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Badulla Kataragama Devalaya is an ancient
The exact date of the devalaya's construction is not known, but it is believed that it was built in the 17th century, under the patronage of King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1592–1604) who ruled the
PuraVaruna-Badulla Kataragama Devalaya
Archaeological protected monuments in Badulla District Tourist attractions in Badulla District Buildings and structures in Badulla
devalaya
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
, situated in Badulla
Badulla ( si, බදුල්ල, ta, பதுளை) is the capital and the largest city of Uva Province situated in the lower central hills of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Uva Province and the Badulla District.
Geography
Badulla is ...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. It is a devalaya that is dedicated to the Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
deity Kataragama deviyo
Kataragama deviyo (also called: Skanda Kumara, Kartikeya, si, කතරගම දෙවියෝ) is a guardian deity of Sri Lanka. A popular deity who is considered to be very powerful, shrines dedicated to Kataragama deviyo are found in many p ...
, whose main and major shine is situated at south part of the island at Kataragama. The devalaya has been formally recognised by the government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
as an archaeological protected monument. The designation was declared on 23 March 1952 under the government Gazette
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
number 10395.
History
The exact date of the devalaya's construction is not known, but it is believed that it was built in the 17th century, under the patronage of King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1592–1604) who ruled the Kingdom of Kandy
The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the Sri Lanka, island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century.
Initially a client kingdom ...
.
Badulla, where the Devalaya is situated, was a sub-kingdom of the Kandyan kingdom. At the end of August 1630 the Badulla territory was invaded by the Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
, under the leadership of General Constantino de Sa. According to the reports they ransacked and looted the entire city and had destroyed thousand of rice stalks and all the cattle that they could find in the countryside. It is reported that the original buildings of devalaya were also destroyed by the Portuguese army. Soon after the devastation, the devalaya was restored and re-endowed by King Rajasinghe II (1635-1687).
Legends
According to one local legend, related to the devalaya, a minor king, Kumarasinghe, battled a large army of Portuguese, who had tried to invade Badulla. The battle occurred at a paddy field called Randeniwala, where Kumarasinghe conquered the foreign army. After the victory against the Portuguese, the local people called it the '' Battle of Randeniwela''.The Temple
The devalaya consists of a Pilimageya (Shrine room), kitchen, Sinhasanaya (Chamber of Throne) and the abode of priest. The roof of the devalaya is supported on carved timber columns and the outside of the walls are adorned with Kandyan era paintings. The Sinhasanaya which was used by kings to watch the processions, is situated at the front of the devalaya. The wood carvings of the Sinhasanaya are reported to be similar to the carvings at Embekka Devalaya.See also
* Kataragama templeReferences
{{ReflistExternal links
PuraVaruna-Badulla Kataragama Devalaya
Archaeological protected monuments in Badulla District Tourist attractions in Badulla District Buildings and structures in Badulla