|
Bihalpola Tempita Viharaya and Stupa |
Bihalpola Raja Maha Viharaya, also known as Veheragala Viharaya (Sinhala: බිහල්පොල රජමහා විහාරය, ඓතිහාසික වෙහෙරගල රජමහා විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple situated in Bihalpola village in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka.
History
This temple is said to have been in existence since the time of the Kurunegala Kingdom (Anuradha & Kumari, 2015; Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). Strong evidence is there to prove that the Tempita Viharaya (temple on pillars), Dhatu Mandiraya (relic-house) and two plinth-style image house buildings belong to the Kandyan Period (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). However, some scholars believe that the architectural style of the Tempita Viharaya reflects the period after the 12th century, when Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who had been compelled to migrate to Thailand, Burma, and Cambodia, returned, bringing with them design elements influenced by Southeast Asian architecture (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).
The murals found in the Tempita Viharaya belong possibly to the latter part of the eighteenth century or early part of the nineteenth century (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).
Tempita Viharaya
Tempita Viharas were popular in many Buddhist temples during the Kandyan Period. These structures were usually built on a wooden platform resting on bare stone pillars or stumps which are about 1-4 feet tall. The roof is generally made of timber and held by wooden stumps. The walls are usually made of wattle and daub and form the main enclosed shrine room containing Buddhist sculptures and murals in the Kandyan style. Some Tempita Viharas have narrow verandas and ambulatories circulating the main enclosed space. The construction of these buildings started in the 17th century and lasted until the end of the 19th century (Wijayawardhana, 2010).
Bihalpola Tempita Viharaya
The Bihalpola Tempita Viharaya is raised on 9 small boulders 2 feet high and strengthened with wooden stumps (Anuradha & Kumari, 2015; Wijayawardhana, 2010). The inner shrine is surrounded by an ambulatory margined by a peripheral wall making it a insulated double-wall type Tempita Viharaya (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). Besides the main entrance to the shrine room, a second entry placed on the left side of the structure and stone steps are built at both entrances. The entire building extends 26 feet in length and 8 feet in width while the inner shrine measures 13 feet in length and 9 feet 8 inches in width (Wijayawardhana, 2010). The ambulatory is 3 feet wide except the front side which is 7 feet 7 inches wide (Wijayawardhana, 2010).
The inner walls of the Tempita Viharaya are decorated with Buddhist murals following the Kandyan tradition. The outer walls of the shrine room portray episodes from the Buddha’s life, Jataka tales, heavenly scenes, and several historical figures (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). In contrast, the inner walls of the surrounding ambulatory are decorated with depictions of hell (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021). According to the view of some scholars, these murals represent a regional folk idiom of the Kandyan Sittra tradition hardly comparable with those of other shrines (Silva & Chandrasekara, 2021).
In the shrine room, there is a seated Buddha statue, 5 feet 6 inches in height, accompanied by the images of Sariputta (left) and Moggallana (right), the two chief disciples of Gautama Buddha (Wijayawardhana, 2010). On the side walls are two standing Buddha statues (7 feet 7 inches high), facing each other (Wijayawardhana, 2010). Figures of the deities, Saman and Vishnu are drawn beside the standing Buddha statues.
A Protected Site
The ancient Vahalkada, Tempita Viharaya and the relic house situated within the boundary of Bihalpola Raja Maha Viharaya in the Kuliyapitiya Divisional Secretary’s Division, are archaeological protected monuments, declared by two government notifications published on 23 February 1967 and 19 October 1973.
Related Posts
Read Also
References
Books, Government Gazette Notifications
1) Anuradha, R.K.S.; Kumari, A.S., 2015. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Kurunegala Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-9159-37-2. pp.17-18.
2) Silva, K.D. and Chandrasekara, D.P., 2021. The Tämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image-Houses in Buddhist Architecture. Anthem Press. pp.98-99.
3) The Government Gazette notification. No: 82. 23 February 1967.
4) The Government Gazette notification. No: 14737. 19 October 1973.
5) Wijayawardhana, K., 2010. Sri Lankawe Tampita Vihara (In Sinhala). Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. Colombo. ISBN: 978-955-551-752-2. pp.12, 180-189.
Location Map
Dynamic Google Map
Attribution
To Whom
LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Mr Navod Hemal for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.
