Pilana Raja Maha Vihara

Last updated
Pilana Raja Maha Vihara
Pilana Temple at night.jpg
Religion
Affiliation Buddhism
Location
Country Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates 6°02′16″N80°17′36″E / 6.0376711°N 80.2932781°E / 6.0376711; 80.2932781 Coordinates: 6°02′16″N80°17′36″E / 6.0376711°N 80.2932781°E / 6.0376711; 80.2932781

The Pilana Raja Maha Vihara or Pilana Temple is a Buddhist temple in Galle, Sri Lanka. The Chief Incumbent (Chief Priest) is Meepe Wagira Thera. The temple is well known in the southern part of the island for its historical Perahera festival.

Buddhist temple place of worship for Buddhists

A Buddhist temple is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace. Its structure and architecture varies from region to region. Usually, the temple consists not only of its buildings, but also the surrounding environment. The Buddhist temples are designed to symbolize 5 elements: Fire, Air, Earth, Water, and Wisdom.

Galle City in Southern Province, Sri Lanka

Galle is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District.

Sri Lanka Island country in South Asia

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. The legislative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the commercial capital and largest city, Colombo.

Location

The Pilana Raja Maha Vihara is located in the Galle District, near the Galle–Akuressa Highway (A17), about 11 km (6.8 mi) from Galle. The temple is situated on a small hill surrounded by paddy fields, and is visible from the Galle–Akuressa Highway.

Galle District Administrative District in Southern Province, Sri Lanka

Galle is a district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. It is one of 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka.

The A 17 road is an A-Grade trunk road in Sri Lanka. It connects Galle with Madampe.

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