- Area: Sri Lanka
- Type: Attractions
- Group: Buddhism Viharaya
Hingula Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya hidden just a kilometer away from the Kandy Road and 5 km from the Mawanella in Kegalle District. To reach the temple travel 4.3 km from Mawanella junction towards Kandy and take the right turn onto Aluthnuwara Road. Take the narrow concrete laid road to the right again after 800 meters on this road. 100 meters down this road you will reach Bodhimaluwa Viharaya, another interesting temple and 500 meters down this road will bring you to the Hingula Tampita Viharaya.
The temple which had been in a dilapidated state is said to have been completely renovated by Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandyan Kingdom. Therefore this temple is also known as the Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe Viharaya.
A unique feature of this temple that a visitor could observe at this temple is the Tampita Viharaya. 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 Viharaya structure at Hingula is 20 feet long and 17 feet wide. The image chamber is 12 feet 6 inches long and 9 feet 6 inches wide. The whole structure is built on thirteen 6 feet high granite pillars. A 3 feet wide circumambulating path is built around the image house with a half-height wall at the edge. A granite stairway with a wooden balustrade leads to the temple entrance.
This structure has gone through some major renovations recently losing most of the originality. The foot of the pillars have been cemented and the wooden floor of the Tampita viharaya has been replaced with concrete. The two guard deities at the entrance have been painted blue. The paintings inside the temple too are of recent origin.
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