Pidurangala Vihara () is an ancient
Buddhist temple
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhism, Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat, khurul and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in B ...
situated in
Pidurangala village of
Matale District
Matale District (, ) is a district in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is one of 25 districts of Sri Lanka. The administrative capital and largest city of the district is Matale.
The district is considered to be the centremost region of ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
. The temple was constructed on a massive rock called Pidurangala, which is located a few kilometers north of the historical fort
Sigiriya
Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (''Lion Rock'' , , pronounced SEE-gi-ri-yə) is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is a site of historical and archaeologic ...
.
Etymology
It is said that the name was derived from the
Sinhala words . In English language it means "offered piles of gold".
History
It is believed that the history of Pidurangala Vihara goes back beyond to the first and second century BC.
From those days Pidurangala was used as a Buddhist monastery but became a prominent place during the reign of
King Kashyapa (473–495 AC).
According to ancient chronicles, Prince Kashyapa had killed his father
King Dhatusena and fled to Sigiriya to find out a more secure place to prevent retaliation attacks from his half-brother,
Mugalan. With the arrival of King Kashyapa, the Bhikkus who were meditated there were requested move to the nearby Pidurangala.
In a sort of compensation, King Kashyapa refurbished the temple and made it a prominent place.
The temple
The temple was said to be , consisting of five main ritual buildings. Among the buildings are Ancient
Stupa
In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
, Chapter House, Image House, Bodhighara, Preaching hall, Sangharama (Bikku Residence Building) and inscriptions with
drip-ledged caves can be seen.
See also
*
List of Archaeological Protected Monuments in Matale District
References
External links
* {{Commons category-inline, Pidurangala temple
Buddhist temples in Matale District
Archaeological protected monuments in Matale District