Galapatha Rajamaha Viharaya in Southern Province

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comments 5

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  Yuhiro Uekusa

  :: 02 April 2018 04:41:34

  A small Buddhist temple with wonderful mural paintings. It has the tooth relic of Buddha’s high disciple in its pagoda, but you will be more amazed as you enter the old temple building with its colourful and beautiful reclining Buddha statue and mural paintings with some influence of colonial era. It’s located in a village so you need a tuktuk and should ask the driver to wait for you outside.

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  Dilshan Thamara

  :: 21 February 2018 20:24:22

  Very Historical place. nice and calm

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  Anoma Jayaratne

  :: 10 February 2018 09:03:03

  Built during era of King Devanampiyatissa ((250-210 BC)  The Wanawasa Rajamaha Viharaya of Bentota is believed to be the one part of the Panchamaha Vihara complex of Bentota. The location where the Bodhi Tree was planted became Bodhi Maluwa Rajamaha Viharaya,  the location where the Arhats lived became the Wanawasa Rajamaha Viharaya, the place where the three chaithas were located became Galapatha Rajamaha Viharaya, where the additional Bodhi trees were planted became Bodhi Sameepa Rajamaha Viharaya and the where the temple (vehera) was located became Benvehera Rajamaha Viharaya completing all the components of the Panchamana Viharaya. It was known that all these temples were connected through underground tunnels but any proof of these tunnels were missing until  a garbage pit of Wanawasa Rajamaha Viharaya exposed a tunnel long forgotten. After facing destruction and looting during the Dutch and the Portuguese occupations, today Wanawasi Rajamaha Viharaya is a normal Buddhist temple in all aspects but the uniqueness of this temple is this tunnel which now has been excavated and restored to a extent. An ancient rock pillar door frame at the entrance to this tunnel can still be seen today.

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  Kasun Sanjula

  :: 31 January 2018 21:01:49

  Historical temple. Very beautiful

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  Suresh Indika

  :: 11 November 2017 22:09:19

  Ancient place, good to visit.