Saturday, December 11, 2010
, Posted by lanka matha at 10:39 PM
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Mirisavati Dagoba was built by King Dutugamunu (161-137 BC), “The Hero of the Nation”, following the water festival held on the seventh day of the victory of the great war that rescued the nation from the Southern Indian kingdom of Chola. Mirisavati Dagobawas the first monument built by the king following his consecration.
The location of the great stupa, according the great historical narrative, Mahawamsa, is of exceptional significance.
On the seventh day of the water festival at the Tissa rainwater reservoir, the King planted his spear, the royal standard containing a Relic of the Buddha, on the shore and laid his clothes. On his return from bath at the reservoir, the king couldn’t pull out the spear off the bank. In spite of the repeated attempts the spear couldn’t be retrieved. Having read, the miracle as an omen, on the location, enshrining the spear containing the relic of Buddha, was founded the Mirisavati Dagoba and monastery.
Having completed the construction in three years, the king donated the Vihara to the Buddhist monks. He also declared the dagoba was built in repentance of his failure to offer a portion of pepper curry in alms giving to the Buddhist monks. He had eaten it first. |
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Isurumuniya temple, built by King Devanampiyatissa, is located close to the Royl Pleasure Gardens by the side of Tisaveva (Tissa rainwater reservoir). Isurumuniya temple, built partly into a cave with a lovely pool in the front and with a boulder forming the rear wall, is a treasure-trove of exquisitely carved stone sculptures.
The rock face bordering the rear of the pond is well adorned with a couple of exquisite rock carvings. One is of a herd of elephants giving the impression of their playful antics at the pond. The sculpture has also captured the majesty of the leader elephant of the herd. The other one is of a noble horseman and his horse. The horseman’s right hand rest on his raised right knee.
Also at the temple is celebrated sculpture on a slab of granite called Isurmuniya lovers that was at the temple is now shifted to Isurumuni Archeological Museum. The lovers are identified as King Dutugamunu’s son Saliya and his no-royal consort Asokamala, the ultimate lissome women with matchless beauty. Saliya forfeited his royal titles for the sake of his lover. The stepping stone at the entrance called Sanda Kada Pahana (Sinhala: Moon stone), the guardstones at the entrance to the temple and the balustrades are exquisite carvings done in stone. |
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Thuparama dagoba, 20m in height and 60ft in diameter, one of the smallest of ancient stupas was built by King Devanampiya Tissa in the third century BC. Thuparama dagoba is believed to enshrine the collar bone relic of Buddha. By the seventh century, the stupa was renovated by King Aggabodhi the second in the 7th century.
The graceful monolithic pillars surrounding it once upheld a circular roof making the shrine a Vata Dage (Circular - Relic - house) a characteristically Sinhala architectural feature.
The roof doesn't exist today. Originally constructed in the ancient architectural tradition of "paddy - heap" shape, its present "bell" shape dates to renovation in the 1862.
To the south-east of Thuparama dagoba are the ruins of a hospital as is evident by the presence of an intact medicinal trough, an oil bath cut into a slab of stone. |
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Museums have been established by the Department of Archeology and Cultural Triangle Project.
1. Archeological Museums on the Ruwanweliseya Road.
2. Jethawana Museums - in Jetawana monastery complex
3. Fahian Tissa Museums - at the Aboyagiri monastery complex |
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