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Kelaniya
Kelaniya ( ) is a suburb of Colombo in the Western Province, Sri Lanka, Western Province, Sri Lanka. Located from Colombo Fort, it is known for the Buddhist temple built on the banks of the Kelani River, which divides the suburb from Colombo District. The temple is also a religious centre for veneration of the figures Vibhishana and Avalokiteshvara. It is also known as the location of the University of Kelaniya. Historical and cultural significance Kelaniya (''Kalyanam'') is mentioned in Ramayana and in the Buddhist chronicle, the Mahawansa which states that the Buddha visited the place in the 5th century BC, after which the stupa, dagoba of the temple was built.Wilhelm Geiger (Tr), ''The Mahavansa, or The Great Chronicle of Ceylon'', Oxford, OUP, 1920. Sri Lankan Buddhists believe that the Buddha visited Kelaniya in order to quell a quarrel between the Nāga leaders of two warring factions: Chulodara (literally "the small-bellied one") and Mahodara (literally "the big-bellied ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
University Of Kelaniya
The University of Kelaniya (UoK; , ) is a public university in Sri Lanka. Just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the city of Kelaniya, the university has two major institutions and seven faculties. History The University of Kelaniya has its origin in the historic Vidyalankara Pirivena, founded in 1875 by Ratmalane Sri Dharmaloka Thera as a centre of learning for Buddhist monks. With the establishment of modern universities in Sri Lanka in the 1940s and 1950s, the Vidyalankara Pirivena became the Vidyalankara University in 1959, later the Vidyalankara Campus of the University of Ceylon in 1972, and, ultimately, the University of Kelaniya in 1978. The University of Kelaniya has pioneered a number of new developments in higher education. It was one of the first universities to begin teaching science in Sinhala and the first to restructure the traditional Arts Faculty into three faculties: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Commerce and Management. It has several depa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara or Kelaniya Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. It is located north-east of Colombo. The current chief incumbent (chief priest) is Venerable Professor Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera. The temple has often been associated with the rise and fall of Sri Lanka, with the popular saying that as the Kelaniya temple rose, Sri Lanka rose and as it fell, the country and its administration fell. It has thus had a deep association with the political powers of the country. As such, the temple is frequently visited by politicians both government and opposition. History Buddhists believe the temple to have been hallowed during the third and final visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka, eight years after gaining enlightenment. Wilhelm Geiger (Tr), ''The Mahavansa, or The Great Chronicle of Ceylon'', Oxford, OUP, 1920. Its history would thus go back to before 500 BCE. The Mahawansa records that the original Stupa at Kelaniya enshrined a gem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelaniya AS2
Kelaniya ( ) is a suburb of Colombo in the Western Province, Sri Lanka. Located from Colombo Fort, it is known for the Buddhist temple built on the banks of the Kelani River, which divides the suburb from Colombo District. The temple is also a religious centre for veneration of the figures Vibhishana and Avalokiteshvara. It is also known as the location of the University of Kelaniya. Historical and cultural significance Kelaniya (''Kalyanam'') is mentioned in Ramayana and in the Buddhist chronicle, the Mahawansa which states that the Buddha visited the place in the 5th century BC, after which the dagoba of the temple was built.Wilhelm Geiger (Tr), ''The Mahavansa, or The Great Chronicle of Ceylon'', Oxford, OUP, 1920. Sri Lankan Buddhists believe that the Buddha visited Kelaniya in order to quell a quarrel between the Nāga leaders of two warring factions: Chulodara (literally "the small-bellied one") and Mahodara (literally "the big-bellied one"). They were quarrelling ov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelani Tissa
King Kelani Tissa was a king who ruled Kelaniya of Sri Lanka. He was the eldest son of King Dhamaraja and Queen Uttara Devi of Kelaniya. His brother was Uttiya. His daughter was Viharamahadevi. According to legend, he punished an innocent monk so the gods got angry and made the ocean come inland causing a flood. To stop the flood he had to sacrifice his daughter to the ocean. He punished the monk due to his brother Uttiya. The King's Buddhism teacher was an Arahant In Buddhism, an ''Arhat'' () or ''Arahant'' (, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved '' Nirvana'' and has been liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth. The und ..., so the Arahant and his disciples were given the morning meal daily. King Kelani Tissa's brother, Uttiya, was not a very disciplined person. Uttiya had an interest in the queen. So he made advances to start an affair. Gradually, the King came to know about this, so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gampaha District
Gampaha District ( ''gampaha distrikkaya'', ''Kampakai Māvaṭṭam'') is one of the 25 Districts of Sri Lanka, districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. It is the second most populous district of Sri Lanka after Colombo District. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a Government Agent (Sri Lanka), District Secretary (previously known as a Government Agent (Sri Lanka), Government Agent) appointed by the Government of Sri Lanka, central government of Sri Lanka. The Capital city, capital of the district is the town of Gampaha. The district was carved out of the northern part of Colombo District in September 1978. Geographical Nature Gampaha District is located in the west of Sri Lanka and has an area of . It is bounded by Kurunegala District, Kurunegala and Puttalam District, Puttalam districts from north, Kegalle District from east, Colombo District from south and by the Indian Ocean from west. The borders of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Solias Mendis
