Arambegama Sri Sudassanarama Purana Tampita Viharaya

Arambegama Sri Sudassanarama Purana Viharaya is a temple lying in Arambegama belonging to Pitiyegama Grama Niladhari Division in Rambukkana. To reach the temple, take the road towards Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage from Kandy Road. Travel for 3.5 km until you reach Hiriwadunna junction (before the orphanage) and take the left turn towards Naranbedda. Travel on this road for 1.2 km and take the Nilwakka road to the left. The temple lies about 2 km from this junction.

The significance of this temple is the Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a number of stone stumps usually 3-4 feet tall. The roof is held by a structure built of timber and the walls are generally made of wattle and daub. The walls inside the chamber are more or less always covered in paintings drawn mainly in Kandyan style.

The Tampita Viharaya at the Sri Sudassanarama Purana Viharaya is built on 12 cross beams laid on 18 granite pillar A stumps. A verandah has been built around the image house protected by a balustrade except at the front. A wooden staircase is built to reach the Tampita platform which directly leads to the front chamber of the image house. Both the inner and outer walls of the image house are covered in murals.

This Tampita Viharaya has been declared a protected archaeological monument by the gazette dated 22 November 2002.

Faiza Latif

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