Polwatta Gangarama Viharaya

Gangaramaya, the name of the temple is derived from its location on the bank of a river. It is believed that this temple was established by a general named Swaraja Kulawardhana Devadhikari (or Ayasmanta) during the reign of Queen Kalyanavathi (1202-1208 A.D.) of Polonnaruwa (Wikramaratne, 2015). The small Stupa at the site is thought to be a construction of him (Wikramaratne, 2015). The temple received the patronage of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1781 A.D.) of Kandy when he donated the Polwatta land to it to provide coconut oil required to Weligama Agrabodhi Vharaya (Wikramaratne, 2015).

The image house of Gangarama Viharaya preserves a collection of valuable paintings belonging to the Kandyan Period (Abeyawardana, 2004). It consists of two sections; the outer and the inner chamber. The inner chamber has three entrances decorated with Makara Thorana (dragon arch). The Kihimbi Muhuna, the central face that is usually used in every Makara Thorana is not found in Gangarama temple and has been replaced with lion faces (Wikramaratne, 2015). Also, there are several rafters on the roof ending with the faces of lions. Sculptures depicting the Suvisi Vivaranaya (Buddha to be receiving the blessing from 24 previous Buddhas) are found positioned along the outer walls of the inner chamber. 

A recumbent Buddha statue about 44 ft. long flanked on either side by two Buddha statues in sedent posture is found accommodated in the inner chamber along with the statues of Visnu and Kataragama and murals depicting 80 disciples (Abeyawardana, 2004; Wikramaratne, 2015). Of the paintings, the one showing the alms procession is considered important as it contains a lion flag (Abeyawardana, 2004; Wikramaratne, 2015). This flag is said to be one of the earliest depictions of the present Lion Flag of Sri Lanka (Wikramaratne, 2015).

The outer chamber painting have been retouched around 1920 altering its original features (Abeyawardana, 2004). The roses and the portraits of European men and women indicate the infiltration of European culture to the traditional temple paintings. According to the view of Abeyawardana, one of these foreign women portrait shows Queen Victoria [(1837-1901 A.D.) Abeyawardana, 2004].