Walimuni Solias Mendis (June 17, 1897 – September 1, 1975) was a renowned Sri Lankan artist primarily known for his Buddhism, Buddhist temple paintings, accomplished in a neo-classical style. A native of Mahawewa, Madampe in Sri Lanka, second of seven boys in the family, Mendis was intended by his parents to become an Ayurveda Physician, but he was drawn to art. In his early years, he worked and trained alongside his uncle Memonis Silva, himself a master painter. Once accomplished himself, he began painting murals in Buddhist temples. Later such as Rannasgalla Vihara and Maddepola Vihara.The Buddhist monks and devotees who saw magnificent style decided to call him to paint in Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, Kelani Vihara. In order to increase his skills Mendis visited India to examine the works of Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Bagh Caves and Sarnath, which inspired him to mingle the techniques of Indian Buddhist art with the traditions of Sinhalese people, Sinhalese classical art, es ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Viharamahadevi
Viharamahadevi ( Sinhala:විහාරමහාදේවි) was the mother of King Dutugamunu, Saddhatissa and the Queen consort of King Kavantissa (King of the Ruhuna Sri Lanka). Some scholars suggest that her original name was 'śavera', which possibly means goddess of the night. Life Queen Viharamahadevi was the daughter of King Kelanitissa who ruled Kelaniya. The king once punished an innocent monk by boiling him alive in a cauldron of oil. It is said that the gods, angered over this cruel deed, made the ocean rush inland and flood the land. Soothsayers said that if a princess was sacrificed to the sea, the raging waves would stop. The young princess was placed inside a beautifully decorated boat which bore the letters ''Daughter of a King'' and set adrift on the sea. It is said that as soon as she was sent off, the sea suddenly turned calm again and the water receded. However, the king was very upset, the queen was wailing and the citizens were very angry over the los ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelani River
The Kelani River () is a river in Sri Lanka. The fourth-longest river in the country, it stretches from the Sri Pada Mountain Range to Colombo. It flows through or borders the Sri Lankan districts of Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Gampaha and Colombo. The Kelani River also flows through the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, and provides 80% of its drinking water. Hydrology The Kelani River has two main tributaries in its upper reaches: the Kehelgamu Oya and the Maskeli Oya. These two contribute to hydro-electric production in Sri Lanka, housing several major reservoirs, ponds and power stations. Castlereigh Reservoir and Norton Reservoir are constructed across the Kehelgamu Oya, while Maskeliya Reservoir, Canyon Reservoir and Laxapana Reservoir are constructed across the Maskeli Oya. In its lower reaches, some more tributaries connect to the Kelani River, out of which the most famous are the We Oya at Yatiyanthota, the Gurugoda Oya at Ruwanwella, and the Seethawaka Gan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vibhishana
Vibhishana () is the younger brother of Ravana, the King of Lanka, in the ancient Indian epic ''Ramayana,'' and one of the eight Chiranjivis. Though a rakshasa himself, Vibhishana turned his back on Ravana, and defected to Rama's side, owing to his ''dharma''. After Rama defeated Ravana, the former crowned Prince Vibhishana as the King of Lanka before returning to Ayodhya (Ramayana), Ayodhya. Legend Early life and boon from Brahma Prince Vibhishana is portrayed as a pious and pure of heart in the epic. After performing a penance to invoke a boon from Brahma, he asked the deity to always set his mind on the path to righteousness, and nothing more. Pleased by his righteousness Brahma gave the boon of immortality. Vibhishana was the youngest son of the rakshasi Kaikesi and the sage Vishrava, who was himself a son of the sage Pulastya, one of the Prajapati. Vibhishana was the younger brother of the King of Lanka, Ravana, and also the sibling of Kumbakarna, Kumbhakarna. Even ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Province, Sri Lanka
The Western Province ( ''Basnāhira Paḷāta''; ''Mael Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established Provincial councils of Sri Lanka, provincial councils. Western Province is the most densely populated province in the country and is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte as well as to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center. History Parts of present-day Western Province were part of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Kotte. The province then came under Portuguese Ceylon, Portuguese, Dutch period in Ceylon, Dutch and British Ceylon, British control. In 1815 the British gained control of the entire island of Ceylon. They divided the island into three ethnic based administrative structures: Low Country Sinhalese, Kandyan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dutugamunu
Dutugamunu (, ), also known as Duṭṭhagāmaṇī Abhaya, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for first uniting the whole island of Sri Lanka by defeating and overthrowing Elara, a Tamil king from the Chola Kingdom, who had invaded the Anuradhapura kingdom in 205 BC. Dutugamunu also expanded and beautified the city of Anuradhapura and projected the power of the Rajarata kingdom across the island of Sri Lanka. Due to his significance as one of the most potent symbols of Sinhalese historical power, Dutugamunu's story is swathed in myth and legend. However, many aspects of the accounts of his life have been verified by contemporary inscriptions, and the basic account of his life is generally accepted as accurate. Etymology Dutugamunu (, ) is also known in Pali as Duṭṭhagāmaṇī Abhaya. The Mahavamsa describes how as a youth he mocked his father Kavantissa, king of Ruhuna, for refusing to wage war against the powerf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
