| Ancient Kantharodai Historical Site | |
|---|---|
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| District | Jaffna |
| Province | Northern Province |
| Location | |
| Location | Chunnakam, Sri Lanka |
| Geographic coordinates | 09°45′N80°01′E / 9.750°N 80.017°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Buddhist stupa |
Ancient Kantharodai Historical Site [1] with some remains of Stupas is situated in Kandarodai village in Chunnakam, Sri Lanka. The temple is considered one of the ancient Buddhist remains in existence today in Jaffna Peninsula.
According to Mahavamsa the history of Kantharodai Buddhist Monastery goes back to the Anuradhapura era. [2] During the time period of King Devanpiya Thissa, theri Sangamitta arrived to Dambakolapatuna in Sri Lanka with a sapling of Sri Maha Bodhi. It is said that the road to Anuradhapura from Dambakolapatuna was through this Kadurugoda Vihara area and before going to Anuradhapura she has visited this temple. [3]
In 1981, a stone pillar with an inscription in Prakrit was unearthed from this site. Dated in the reign of King Dappula IV (923-935 A.D.), the inscription contains a regal proclamation of the bequest of gifts and benefits made to a Buddhist place of worship. [4] This inscription is presently placed in the Jaffna Archaeological Museum. [5]
This temple is referred to in 'Nampotha', a book compiled during the 15th century, as Kadurugoda Viharaya of the Demalapattanama. [6]
There are few folklores which reveal some stories related to this Kadurugoda Vihara. According to one legend, in the 16th century, Jaffna Peninsula was ruled by a king named Sangili. At that time there were 60 Arhat Bhikkus practicing meditation. Due to harassmentfrom King Sangili, those 60 Bhikkus decided to leave Jaffna and go to India. On their way, they had stayed at the Kadurugoda area to accept alms-giving from local residents. A mushroom curry served to them was poisoned and all of the Bhikkus had died. [7] [ better source needed ] It is believed that these stupas were constructed with enshrining the relics of those 60 Arhath Bhikkus. Another story says that the 60 Arhath Bhikkus had died due to a famine, which was there for a long time. [8]
In 1917 remains of several Buddhist ruins were found at Kandarodai by then Jaffna District Magistrate Paul E. Pieris [8] [9] which was identified as the ancient Kadurugoda Vihara. [10] He reported about 56 stupas in the area but at present only about 20 stupas can be seen. Through the excavations on that period, the ruins of a shrine room, coloured tiles, parts of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, Buddha foot imprints, [11] a guard stone with Punkalasa and ancient coins belonging to 1st Parakumba, Malla, Leelawathi and Buwenakabahu’s time were found in the site. [12] Some of them were preserved at the Jaffna museum. [8]
Today there are about 20 stupas and a number of stupa foundations can be seen in the Vihara premises. The smallest stupa is about 8 feet in diameter and the largest is about 23.5 feet. The stupas possess unique features that cannot be found anywhere else in Sri Lanka. They have been made of gray colored coral stone and have a very distinguished pattern with small holes all over them. Another special feature of these ancient stupas is that they do not possess the standard square shape parts (Hathares Kotuwa and Dewatha Kotuwa) [8] above the dome and instead they have umbrella shaped fixed pinnacles.
In 1948 the archaeology department purchased seven acres around this area to preserve this site. [13] But due to land occupation by local residents, the area had been reduced to about three acres in 1965. [14] Currently the land has been reduced into less than one acre.
Currently this temple has been declared as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka [15] and is maintained by the Sri Lankan army.
Mahāvaṃsa (Sinhala: මහාවංශ, Pali: මහාවංස is the meticulously kept historical chronicle of Sri Lanka until the period of Mahasena of Anuradhapura. It was written in the style of an epic poem written in the Pali language. It relates the history of Sri Lanka from its legendary beginnings up to the reign of Mahasena of Anuradhapura covering the period between the arrival of Prince Vijaya from India in 543 BCE to his reign and later updated by different writers. It was first composed by a Buddhist monk at the Mahavihara temple in Anuradhapura in the 5th or 6th century CE.
The Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Tissamaharama, Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It was one of the four major Buddhist monasteries established in Sri Lanka, after the arrival of Arhant Mahinda Thera to the country. The site of the Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara was consecrated by Buddha himself, who spent some time in meditation there with 500 arhats, during his third visit to the island. Tissamaharama monastery had been recognized as a pre-eminent Buddhist educational center of the southern Sri Lanka from the 3rd century B.C. to the 11th century A.D. The Tissamaharama Dagoba which is situated in the premises of the monastery is one of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka. The present chief incumbent of Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara is Ven. Devalegama Dhammasena Nayaka Thera.
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Sirimeghavanna, also known as Kirthi Sri Meghavarna and Kithsirimevan was King of Anuradhapura in the 4th century. According to the traditional chronology, he ruled during 304–332 CE; the modified chronology adopted by modern scholars such as Wilhelm Geiger assigns his reign to 352–379 CE.
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Kadurugoda Vihara that still exists as "Kandaroda Vihara". Earlier in 223 B.C.E Princess Sanghamitta (Bhikkhuni) also reached this place from India carrying the sapling of The Bodhi Tree from Buddhagaya that existed till today at Anuradhapura
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