Hidden amidst the Kumana National Park
and few miles away from the Kudumbigala monastery are the remains of an ancient monastery lost
to the time and the jungle.
Ruins scattered
over nearly 60 acres of jungle speaks volumes of its glory days but nothing
moves a devotee other than the 36 feet reclining Buddha statue of Bambaragasthalawa. Built inside a
cave, which had protected it from the hardships of nature, the giant statue made out
of a mixture of clay and lime had succumbed to the malice of humans, who have
dig in its head, feet and mid sections in search of treasure. Today piles of
stone, clay and lime dust lay in front of this reclining
Buddha witness to a countrywide plunder of a
nation’s history and treasure.
The drip ledge cave, which house the
statue of Buddha and
Buddha statue itself is believed to have been built between fourth and eighth
century yet the history of the monastery starts in the regime of King Gotabhaya
who ruled the country in the years of 249-262 A.D. Prominent Archaeologist C.W.Nicholas believes the monastery to
be the famed Nagapabbatha monastery of the Southern Kingdom built by King Gotabhaya. This
assumption is backed by a stone inscription found at the 200 feet long drip
ledged cave found in the monastery. The cave with partitioned interiors and
plastered walls carries the inscription, which states that it is named ‘nagapawatha
senasana ‘ and was built by a
donor called ‘Mithra’. The cave is situated on the edge
of a rock precipice, affording a spectacular view around and is believed to be
the first cave constructed in this monastery. According to the ancient
dhamma cannon ‘Rasavahini’ the
cave had been donated to Thissa Maha Naga Thera and had gradually grown into a
monastery of grander scale by eighth century.
Almost all the caves found in
the vicinity had been drip ledged, partitioned and decorated into abodes of
meditating monks, Some caves running around the rock cliffs and as large
as 260 square feet. Walls in the large caves depict brick work decorated
with swans while some carpentry work still remains after nearly 1000 years.
Worshipping halls, preaching halls, alms halls and toilet and bath facilities had been built in rock and bricks and decorated in subtle brick and masonry work and still remain in ruins amidst the monastery grounds, which now does not even have a direct road reachable by feet. Nearly ten stupa had been built on the rock cliffs facing the South-eastern beaches in the fourth century and would have been the white beacons beckoning seafarers of a country, whose land is filled with saffron robed monks and people who follows an age old Dhamma. Yet they lay ruins today, playgrounds to the leopards and bear who haunt a monastery once known as Nagapawatha monastery of the East.
Worshipping halls, preaching halls, alms halls and toilet and bath facilities had been built in rock and bricks and decorated in subtle brick and masonry work and still remain in ruins amidst the monastery grounds, which now does not even have a direct road reachable by feet. Nearly ten stupa had been built on the rock cliffs facing the South-eastern beaches in the fourth century and would have been the white beacons beckoning seafarers of a country, whose land is filled with saffron robed monks and people who follows an age old Dhamma. Yet they lay ruins today, playgrounds to the leopards and bear who haunt a monastery once known as Nagapawatha monastery of the East.
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