Visit to Devinuwara Raja Maha Temple with high historical value.

Hi my loving Hivers,

How are you friends? I hope everything are OK for you. Last Sunday, we went to a temple that is a heritage of Buddhist culture with more historical value, and took the opportunity to worship and see the surroundings. This is called Devinuwara Raja Maha Temple and is located in the center of Devinuwara city. This was found after traveling about three kilometers from Matara on the Tangalle road. If you enter through the main gate, you can enter the temple by passing the Utpalavanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya. Or you can enter from the back entrance and reach the temple grounds directly.

Generally Buddhists in Sri Lanka travel to temples more on Poya days. But on Sunday, which was an ordinary day, there was a considerable crowd at the Devinuwara temple.

We traveled from Galle city to Matara city along the coastal road and then to Devinuwara city along Parana Tangalla road. Matara - Tangalle new road can also be used to reach Devinuwara. We turned right from Devinuwara Clock Tower and entered through the back entrance through the circular road. Although Devinuwara is not a big city, it is a city with shops to fulfill all needs. Major state and commercial banks are established to provide your banking facilities. The water supply board that supplies water around Matara is established on the circular road.

As I mentioned earlier, Utpalavanna Sri Vishnu Temple is just visible on the circular road. It is slightly overshadowed by the nearby outlets.

A large tree provides shade right next to the back entrance, so there is some coolness. Buddhist carvings continue throughout the small wall. Small market stalls have also been built by the villagers to sell flowers (lotus, lily, etc.), oil and incense sticks used by Buddhists to worship Buddha, Bodhi and Dagaba.

We entered the temple grounds after buying some lilies, incense sticks and oil from a village woman. My daughter is very fond of going to temples. But she prefers to go to different temples. There she likes to worship the Buddha and run freely in the temple grounds.

According to the history of our country, stone quarries were used during the times of past kings. Seeing many stone quarries all over the Devinuwara temple grounds is a clear proof that it was a creation made during the past kings. At that time, there was a strong technique of cutting large stones and carving various Buddhist symbols.

There is a big Bodhi tree in this old temple. According to the size of the tree and the spread of its branches, it can be said that it is an old tree. Buddhists show great respect to Bo trees because it is a tree that helped Buddha to attain enlightenment. Therefore, a gold-colored or gold-plated fence is built around each Bo tree. Devinuwara Temple is also addressed as Parama Vichitrarama Raja Maha Viharaya.

When entering any temple, as Buddhists, we take off all our shoes to enter as a matter of respect. Accordingly, all the people who entered the great temple walked barefoot on the temple floor. Designs of elephants were carved on the small wall outside the temple. Elephants are associated with Buddhist history and are carved for Buddhism protection.

While walking on the temple grounds, two cement carvings and wood carvings for air windows were seen in the same building. Wood carving belongs to Buddhist tradition.

A Dhamma school has been established in this ancient temple to provide Dhamma education to children. An old building has been used for that. Nowadays, there is a risk of children going astray, so running such Dhamma schools is a reason to develop their virtues. It is essential for the present as well as for the future.

The Parama Vichitrarama Raja Maha Viharaya, built by the second Dappula (AD 660 - 665) king, is an ancient Buddhist shrine located on the Devinuwara Puja site. In ancient times, the Bhumi Maha Vihara was known as Kihirali Vehera, etc. It is revealed by Parevi, Kokila, etc. A bubbulakara dagaba was built in this temple by King Dappula II. There are treasured relics of the omniscient. Due to the Portuguese invasion in 1587, Devinuwara Parama Vichitrarama Vihara was greatly destroyed. It was revived by the Dharmarakshita prelates of Attuda under the guidance of Welivita Sangharaja Mahaimi. In 1818, it was given to him as a privilege of the Queen of Great Britain.

Source

Devinuwara Parana Temple and Utpalavanna Sri Vishnu Temple are connected to each other. Accordingly, a special pooja was carried from the temple to the temple with traditional drums beating on a blue cloth. It is a unique Buddhist ritual.

The provision of toilet facilities is a great relief to the devotees visiting the temple. Special thanks must be given to the Donor Council of the temple because devotees come from far and wide.

A hall was recently built here to accommodate the monks. Although built in a modern way, Buddhist architectural features have been used.

The lion, elephant and dragon are animals that have a special place in Buddhism. Also, the snake, which was not here, is a special reptile. They have been carved on the walls with the thought that they will stay in the future to protect Buddhism. Lotus flower carvings are also common.

Various ornamental plants are planted on the temple grounds. With their leaves, the temple ground itself has taken on a shining character.

A separate temple has also been built for Goddess Lakshmi in Devinuwara temple garden. Devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi as she is the ruler of wealth. The Buddhist symbols of this temple can be seen in the entrances, beams, doors and windows.

Symbols of prosperity are depicted in wood carvings on the main door and air windows of the other temple building.

A setting reflecting the soles of our religious leader Buddha's feet was covered in glass. Various symbols are engraved in it. It shows all the energies that were in the Buddha.

This is the main entrance to Devinuwara temple. These two concrete beams have shown some lotus flower marks. One has to enter the temple through a flight of steps made of stone.

After entering the Devinuwara temple, you can see a recently built standing Buddha statue. I heard a villager mention that it was more than sixty feet tall. The Buddha image is painted in green. It looks like it was built recently.

Dagoba was built in the upper floor of the temple. However, we could not go near Dagaba because there was a large crowd there.

---

Elephant dances can also be seen in the month of July as a perahera is held annually at Devinuwara Temple. An elephant used for the ceremony was bathing in a small pond. Indeed, this travel experience was unique because it was possible to gain knowledge about history.

D.Tube

3speak

YouTube

Twitter

Source