Maragala Gallenagoda Len Viharaya
In quest of King Valagamba in exile
Once upon a time as king Valagamba in exile trekked through the jungle
trails, he felt tired with fatigue. In order to get some respite, he sat
quite exhausted under the spreading canopy of a forest tree. While seated
there under the boughs of this spreading tree, (called Mara tree), there
appeared a village lass who had gone past him carrying some kind of wild
cucumber - thiyabara in a basket on her head.
Gifted gam waras in gratitude
She sensed that this man she did not know that he was a king, quite weary
and tired, from his physical appearance that she offered these fruits to
him to quench his dire thirst. That spot where these thiyabara fruits were
offered, came to be to this day called Thiyabarawatte (the garden of thiyabara
fruit). Seeing the rock cave shelter lying close to it, he took shelter and
lived there for some time. Valagamba though still a deposed king under forced
circusmstances, never forgot to pay his fondest gratitude in kind for offering
these thiyabara fruits by gifting that village with gamwara-lands to her
and her generations to come. Hence, how this village got its name as Thiyabarawatte.
Tucked away in mountain frontiers
Tucked away in those forest studded mountain frontiers of the Balangoda
massif, filled with kitul, coconut palms, interlaced with rice fields and
lush jungle vegetation lies those time honoured rock cave shelters. Some
of these cave dwellings had been lairs of the prowling leapords, and bears,
whilst still others remained as the cave dwellings of the pre-historic Balangoda
man - and later the Yakkas and still later those of the Veddas, our aborigines.
Maragala Gallenagoda Len Viharaya
Along the Colombo-Ratnapura-Pelma-dulla-Nonagama highway, before coming
to Godakawela near the 24th kilo meter post from Pelmadulla lies the Ridivita
junction. From there runs a partly metalled road to Ridivita (where a bus
or two plies), lying against the backdrop of coconut, kitul, arecanut, rubber,
coffee and tea woods straddled by sprawling rice fields on the hill slopes.
About 1/8 of a mile along this rugged road (from this Ridivita junction),
is another place called Maragaha handiya junction. From there, lies an uphill
gravelled road leading into the interior. Reposing on a rocky hillock surrounded
by cocoa, coffee, and coconut plantations is a typical rock cave shelter
called Maragala Gallengoda Len Vihara, coming down from ancient times. This
is that historic spot where the village belle had offered those fruits of
thiyabara to king Valagamba in exile. He had lived there, built those len
viharas and later developed them.
Rock cave shelter and Finds
This rock cave shelter-len vihara is of medium size - being 20 feet long,
50 feet high and 40 feet broad having well chiselled drip ledges on the apex
of these cave shelter. This lena or rock cave shelter has a built-in-wall
in its frontage. Inside it, reposes a recumbent Buddha statue built of terra-cotta.
Two stone pillars stand around its frontage. There are figures of doratupalayah
(janitors) and other
guard stones
. A giant Bo tree vaults over the premises.
The cave ceiling is dotted with paintings of lotus flowers in full bloom
and along with other designs of tendrils coiling around trees. There mural
paintings are of typical Kandyan creations dating back to the Kandyan period,
as well.
A painting of a lion is also seen there. The mural paintings depict Jataka
stories and other episodes, sathsiya vivaranaya the seven episodes of Sidharata
Gautama after Enlightenment. The date on the door above to its entrance is
2458 of the Buddhist era, to say its later constructions and restorations
were done in 1846 A.D.
The present incumbent of this len vihara (Rock cave Shelter Vihara) is
Ven. Ridivita Dhamma Jothi. He is in his eighties, but quite hale and hearty
and carries with him a retentive memory of the past antecendats of this Maragala
Len Gal Viharaya.
Real Narration
According to the temple archives (Maragala Gallenagala Viharaya called
Kudapath), this len vihara harbouring Buddha statues had been plundered by
treasure hunters, some years ago. Its reconstruction works had begun about
150 years ago. Among the past incumbents engaged in such restoration works,
the name of the late Ven. Bengamuwa Dharmapala is being recorded in the temple
chronicles. It is said in those archaic scrolls that it is alleged the cause
of causing damage to this len vihara in the past as there were some persons
claiming the ownership of the temple lands, and thus committed its plundering
in vendetta. During the re-construction works in the past, under its original
foundation was found a stone pillar broken into fragments on which some faded
away inscriptions had been carved.
