Gatabaru Raja Maha Viharaya
Stupa at the top of the maintain |
Cave Image House and the Devale |
Getabaru Raja Maha Viharaya is on a mountain top on the Akuressa - Deniyaya Road (A17)
between Morawaka and Deniyaya. Until recently
this temple has been rather neglected due to the rough terrain of the location. But now a
good tar road has been built from the bottom of the mountain to the
temple. The climb is strenuous even for a vehicle. From the park you
have to do some climbing to reach the cave image house (temple) and devale and
more climbing to reach the stupa. on the route to the Cave Temple is a golden casket made to the shape of a stupa displayed in a glass room.
The Golden Casket |
Steps leading from the golden casket to the Cave Temple |
This temple has now become popular for the Getabaru Deiyo where people come to pray,
bring an offering ("puja") or make a vows ("bara"). In addition Gatabaru Deviyo is also a popular god for placing curses to take revenge of the enemies. The God Getabaru is said to be a representation of the dark side of the God Kataragama.
Stupa at the top |
Buddha Statue gifted by Dalada Maligawa |
Due to the karmic effect of the good deeds of the
Buddhists God Kataragama risen so much in the hierarchy of the gods,
Getabaru had to leave Kataragama, so he withdrew to an
isolated place on a mountain top in the interior near Morawaka on the
road from lying close to the Akurassa to Deniyaya. There in isolation and, as it were, far
from the official Buddhist world he exercises now his despised yet
well appreciated powers. People fear and therefore also respect his
power to curse.
Bell Tower on a rock |
The annual Esala Perahera of Getabaru Maha Devale is supposed to be the second biggest (next to Kataragama) in the the Matara District
How to get there
The temple is between 69 and 70 KM posts on the A17 route (Akurassa - Deniyaya Road)
Map
Articles
Creared April 14, 2009
Updated
May 22, 2011
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