Giri Aba Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: රන්න ගිරිඅබා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated on the wayside of Weeraketiya-Ranna road in Wigamuwa village in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka.
History
The rock inscriptions on the temple premises reveal that this site has a history running back to the early part of the Anuradhapura Period.
Ranna Giri Aba Rajamaha Vihara Rock Inscription
Period: 3rd-4th century A.D.
Script: Later Brahmi
Language: Old Sinhala
Content: This inscription contains a description of paddy lands and other lands donated to the ancient Viharaya located at the site.
Reference: The information board at the site by the Department of Archaeology and the Ministry of National Heritage.
With time, the temple was abandoned and went into the ruins. The site was rediscovered by Karatota Indajothi Thera who established the present temple with the support of villagers (Vanarathana, 1994). New buildings and structures were added to the temple during the time of Dodampahala Rathanajothi Thera (Vanarathana, 1994).
References
1) Vanarathana, K., 1994. Matara Puravidyathmaka Ithihasaya (In Sinhala). ISBN: 955-9325-00-0. pp.209-210.
Attribution
#) LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to V. M. Vidanapathirana for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.