Matale - spice gardens & Tamil Muthumariamman temple
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Matale is the capital of the district of the same name, which is the the northernmost of the three districts of the Central Province. Most travelers just pass Matale on their way from Dambulla or Sigiriya to Kandy. The main attraction of the town itself is the largest Hindu Temple of central Sri Lanka, the Muthumariamman Kovil.
Many travelers take a break at a herbal and spice garden, a few kilometers north of Matale. Some also visit the historically important Aluvihara rock temple in the same area in the vicinity of the town.
Furthermore. Matale is considered the center for lacquerware in Sri Lanka, the lacquer vessels are manufactured in the surrounding villages. Sri Lanka's lacquer work differs from Japanese, for example, in that no brush is used to apply the lacquer layer.
Many travelers take a break at a herbal and spice garden, a few kilometers north of Matale. Some also visit the historically important Aluvihara rock temple in the same area in the vicinity of the town.
Furthermore. Matale is considered the center for lacquerware in Sri Lanka, the lacquer vessels are manufactured in the surrounding villages. Sri Lanka's lacquer work differs from Japanese, for example, in that no brush is used to apply the lacquer layer.
Location
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Matale is a town of around 40,000 inhabitants, it is located at around 1500 feet (470 m) altitude in the northernmost part of the hillcountry. In the north of Matale, the valley opens towards the lowlands. The center of the Cultural Triangle around Dambulla and Sigiriya is not far away, both famous places administratively belong to the Matale District.
From the south, the island's central main road A9 from Kandy, which 30 km (19 miles) away, run to Matale over a mountain pass. Matale is also the terminus of the Colombo-Kandy railway line. |
History
According to the historical chronicle Mahavamsa, Matale is believed to have been founded by a minister and uncle of the third Sinhalese king, Pandukabhaya, the founder of Anuradhapura. Matale may be derived from “Mathula,” the Pali word for “uncle.” Matale would therefore be as one of the earliest Sinhalese settlements.
But the traditional story of Pandukabhaya, the first Sinhalese king who was able to unite a large territory of the island, and his uncles, against whom he waged war, also allows for completely different historical reconstructions, namely that these are legendary, transfigured memories of rebellions initiated by locals against the new Sinhalese rule.
The British built Fort MacDowell in Matale at the beginning of the 19th century, aiming to bring the then still independent Kandy under control this colonial stronghold to the north of the Sinhalese capital.
Matale was the hometoen of Monarawila Keppetipola, one of the national heros of Sri Lanka. Under the last king of Kandy, he served as the governor (Disawe) of Matale and Uva. Keppetipola Disawe, as he is also known, was the brother of Ehelepola Kumarihamy, the wife of Ehelepola Nilame, who conspired with the British and from Ratnapura launched a rebellion against the Kandyan king. The enraged king executed his wife and children in Kandy in an extraordinarily gruesome way. This triggered the final revolt of the highland nobility against the king, they supported the British occupation and in 1815 signed the Convention of Kandy, which terminated the independent monarchie and accepted British overlordship. However, many highland noblemen were disappointed that British rule did not strengthen their role and therefore also rebelled against the British. One of the foremost leaders of this so-called Uva Wellassa rebellion, also known as the Great Rebellion, was Monarawila Keppetipola. The British crashed the rebellion with the help of some loyal highland noblemen and took revenge also against the population. Keppetipola Disawe was executed in Kandy on 25 November 1818.
The Uva Wellassa rebellion was the last uprise of the old aristocracy, whereas the Matale rebellion of 1848 was a grassroots movement of Sinhalese farmers. The insurgents besieged the fort of the British garrison in Matale, while burning tax lists in the city administration. The trigger for the uprising had been the introduction of direct taxes (or alternatively: forced labour) by the British Colonial Secretary Earl Grey, who intended to relieve the British plantation owners of indirect taxes by imposing new direct taxes on locals.
But the traditional story of Pandukabhaya, the first Sinhalese king who was able to unite a large territory of the island, and his uncles, against whom he waged war, also allows for completely different historical reconstructions, namely that these are legendary, transfigured memories of rebellions initiated by locals against the new Sinhalese rule.
The British built Fort MacDowell in Matale at the beginning of the 19th century, aiming to bring the then still independent Kandy under control this colonial stronghold to the north of the Sinhalese capital.
Matale was the hometoen of Monarawila Keppetipola, one of the national heros of Sri Lanka. Under the last king of Kandy, he served as the governor (Disawe) of Matale and Uva. Keppetipola Disawe, as he is also known, was the brother of Ehelepola Kumarihamy, the wife of Ehelepola Nilame, who conspired with the British and from Ratnapura launched a rebellion against the Kandyan king. The enraged king executed his wife and children in Kandy in an extraordinarily gruesome way. This triggered the final revolt of the highland nobility against the king, they supported the British occupation and in 1815 signed the Convention of Kandy, which terminated the independent monarchie and accepted British overlordship. However, many highland noblemen were disappointed that British rule did not strengthen their role and therefore also rebelled against the British. One of the foremost leaders of this so-called Uva Wellassa rebellion, also known as the Great Rebellion, was Monarawila Keppetipola. The British crashed the rebellion with the help of some loyal highland noblemen and took revenge also against the population. Keppetipola Disawe was executed in Kandy on 25 November 1818.
