{"id":79321,"date":"2021-12-01T08:03:50","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T08:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=79321"},"modified":"2021-12-04T03:44:49","modified_gmt":"2021-12-04T03:44:49","slug":"muhudu-maha-viharaya-steeped-in-history-and-legend-by-arundathie-abeysinghe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/muhudu-maha-viharaya-steeped-in-history-and-legend-by-arundathie-abeysinghe\/","title":{"rendered":"Muhudu Maha Viharaya – steeped in history and legend By Arundathie Abeysinghe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Muhudu Maha Viharaya – steeped in history and legend<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

By Arundathie Abeysinghe<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Muhudu<\/p>\n

\"\"Muhudu Maha Viharaya or the \u2018Temple by the Sea\u2019 is steeped in history and legend. Situated in *Pottuvil in *Ampara District, King Kawantissa (205-161 BC) who ruled the Kingdom of *Ruhuna had constructed this temple. The Temple is also an archaeologically significant heritage monument. There is a statue of the Buddha and two dolomite marble statues believed to be those of royalty facing the Buddha Statue in the temple premises. According to some scholars, the two statues facing the Buddha Statue are two attending *Bodhisattva Statues.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to some scholars, the royal figures depicted in worshiping position are those of King Kawantissa and his Queen ViharaMahadevi.<\/span><\/p>\n

The temple is located on the sand dunes of Pottuvil and the serene white stupa of the Temple can be seen from *Arugam Bay beach.<\/span><\/p>\n

Among the ruins at the Temple Complex, there are ancient stupas<\/em> (dagobas<\/em>), a Seema Malaka<\/em> (Chapter House) and an Awasa Geya<\/em> (monastic residence).<\/span><\/p>\n

According to chronicles, the location of the Temple is where *Princess Vihara Maha Devi, the daughter of King Kelanitissa of *Maya Rata had disembarked. According to legends, King Kelanitissa had committed a great sin by punishing an innocent virtuous Buddhist Monk and the gods had created strong waves inland to destroy the country (Sri Lanka). To save the country from raging waves of the Indian Ocean (from the wrath of antagonized gods), Princess Viharamahadevi, the legendary heroine had volunteered to sacrifice her life to the sea by drifting on a boat. The boat the princess traveled had swept ashore safely at a location in close proximity to *Magul Maha Viharaya in Pottuvil.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scholars are of the view that King Kawantissa had constructed this temple in the 2nd century BC to commemorate the arrival of Princess Viharamahadevi.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Muhudu<\/p>\n

According to legends, the arrival of Princess Viharamahadevi\u2019s arrival was initially spotted at a village near Pottuvil, yet when King Kawantissa arrived at the spot, the craft carrying the Princess had drifted to the ocean and the disappointed king had questioned the villagers \u201cKo Kumari?\u201d (meaning where is the princess?) which eventually became ‘Komari’, the name of the village. Later, the boat in which the princess sailed had embarked at Arugam Bay and the villagers had informed King Kawantissa that the princess had landed at \u201cAra Gama\u201d which later became \u201cArugam\u201d’.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a controversy between Muhudu Maha Viharaya and Kirinda Raja Maha Viharaya, the location where Princess Viharamahadevi disembarked. Yet, according to records of *Rajavaliya, the Princess had disembarked in Pottuvil, the location of Muhudu Maha Viharaya.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Muhudu<\/p>\n