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Devinuwara Raja Maha Viharaya

The little town of Devinuwara or the "City of Gods" is located at the most southern edge of the country, about 6.5kms south-east of Matara. Devinuwara is also known as Dondra in English.

At the height of its splendour, in the 13th-15th centuries, Devinuwara has been a busy seaport and a most renowned place of pilgrimage and worship. It had been a landmark with its magnificent temple with a roof of gilded copper flashing far into the sea, and undoubtedly must have been an aid to those who sailed the vast Indian Ocean. The many stone pillars variously sculptured in designs and shapes are evidence of the magnificent shrines and temples in this town that overlooked the ocean up to the latter half of the 16th century.

According to legend Devinuwara was a flourishing city in the time is King Rawana and is connected to the Indian Epic of Ramayana. The 15th century "Paravi Sandeshaya", a poetical work describes the deity at Devinuwara as a destroyer of Asura. Thus it can believed that this same deity is also "Rama" of the Ramayana.

The temple of Devinuwara stands adjoining the famous Sri Vishnu Devale. According to recorded history the temple and the Devale (Shrine) was built by King Dappula I (Dappula-sen) during the 7th century. The Dagaba is situated in an elevated level of above 12 feet from the ground circling about 200 feet. The Dagaba has taken its present form (The Shape of a Bubble) at its renovation after the Portuguese destruction of the original temple in 1587.

After liberating the country from the tamil invadors, King Vijayabahu I (1070-1110) is said to have renovated the temple. and his queen "Leelawathi" has built the “Galathurumula paaya”

History reveals that "Othpilima mandiraya" was built by king Panditha Parakramabahu who became king at Kurunagala in 1306 AC.

"Sitipilima mandiraya" has been built by Senalankadhikara Senevirat, the powerful minister of king Buwanekabahu, who became king of Gampola in 1347 AC. It is read that his mandiraya was a 3 storied building.

The “Watadage” which has been built circling the dagaba is not in existence at present. But its ruins of Stone pillars remain still there around the dagaba. The old “Bo” tree standing on the right of the temple.

There has also been a certain house and “Awasage” for the use of monks in transit but at present where was situated is not traceable.

”Weerabaa nanda pirivena” has been built by the nephew of The king Panditha Parakarama Bahu in about 1258 AD. ”Thilaka privena” is another place where learned priests were living.

The 6th-century historian Diogo Do Couto on his book 'The History of Ceylon'. describes this temple as the most celebrated after the Sri Pada.

"............ The pagode of Tanavar [Devinuvara] half a league from this city, the most celebrated and most resorted to by pilgrims of all in the island, excepting that of Adam's Peak, the which in structure resembled a beautiful city, having a circuit of a full league. The body of this pagoda was very great, all vaulted above, with much workmanship, and around it many most beautiful chapels, and above the principal gateway it had a very high and strong tower, with the roof all of copper gilt in many parts, the which stood in the midst of a square cloister, very beautifully and finely wrought, with its verandas and terraces, and in each square a handsome gateway for its entrance, and all around was full of flower-pots, delicate flowers, and fragrant herbs for their pagode to enjoy himself with when they drew him in procession along that way. This pagode has within the enclosure very fine streets, in which live persons of every occupation, and the chief of these is of women dedicated to the service the pagoda ........."

And with a Portuguese invasion of the Matara areas this temple too faced the same wrath that many other Buddhist temple faced under the Portuguese. The Portuguese blinded by faith and greed for wealth plundered and destroyed the temple burning whatever they couldn't take . The same book describes this event .

".......... The inhabitants,.. on seeing the Portuguese, abandoned the city, and betook themselves inland. Our people proceeded to enter it without encountering any resistance, and reaching the Pagoda (Dagaba) broke open the gates, and entered it without meeting anyone to resist them, and went all round to see if they found any people: and seeing that all was deserted, Thomas de Souza delivered it over to the soldiers that they might do their duty, and the first thing in which they employed themselves was to destroy the idols, of which there were more than a thousand of diverse forms, some of clay, others of wood, others of copper, many of them gilt. Having done this, they demolished the whole of that internal structure of Dagabas, destroying their vaults and cloisters, knocking them all to pieces, and then proceeded to sack the store houses, in which they found much ivory, fine clothes, copper, pepper, sandalwood, jewels, precious stones and ornaments of the Dagabas, and of every thing they took what they like, and the rest they set fire to by which the whole was consumed .........."

“Galgane Viharaya” is situated towards the north of the rajamaha Vihara ¼ mile away and “Gal Linda” is another oldest bathing well situated close to Galgane vihara consistence of very fine water.

“Wanawasa Viharaya” is a temple situated close to main road 100-105 mile posts along Colombo Hambanthota Road. This temple which is covered by forest would have been by the priests who were living at Raja Maha Viharaya for purpose of meditation, it would have taken the name Wanawasa viharaya. The Bo tree there is believed to be sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi.

Primary Source : http://www.devinuwara.org/temple.html

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