagama Diyavinna Devagiri Purana Gallen Vihara in the Grama Niladhari Division of Diyavinna in Balangoda Divisional Secretariat Division are archaeological protected monuments, declared by the government Gazette notifications published on 6 July 2007.
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References
Books, Gazette Notifications, Journal Articles
1) Collins, C.H., 1932. The archaeology of the Sabaragamuwa Bintenna. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. XXXII, No 85. pp.158-184.
2) Paranavitana, S., 1970. Inscriptions of Ceylon: Volume I: Early Brahmi Inscriptions. Department of Archaeology Ceylon. p.58.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1505. 6 July 2007. p.549.
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Attribution
To Whom
LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Mr Lalith Kekulthotuwage for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.
