Table of Contents
Who built Kataragama temple?
The ancient Kiri Vehera Buddhist stupa, which is believed to be built by the regional king Mahasena in the 6th century BC is also a major attraction in Kataragama area. The town has a venerable history dating back to the last centuries BCE.
Why is Kataragama famous?
This small town is famous for Kataragama temple. Kataragama temple in Sri Lanka has a shrine of Skanda Kumara, also commonly known as Kataragama Deviyo. Another major attraction of Kataragama is the Buddhist stupa Kiri Vehera, which was built around 6th BC. This is believed to be built by a regional king Mahasena.
Which district Kataragama belongs to?
Monaragala District
Kataragama is located in the Monaragala District of Uva province, Sri Lanka.
What is inside Kataragama temple?
The most important one is known as Maha Devale or Maha Kovil and is dedicated to Skanda-Murugan known amongst the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo. It does not have a statute of the deity; instead it holds a Yantra, a spiritual drawing of the deity’s power.
What are the other names for Polonnaruwa?
Poḷonnaruwa, (Sinhala: පොළොන්නරුව, romanized: Poḷonnaruva; Tamil: பொலன்னறுவை, romanized: Polaṉṉaṟuvai) also referred as Pulathisipura, and known as Vijayarajapura in ancient times is the main town of Polonnaruwa District in North Central Province, Sri Lanka.
Who is the 1st king of Polonnaruwa kingdom?
King Vijayabahu
At the time, Polonnaruwa was named Jana Natha Puram as per the Cholas’ naming conventions. So, King Vijayabahu renamed it as “Vijayarajapura” and chose it as his capital city. Finally, he ruled the country for nearly 40 years, and he is still respected as the first king of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom.
Who is King Manavamma?
Manavamma was King of Anuradhapura from 684 to 718. He succeeded Unhanagara Hatthadatha as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his son Aggabodhi V.
Who is the last king of Anuradhapura?
Mahinda V of Anuradhapura
Mahinda V was King of Anuradhapura in the 11th century. He was the last of the Anuradhapura Kingdom as well as from the House of Lambakanna II. In 993, he fled to Ruhuna, the southern part of the country, when a Chola invasion led by Rajaraja Chola I captured Anuradhapura.
What are the traditional Tamil Hindu rituals at Kataragama?
Typical Tamil Hindu rituals at Kataragama such as fire walking, Kavadi dance and body piercing have been taken over by the Buddhists and have been spread to the rest of the island.
Why do Buddhists protest at Kataragama?
Protests occurred upon this development in the 1940s, particularly when restrictions were placed on Tamil worship at the shrine. Typical Tamil Hindu rituals at Kataragama such as fire walking, Kavadi dance and body piercing have been taken over by the Buddhists and have been spread to the rest of the island.
Did Dutugamunu worship Skanda-Kumara?
Another Sinhala legends attests that Kataragama deviyo was the deity worshiped by Dutugamunu in the 1st century BCE, before his war with Ellalan, and that Dutugamunu had the shrine erected to Skanda-Kumara at Kataragama after his victory. This legend has no corroboration in the Mahavamsa, the historic annals about Dutugamunu.