Ganegama Purana Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: නලගම ගණේගොඩ පුරාණ රජමහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Nalagama (east) near Tangalle in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka.
The Image House
The image house (the Buddha shrine) of Ganegoda Viharaya is considered an important monument of archaeological value. It preserves a collection of murals following the art tradition of the Kandyan Period. A large square-shaped pillar containing four niches on its four sides is found in the centre of the image house building. The pillar rises upward and ends with a small Stupa built above the roof level. Buddha statues of Kakusanda, Konagama, Kassapa and Gauthama in meditating posture have been placed inside each niche. A plaque containing the following note has been placed in one of the niches of the pillar.
Text: ශ්රී බුද්ධ වර්ෂ 2438. නලගම ගණේගොඩ විහාරාධිපති ගුණරතන මහා ස්ථවීර ස්වාමින්ද්රයන් වහන්සේ විසින් කරවන ලදී.
Translation: Buddhist year 2438 (1894 A.D.). Built by the Gunarathana Maha Sthavira, the incumbent of Nalagama Ganegoda temple.
A Protected Site
The ancient Buddha shrine within the precincts of Nalagama Ganegoda Purana Vihara situated within the Grama Niladhari Division of Vagegoda in the Tangalle Divisional Secretary Division, is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 6 June 2008.
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. no: 1553. 6 June 2008. p.523.
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.
