Kandyan shrines - image houses from the early modern period
Vishnu Devale of Dodanwela
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The eigtheenth century saw a rivival of Buddhist institutions in the then kingdom of Kandy, which controlled the highlands politically and even larger inland areas culturally. Part of the efforts to reestablish and strengthen the Buddhist monastic order was the restoration of numerous ancient cave temples such as Dambulla in the north and Mulkirigala in the south. Apart from renovated cave shrines, also new constructions were carried out at sacred places, with a much larger proportion of wooden architecture than in previous periods. By and large, stupas containing relics and halls for the congregational ceremonies and image houses for the needs of lay visitors' practices of worship were the main buildings of the Kandyan monastic architecture, besides the living quarters of the monks. Almost every Buddhist temple has a Bo-tree, too, the watering of which is another religious practice of lay people, particularly on Poya days. This ensemble of buildings is found in colonial and modern Buddhist temples, too. The kinds of constructions and the designs of the decorations of newly built temples follow the Kandyan style ever since.
A specific type of mostly wooden image houses (temples enshrining Buddha sctlptures) and libraries (safekeeping sacred texts in sheaves of palm leaf manuscripts)is the Tampita Vihara, a temple on stilts to protect it from moisture and rats and insects. This makes sense in the wet climate of the hillcountry in particular. But surprisingly, the largest number of Tampita temples is found in Kurunegala District, in a comparatively drier region.
A specific type of mostly wooden image houses (temples enshrining Buddha sctlptures) and libraries (safekeeping sacred texts in sheaves of palm leaf manuscripts)is the Tampita Vihara, a temple on stilts to protect it from moisture and rats and insects. This makes sense in the wet climate of the hillcountry in particular. But surprisingly, the largest number of Tampita temples is found in Kurunegala District, in a comparatively drier region.
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