Lankapatuna Samudragiri Viharaya Explained

Building Name:Lankapatuna Samudragiri Viharaya
Native Name:ලංකාපටුන සමුද්‍රගිරි විහාරය
Religious Affiliation:Buddhism
Location:Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
District:Trincomalee
Province:Eastern province
Heritage Designation:Archaeological protected monument
Architecture Type:Buddhist Temple
Architecture:yes

Lankapatuna Samudragiri Viharaya (Sinhala; Sinhalese: ලංකාපටුන සමුද්‍රගිරි විහාරය|italic=no) is a Buddhist temple situated in the Trincomalee District, Eastern province of Sri Lanka. This temple which is situated near the ocean near the historic Port of Lankapatuna where Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamala set foot in Sri Lanka bringing the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. The ruins of the ancient Temple has been heavily damaged by the civil war and tsunami but ruins of an ancient Dageba, Korawak Gal (a type of ancient balustrades), a pond and other ruins of the ancient temple scattered around an area of 50 acres are still visible but a new Temple complex has been built near the ancient Temple's ruins.[1] [2] [3] [4]

History

Lankapatuna was an ancient port in Sri Lanka notable for being the location where the Tooth Relic of Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD. In order to the protect the relic from a losing war the Kalinga ruler, King Guhasiva sent the relic at the hands of Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamala who left India from Tamralipta and sailed to the port of Lankapatuna which was situated at a straight line from Tamralipta.[5]

The Samudragiri temple is believed to have been built near the entrance of the port for the worship of merchants and travellers.[6]

Modern History

In 1975, the Buddhist monk Sumedhamkara claimed a Hindu temple had been built near the site and complained of damage done to the Buddhist ruins.[7] Further in the late 90s and early 2000s the separatist militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) used the area as a communication center and demolished a stony rock with six epigraphs to fix a LTTE radio transmission tower, the LTTE also built a kovil at the site in 2003 and a Sea Tiger base. However, after the end of the war the military defeated the LTTE and demolished both LTTE structures and began building a new temple complex.[8]

In 2017 a new 150m long bridge across the lagoon to the temple complex was opened by President Maithripala Sirisena alongside the leader of the Tamil National Alliance R.Sampanthan.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lankapatuna Samudragiri Viharaya – Trincomalee – ලංකාපටුන සමුද්‍රගිරි විහාරය. 22 December 2013 . 26 June 2020. si.
  2. Web site: Tranquil Lanka Patuna. 26 June 2020. Sunday Observer. 29 March 2019 .
  3. Book: Amunugama, E. M. C., 1925-. The history of ancient Aryan tribes in Sri Lanka : yaksas, nagas, devas, sakyas. 1994. J.R. Jayewardene Cultural Centre. ((9559266003)). Colombo, Sri Lanka. 154. 33162312.
  4. Web site: Exceptional East. 2020-06-26. CeylonToday. en.
  5. Book: Medhānanda (Sthavira.), Ellāvala. The Sinhala Buddhist Heritage in the East and the North of Shri [i.e. Sri] Lanka]. 2005. Dayawansa Jayakody & Company. en. 955-551-461-5.
  6. Book: Handbook for the Ceylon Traveller . Studio Times . 1974 . 229 . English.
  7. Book: Kemper, Steven, 1944-. The presence of the past : chronicles, politics, and culture in Sinhala life. 1991. Cornell University Press. 0-8014-2395-3. Ithaca. 155. 23939751.
  8. Web site: Sri Lanka: Troops unearth mines, visit ancient buddhist ruins in Verugal - Sri Lanka. 2020-06-26. ReliefWeb. en.
  9. Web site: Lanka Patuna bridge declared open. 2020-06-26. www.dailymirror.lk. en.