Kirti Sri Thejowararama Viharaya Kirti Sri Thejowararama Viharaya (Sinhala: පල්ලාවෙල කීර්ති ශ්රී තේජෝවරාරාම විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Pallawela village in Matara District, Sri Lanka. History The history of Thejowararama Viharaya goes back to the first half of the 18th century (Prabuddha, 2017). Ransegoda Dhammadassi Thera, the founder of the temple was among the first group of low-country monks who went to obtain Upasampadawa (higher ordination) from Siamese monks (monks from Thailand) who arrived in Sri Lanka at the invitation of King Kirti Sri Rajasingha (1747-1782 A.D.) of Kandy (Prabuddha, 2017). The eminent Kandyan Buddhist monk Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thera was instrumental in re-establishing the Upasampada (higher ordination) in the country in 1753 with the support of Kirti Sri Rajasingha after the religion declined in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is said that Ransegoda Dhammadassi Thera performed religious rituals at this place as a Ganin Vahanse before obtaining the higher ordination. After …
