Gonagiri Raja Maha Viharaya - temple near Kahatagasdigiliya

For those travelers who can't get enough of Sri Lanka's Buddhist culture, Gonagira Raja Maha Viharaya is a good place to break a journey from Anuradhapura or Mihintale to Trincomalee or Nilaveli Beach. It's a rock with a typical ancient cave temple. However, what attracts Sri Lankan visitors most, is the group of dozens of statues of monks with their alms bowls lining up in winding row to the top of the rock. The red robs contrast with the dark granite of the rock surface. After the line of 500 Arahat statues was introduced at Nellikulama temple near Anuradhapur in the early 2000s, several more temples in Sri Lanka set up similar rows of monk statues. Among these, Gonagiri is one of the most picturesque for sure, as the line forms an "S"-snake with rows of statues on three different levels.

Location

Gonagiri Raja Maha Viharaya, a protected archaeological site, is located only 2 km (1.3 miles) to the west of Kahatagasdigiliya and 19 km (12 miles) to the east of Mihintale and 32 km (20 miles) east of Anuradhapura. Road distance to Trincomalee on the notheast coast is 72 km (45 miles). Administrationally, Gonagiri belongs to Kahatagasdigiliya Divisional Secretariat of the Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka's North-Central Province.

History

A first temple at  Gonagiri is believed to have been fonded during the reign of King Suratissa, who reigned 10 years in the second half of the 3rd century BC. (The wikipedia dates of his rule given as 247-237 BC are not certain.) Suratissa was the younger son of Pandukabhaya and an uncle of a famous predecessor, Devanampiya Tissa, under whom Buddhism was introduced as the official religion of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. The Mahavamsa chapter 21 records that King Suratissa built a temple named Gonnagirika Viharaya in the eastern quarter of the city. However, this might refer to a dfferent temple, as today's Gonagiri is not locates within a quarter of the ancient town of Anuradhapura. No less than King Dutugemunu (Duttha Gamini) is credited with having renovated the monastery, after it had fallen into decay under the rule of the first known South Indian invader, Sena and Gutika, who had killed King Suratissa.

Like in the case of many other ancient rock temples in Sri Lanka, the caves of Gonagiri were developed into Pilimages for the veneration of Buddha statues during the period of Buddhist revival under King Kirthi Sri Raja Sinha of Kandy in the mid 18th century.

What to see at Gonagiri

The temple of Gonagiri spreads over a relatively vast area of about 10 ha. It's dominated by a huge rock boulder directly at the A12 main road. The line of monk statues is placed at the northern slope facing the highway. The boulder is crowned by a restored white stupa.  

There is a popular belief amongst the locals that this rock boulder fell like a meteorit from the sky, killing two samburs on the spot. But a an outline of Sambur can ever since be seen on the surface at the top of Gonagiri rock.

The boulder contains several natural ponds that must have been used by monks in ancient times. The ancient caves are at the southern flank of the huge boulder, one has an entrance with a Makara Torana made of lime plaster, which was constructed under King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha. This design is typical of the Kandyan period, when numerous caves were refurbished as image houses. However, there can be no doubt, that these caves served as abodes of reclusive monks already Anuradhapura period. This can be seen from the existence of drip ledges and ancient inscriptions in the area of Gonagiri, although they are too weathered to be readable. In the shrine room there were four Buddha statues, which have fallen into decay. Only remnants of a reclining Buddha are slightly recognizable. The interior of the cave was also decorated with murals, but they have faded.

The buildings and he Bo-tree of the modern monastery are to the south of the boulder. The southern boundary of the monastic compound is marked by a pond.