The Uva Wellassa rebellion was the last uprise of the old aristocracy, whereas the Matale rebellion of 1848 was a grassroots movement of Sinhalese farmers. The insurgents besieged the fort of the British garrison in Matale, while burning tax lists in the city administration. The trigger for the uprising had been the introduction of direct taxes (or alternatively: forced labour) by the British Colonial Secretary Earl Grey, who intended to relieve the British plantation owners of indirect taxes by imposing new direct taxes on locals.
Muthumariamman Kovil
Near a river bridge on the northern edge of the city center there is a Hindu temple worth seeing, which has the same name as modern Hindu temples in London and in Hannover, Germany. The main Hindu temple of Matale District is dedicated to the goddess Mariamman, who is very popular with Tamils.
The prefix “Muthu” literally means “pearl” and, like “Sri” (or Tamil “Tiri”), that prefix is often placed in front of the names of gods as an honorific prefix. The last part of the goddess's name “Amman” simply means mother, “Mari” means “rain”. The name reminds us that this goddess was probably originally an ancient Tamil fertility goddess. In South India she is worshiped less in urban centers than in rural villages. Most of the time, local lay priests who do not come from a Brahmin family serve at her temples. Like so many local deities, she Mari Amman integrated mythologically and iconographically into the Brahmin pantheon as an apparition of Parvati, the wife of Shiva. “Mariamman” is considered by today's Tamils to be a helper against all feverish illnesses; in particular. She was the smallpox goddess in southern India.
The Mariamman Temple of Matale was damaged during the severe anti-Tamil riots in 1983 and was then magnificently restored. It is not an art-historical treasure, but shows the typical shape of a South Indian /Dravidian) temple, namely with the gate tower called Gopuram as the highest and most striking point in the complex and with the lavish decoration of the roof area and the gates with hundreds of colorful figures, representing deities and semi-gods and other celestial beings of the Hindu pantheon. Apart from the temples of Jaffna Peninsula and Trincomalee, the Muthumariamman Kovil of Matale is probably one of the most striking Tamil temples in Sri Lanka.
The prefix “Muthu” literally means “pearl” and, like “Sri” (or Tamil “Tiri”), that prefix is often placed in front of the names of gods as an honorific prefix. The last part of the goddess's name “Amman” simply means mother, “Mari” means “rain”. The name reminds us that this goddess was probably originally an ancient Tamil fertility goddess. In South India she is worshiped less in urban centers than in rural villages. Most of the time, local lay priests who do not come from a Brahmin family serve at her temples. Like so many local deities, she Mari Amman integrated mythologically and iconographically into the Brahmin pantheon as an apparition of Parvati, the wife of Shiva. “Mariamman” is considered by today's Tamils to be a helper against all feverish illnesses; in particular. She was the smallpox goddess in southern India.
The Mariamman Temple of Matale was damaged during the severe anti-Tamil riots in 1983 and was then magnificently restored. It is not an art-historical treasure, but shows the typical shape of a South Indian /Dravidian) temple, namely with the gate tower called Gopuram as the highest and most striking point in the complex and with the lavish decoration of the roof area and the gates with hundreds of colorful figures, representing deities and semi-gods and other celestial beings of the Hindu pantheon. Apart from the temples of Jaffna Peninsula and Trincomalee, the Muthumariamman Kovil of Matale is probably one of the most striking Tamil temples in Sri Lanka.
Herbal & Spice Gardens
A few kilometers outside on the road to the north are the main attractions of Matale, namely the Aluvihara rock monastery and numerous so-called spice and herb gardens. These are no actual spice plantations, but small botanical gardens with demonstration and sales rooms similar to the spice gardens in India. You can see next to each other specimens of a wide variety of trees and shrubs that are famous for their taste or their healing properties, not only those typical of the country such as the cinnamon tree, but also others that were introduced from various tropical regions, such as the clove tree from the Moluccas. The guided spice tours, which are almost always available in various languages, focus primarily on the health-promoting effects of the herbs used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. In fact, you also learn something about the ingredients and more or less proven healing effects of plants. Many Sinhalese and Tamils continue to use the traditonal medicinal herbs for everyday health problems in order to save costs of a more expensive treatment by a university-trained doctor (“English Doctor”). A small free massage is usually offered after the spce and herbal garden tour. Above all, the tours through the garden and the demonstrations of the end products serve sales purposes. The prices in such a touristy place may be excessive, but here you have an easy way to purchase a wide variety of products and the security of knowing that you are getting exactly what you liked when you tried it.
The actual plantations, especially for rubber and cinnamon, are located far from the main road in the extensive valley and on the lower mountain slopes. Some of the spice gardens are purely tourist outposts of plantations from completely different regions of the country.
The actual plantations, especially for rubber and cinnamon, are located far from the main road in the extensive valley and on the lower mountain slopes. Some of the spice gardens are purely tourist outposts of plantations from completely different regions of the country.
