Budugekanda Viharaya

Budugekanda Viharaya is an ancient cave temple in Badulla with Kandyan-era murals and a reclining Buddha, declared a protected site in 1996.
Budugekanda Viharaya
Budugekanda Cave Temple

Budugekanda Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: බුදුගේකන්ද රජමහා විහාරය) is a Buddhiat temple situated in Thenneyaya village in Badulla District, Sri Lanka. The Stupa at Mahiyangana is visible from the temple terrace on a clear day.

History

The presence of the drip-ledged cave temple suggests that the history of Budugekanda Viharaya likely dates back to early historical times. However, the shrine its present form does not appear to predate the 12 century (Chutiwongs et al., 1990). The subject-matter of the murals of the cave temple conforms to the conventions of the Kandyan Period (Chutiwongs et al., 1990). The dates of repainting of the shrine are given as 2483 B.E. (1939 A.D.) and 2494 [(1950 A.D.) Chutiwongs et al., 1990].

The Temple

Located on the eastern slopes of the central range of mountains, the shallow cave temple of Budugekanda Viharaya consists several cellas. The main cell accomodates a recumbent Buddha statue and it has a central entrance and two windows on either side. Another cell, located east to the cell of recumbent Buddha is a Devalaya Shrine. An elevated courtyard surround these shrines and it can be approached by a 20 ft. high stairway (Chutiwongs et al., 1990). The monks' dwelling and the preaching hall is located on the lower court where also a natural pond feb by a spring from the mountain to the rear of the shrine can be seen.

A Protected Site

The image house with ancient murals on the Budugekanda Vihare premises in the Thenneyaya village, in Soranathota Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 1 November 1996.

Budugekanda Viharaya

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References

Books, Government Gazette Notifications

1) Chutiwongs, N.; Prematilleke, L.; Silva, R., 1990. Sri Lanka Bithu Sithuwam: Budugekanda;(Paintings of Sri Lanka: Budugekanda). Archaeological Survey of Sri Lanka: Centenary publication. Central Cultural Fund. ISBN: 955-613-008-X. pp.37-47.
2) Priyadarshani, S. A. N.; Gunasena, I. P. P., 2017. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Badulla Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-613-029-2. pp.33-39.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 948. 1 November 1996.

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Attribution

To Whom

LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Malsha M. Ranasinghe for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.

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