Imagine golden sickles hidden between boulders. This is part of the legend of Edanduwawa Rajamaha Viharaya. Are you ready to uncover more about this sacred place?
Edanduwawa Rajamaha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple in Kandy. It holds historical and cultural importance. The temple’s story is quite unique.
Local folklore tells of a farmer who found golden sickles. He discovered them in a gap between two large boulders near his village. He used one to harvest his crops. Each evening, he returned the sickle. This went on every morning. He always brought it back at the end of the day.
One day, the farmer took two sickles. He only returned one in the evening. The treasure’s guardian appeared. It demanded the missing sickle back. The terrified farmer ran back. He found the sickle and placed it in the gap. The guardian sealed the opening. It fused the boulders together.
The villagers learned about this event. They told King Kirti Sri Rajasinha. He instructed them to clear the cave. He ordered them to erect a temple there. Thus, Edanduwawa Rajamaha Viharaya was born.
The temple is hollowed out of a large rock. It rises 12.3 meters high. This rock shelters the shrine room and entrance chamber. The temple has a drumming hall. It also has an image house. These are located outside the rock outcrop. They feature wooden roofs. The main shrine room is cut into the rock.
The drumming hall connects directly to the temple. This is unusual. Most similar temples have a separate pavilion.
The image house has old wooden doors. A carved wooden Makara Torana sits above the doors. The antechamber displays a moonstone. Paintings show scenes from Jātaka tales. These stories tell of the Buddha’s previous lives.
The doors to the main shrine have metal fittings. Jewels once studded them. The principal image is a large reclining Buddha. The opposite wall shows scenes from Buddha’s past lives. It also features pictures of stupas. These stupas are from Sri Lanka’s main pilgrimage sites.
Four artists painted the Edanduwawa Rajamaha Viharaya murals. Nilagama Patabanda was the chief layman. Devaragampola Silvatänna was an unordained monk. He also painted murals at Ridi Viharaya. Kosvatte Hiriyale Naide and Devendra Mulachari were also artists. The finest painting is on the ceiling. It is called ‘Mara Yudde’. This depicts Buddha’s spiritual battle against Māra. Māra is the demon of death.
The murals are unique. People, trees, and animals are the same size. Only the front view of people is shown. Trees are stylized. Their branches spread to each side. The artists sourced colors from nearby tree bark.
Edanduwawa Rajamaha Viharaya stands as a testament to faith. It also shows artistic skill. It protects the legend of golden sickles. Its history connects to the very earth it stands on. As you leave this sacred space consider the treasures. They are not just of gold. They are also of spirit and art.