- Area: Sri Lanka
- Type: Attractions
- Group: 3rd Century BC Buddhism Viharaya
Ahungalla Galvehera Maluwa Temple is a recently renovated abandoned temple in the Galviharaya Area of Ahungalla. After hundreds of years of neglect, the residents have cleared the area and re-established the temple.
When King Mahanaga was ruling the Ruhuna region around the 3rd century BC, the Maduganga has been called Weliganga ( Sandy River) and the area where the river falls to sea has been called Welithota. Bodhiwansa and a number of other ancient texts state that King Gotabhaya, the third Ruhuna Ruler after King Mahanaga, built a temple at Welithota near the Weliganga called Waluka Thitta Viharaya which is believed to be this temple. This temple has also been called Embalawa Rahath Gal Vehera.
During the reign of King Parakrambahu II (13th century) of the Dambadeniya Kingdom ( 1220–1354), Ruhuna was under the control of a powerful minister called Devapathiraja. It is said that he built a granite stupa at this temple and this area was called Galvehera due to this reason.
Almost after 50 years of appeals to the Archeological Department to carry out a methodical study of these ruins, a Buddhist donor has taken up the matter and developed the temple from his private funds. He has also diverted his private funds toward the archeology department in order the carry out a proper archeological study of this temple.
It is said that a large number of pillars, blocks of rock, toilet covers, and foundations, all made or carved out of stone litter the private properties surrounding the temple which are probably remains of Buddhist buildings of a large temple complex in the ancient past.
The highlight of this temple complex is the recently discovered ancient Bodhigara ( Bo-Tree house) made out of granite which has been restored to some level. This Bo Tree House has been built with openings on 3 sides for worshiping.
It is believed this Bodhigara goes back to the days of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC) where he is said to plant the last of the 32 samplings (Dethispala Bodhi) from the Sri Maha Bodhi in this area.
The excavations have also discovered a 300-year-old temple, parts of an ancient limestone Buddha statue, ancient coins, nails, etc. The marker in the Google map below indicates the presumed location of the temple in the Galvehera area.
Map