Its apartments in the Len Vihara
This rock cave shelter — len vihara comprises three sections, one
of which is 37 ft.X 32 ft that houses the image house — pilimage. Then
one of those sections is reposed a reclining Buddha statue, built of terra-cotta
having a length of 13 ft. and seven ft. broad. There are also small Buddha
statues of stone about 2 1/2 feet high, while the other Buddha statues had
been executed in the recent past.
On the other section to its right flank is the Devale housing the shrines
dedicated to gods —Saman, Kataragama, Vishnu, Ganesh. Its length is
17 1/2 feet, and breadth 10 1/2 feet and height 12 1/2 feet. It is only in
this particular cave shelter that drip ledges have been etched. In the other
small cave shelter on its left side is 7 feet long, where under its cave
canopy is enshrined a small dagaba about five feet high.
More of Temple archaic scrolls
In another archaic temple scroll named as Maragala Gal-lengoda Raja Maha
Vihara ‘Kudapathah’ is a proclamation given by king Rajadhi Rajasinha
(1782 A.D. of the Kandyan period). It is mentioned that these temple lands
had been once encroached by a villager named as Thiyabarawatte Appuhamy.
He had enjoyed the fruits of the temple lands which claims had been dismissed
by Ven. Vepath Ira Dharmapala, the incumbent of the time and promptly reported
it to king Rajadhi Rajasinha (1782). The king whereupon caused inquiries
to be made by the Pilima Talawa Adikari and had set aside those illegal claims.
Thereby by this royal decree of king Rajadhi Rajasinha restoring those lands
to the temple.
Dutch Period Anecdotes
Ambalanwatta is about 1/4 of a mile away from the main road off the Ridiwita
junction. During the Dutch period they had brought Java soldiers to guard
this frontier. The legend says that these Java soldiers were muzzled, hence
its called Marapala which later had corrupted into Maharangala and later
to present day Maragala while Maharangala means the great battlefield!
Curious Legend of Ridivita
There is a curious legend revolving around Ridivita, which lies in its
vicinity. This place was originally named as ridi-oru-oya as there is a rivulet
meandering by. It is told in this folk tale, that a boat made out of silver
laden with some treasure trove had been hidden there underground. At times,
it flashes a sliver lining in the nights. So in order to wrench off its hidden
treasure trove, lying submerged there, some person stealthily had obtained
the wood of the milla tree as fuel to heat it. But he was unsuccessful and
he turned into a lunatic. So hence this submerged treasure with its eerie
surroundings still remains there, unheard, unsung, unknown and even untouched!
Valleys, Dales - Picturesque
The valleys and dales dotting this serene region of mountains winding are,
laden with tea, rubber, cocoa, coffee, coconut, kitul plantations, while
other commercial crops like cardamoms, pepper — gammiris vines, ensal,
karabu neti (cloves) thrive luxuriously. Paddy cultivations are fed by amunus — anicuts
constructed across flowing tiny streams that meander by, like silvery ribbons
throwing a cool atmosphere. Its climate is akin to that salubrious uplands
of Bandarawela.
The peasants are a hardy lot, as they have to toil hard in this part of
the hill sides is rugged. On my recent visit to this pastoral village, as
there are herdsmen owning buffaloes to plough the rice fields and provide
delicious buffaloa curd, I was entertained by a humble gamaya (village) family,
to a tasty breakfast of a relishing meal of kurrakkan roti and katta sambol
(chillie, onion scum maldive fish). It was delicious, its taste still tillates
by tongue! This part of the country, once upon a time came under the ambit
of Ruhunu Rata. But later in the late 1950’s during the premiership
of the late Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake, it came to be vested with the
Sabaragamuwa Province. Even in ancient times, the villagers around this area
had trekked to pay homage to the Kataragama shrine to Ruhunu Rata through
Ridivita-Godakawela.
The Island - March 8, 2003
Created : April 12, 2009
Updated :
September 4, 2009
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