Affiliation Buddhism District Hambantota District | Province Southern Province Architectural type Buddhist temple | |
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Location Weeraketiya , Sri Lanka Heritage designation Archaeological protected monument (22 April 1966) Founder Mahanaga, Prince of Ruhuna Similar Mawaragala Forest Hermitage, Ovagiriya, Paramakanda Raja Maha Vihara, Buddhist temple, Velgam Vehera | ||
Naigala Rajamaha Viharaya (Sinhalese: නයිගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Weeraketiya, Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 2 kilo meter away from Weeraketiya junction and near 8 kilo meters from anciant buddhist temple, Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara.
Contents
This temple has been built according to the Pabbata Vihara system and it is considered that the Naigala Raja Maha Viharaya was one of the rare sites in Ruhuna Kingdom with Panchayathana features and seven Stupas. Due to its historical importance, this temple has been recognized as an archaeological protected site in Sri Lanka.
History
It is believed that this temple was built by the Kings Gotabhaya and Mahananga. According to inscriptions found in the vihara premises, this temple was called as Kala Pabbatha Vihara. The Bodhi tree of Naigala Rajamaha Viharaya is believed to be one of saplings of the Sri Maha Bodhi and was planted by arahant.
A folklore, which connect with King Mahanaga describes a story about the formation of the name of this temple. According to that in the period of King Devanapathisa, Mahanaga came to this area and built a palace in Mandaduwata. In that times a big drought came and caused to make tanks, streams dried up. One day a big snake came in front of the king and brought him to a large rock, where king saw a pond filled with water. After that incident this area was called as Naya Penvu Gala (The rock, showed by the snake) and then named as Naigala.
Ruins
A number of archeological monuments and ruins were discovered in this temple after excavations, done by the Archaeological Department in 2009. Many of ruins including Stupas, walls, Boodhigaras and ponds can be seen at the vihara premises. Also there is a specific circular stone with a hollow can be seen at temple and it is believed that this was used to hide the tooth relic of Buddha inside it, by Queen Sugala to protect the it from enemies. In 2013, archaeologists found ruins of a two-story image house on the temple premises, which belongs to the Anuradhapura period.
Rock inscriptions
There are few rock inscriptions have been established in the temple. These belong to the 4-5 centuries and have been written with later Brahmi scripts using old Sinhala language. They reveal that sermons were conducted there and it may have served as the center from which the particular sermon spread to other areas.