- Area: Sri Lanka
- Type: Attractions
- Group: Buddhism Viharaya
Madiliya Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya (temple on pillars) hidden away in the middle of picturesque paddy fields between Aranayake and Hemmathagama in Rambukkana.
One of the unique features a visitor could observe today at this temple is the Tampita Vihara Ge. Tampita Vihara was a popular architectural feature of temples during the Kandyan era. The temple is built on top of granite stumps with a wooden platform laid across the stumps.
The Tampita temple has been built on 2½ feet high 20 pillar stumps. Eight 9 inches x 9 inches wooden beams have been laid on the pillars and 4-inch thick wooden planks have been laid on the beams to build the temple. It is 20 feet in length and 12 feet in width. The inner image house is 12×7 feet in size. The walls are built using clay on a lattice structure and the roof is tiled with flat clay tiles, popular during Kandyan era buildings.
The main seated Buddha statue typical of Kandyan design is 3½ feet high and 2½ feet wide. The statue is seated in the middle of an elaborate dragon’s arch. There has been 2 standing Buddha statues on the two side walls but unfortunately, these two statues have been stolen by treasure hunters and only the edge marks can be seen where the statues had been.
The inner walls of the Tampita Viharaya are decorated with lotus flowers and other floral designs as well as creatures such as sarapendiya. Among the paintings is a painting of the God Vishwakarma, the God of Architecture.
The archeology department has cleaned and removed the soot collected over the years and the old images have gotten a new life. The roof of the temple is said to be dilapidated with water seeping from places.
The Tampita Viharaya is connected to a Mandapa (porch) in the front. This is 15×15 feet in size. The roof of the building is tiled with Sinhala Ulu (semi–cylindrical clay tiles) and possibly a later addition.
The buildings of the temple exhibit features belonging to the late Kandyan period. Two massive Na trees and a Bo tree stand as proof of the antiquity of the temple. In addition to the Tampita Viharaya an old Devale dedicated to the Kataragama deity can be found at this temple. An amblama belonging to the same era can be seen opposite this temple. This ambalama has been marked as Hemmathagama Madiliya Ambalama in the List of Ambalam in Sri Lanka.
To reach the temple take to the road towards Hemmathagama from Mawanella. From Hemanthagama, take the road toward Horewala. The temple lies 2.4 km down this road.
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