Gonagiri Rajamaha Viharaya
I am in Kahatagasdigiliya, a serene farming village in Eastern part of
Anuradhapura. It is five p.m. in the evening. The sun is hot and beating
down upon the vast stretch of ruined paddy fields and chenas, that stretch
in all directions. I see the remains of dead trees and dried land, prominent
signs of a severe drought that has affected the village. Villagers flock
to tanks for ablutions where water is scarce. Women carry pots to fetch
water from distance tanks where water the levels have drastically reduced
due to the prevailing drought, in the Rajarata. A little beyond the town
of Kahatagasdigiliya, my destination, is the historic Gonagiri Rajamaha
Viharaya which rises majestically against the backdrop of huge rock boulder.
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After a rickety bus journey from Colombo, I step into the chief incumbent’s
Avasa Ge which is built on a comer of a rock boulder. Following my meeting
with the chief incumbent of the temple I sit on a small chair and relax for
a few minutes. Through the arch windows of the Avasa Ge, I see a huge rock
boulder and stone parapets stretch to vast areas of the temple premises.
The archeological site at Gonagiri Vihare, which spreads over a vast area
of about 25 acres, is covered with thick forest and surrounded by a huge
rock boulder. I ponder how the Vihare might have looked like in the past.
I enjoy the peace and serenity that still prevails.
Deep in the dry zone
If one is desperate to escape from the hustle and bustle life in the
city and wants to spend a day in the enchanting atmosphere of mother
nature, historic Gonagiri Vihare is the place. Here you will experience
the unspoilt natural beauty of the dry zone and hear nothing but the sound
of the jungle. You will forget the hazard of the outside world.
Gonagiri Rajamaha Vihare is 30 kilometers from Anuradhapura. The sacred
site gives one a feeling of serenity and a glimpse of the hardship endured
by the farming community of the area. After travelling on the Anuradhapura
- Trincomalee Road, you reach the Kahatagasdigiliya town. From there one
needs to travel one kilo meter to the Vihare.
The history of Gonagiri Vihare is buried deep in the sands of times. The
temple was built by king Suratissa, in 247-237 B.C., the younger brother
of king Mahasiva, who became a ruler of Anuradhapura. He was a descendent
of king Devanampiyatissa. According to Mahawansa, a Buddhist chronicle, king
Suratissa has ruled Anuradhapura for over 10 years and built 500 temples
around the sacred city of Anuradhapura. Historians believe that Gonagiri
Rajamaha Vihare is one of the temples built by king Suratissa. Many years
ago the temple was known by various other names such as Gonagala Vihare and
Gommalawe Vihare.
The sambur legend
However, at present, the temple is known as Gonagiri Vihare. There
are a few legends associated with the name of the temple. There is a popular
belief amongst the villagers that the rock boulder in the site fell
from above. Legend has it that they fell on two samburs and killed them.
The image of a sambur has been carved out on the surface of a rock at the
summit of the temple. The other one dates back to the ancient time of Kala
Oya which flows across Anuradhapura. Kala Oya at one time was known as
Gona Oya. Meditative monks in Gona Oya used to reside and mediate in the
caves of this Vihare. Later the site was known as Gona Giri Vihare.
The pious king Suratissa was killed by Senaguttika, a Tamil king from India
during the Chola invasion, to the country. Gonagiri Vihare became ruined
and overgrown by creepers. Later, King Dutugemunu, a king from Anuradhapura,
had renovated this historic place. It is evident that during the reign of
King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, in Kandyan era, the temple was in pristine condition.
The king built an elaborately carved Makara Thorana and a shrine room in
a cave of the temple.
Ruined shrine
Among the most striking features in the temple today is a ruined shrine
room built in a cave by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe. In the shrine
room there are four Buddha statues which are damaged beyond recognition.
All the paintings inside the cave are faded. There is one reclining statue
of the Buddha which is slightly recognizable. The other statues are completely
destroyed. The magnificently built Makara Thorana in the cave has been in
a fragile condition for a long time due to the negligence of the relevant
authorities.
There is a Buddha statue carved from stone. The image of Buddha, carved
out on a slab of stone, measures one and a half feet in height on both side.
This kind of craftsmanship cannot be found anywhere else in Sri Lanka. The
image of the sambur carved out on the summit of the rock has greatly influenced
who ever who named this temple Gonagiri Vihare. There are a few stone inscriptions
at this site which are now ruined.
The chief incumbent of Gonagiri Vihare, Ven Paluketuwewe Pannasekare Thera,
a young scholarly monk, who has dedicated his life to develop the temple,
takes me around a ruined site which spreads over a vast area. The monk shows
me remnants of two ruined stupas on the summits of the rocks. At each stupa
there are a flight of steps which leads to the summit. There are a cluster
of small natural ponds in the rock. It is said that these were used by mediating
monks in the past. Apart from the small ponds there is a huge natural pond
in the rock which is believed to have been used by monks for ablutions. Due
to the severe drought that prevails the tank is dry. A small stupa was renovated
by the Department of Archeology long ago. The stupa lies majestically on
the summit of one boulder. Other ruins lie scattered in vast area.
No archeological attention
The chief monk said many of the archeological remains that belong to
Gonagiri Vihare are unique. However, the Department of Archeology
has paid little attention to this historic site. At present a meditation
centre has been set up in the jungle where Gonagiri Vihare is situated.
Special mediation classes are conducted by scholarly monks under the supervision
of the chief incumbent of the temple.
According to the chief incumbent of the temple, a 25 metres high crossed-legged
Buddha statue is being built on the 200 feet high summit of the rock boulder.
The rock boulder in Gonagiri Vihare faces the Aunradhapura - Kahatagasdigiliya
road. The foundation of the statue has been laid on the rock with the help
of devotees of the temple. The estimated cost in building the statute is
10 million rupees, according to the chief monk. Anyone who wishes to donate
money to build the statue can make contributions to the temple.
Text and photography by W. A. Mahil
The Nation - July 08th, 2007
Created : May 23, 2010
Updated :
May 23, 2010
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