The historical Gangaramaya is a much venerated Buddhist Temple in the heart of Colombo which is also a cultural hub and a centre of learning.
History
The Gangaramaya was originally built in the 19th century by a shipping magnate. Mudaliyar Don Bastian de Silva Jayasuriya Gonnewardene built it for the monk Matara Sri Dharmarama Thera and Gangaramaya was originally known as Padowita Gangaramaya. A 30 riyan dagoba (stupa) was built by the Mudaliyar with the help of the people along with a decorative arch and a sandakadapahana (moonstone) in the Anuradhapura style at the entrance to the temple.
Architecture
The temple includes all the main features of a Buddhist Temple like the stupa, bo tree, image house, seema malakaya (assembly hall for monks) and a relic chamber. It also has a museum, library, and vocational centre. The architecture of the Gangaramaya is an eclectic combination of Sri Lankan, Thai, Chinese and Indian architectural traditions.
Highlights
One of the unique aspects of the temple is that it has its own museum, which has a collection of many rare and invaluable artefacts, such as thrones, ancient coins, elephant tusks and many priceless statues. Gangaramaya Temple is located near many Colombo hotels such as the centrally located Cinnamon Grand Colombo and is within easy reach of prominent landmarks in the city.
The Seema Malakaya
The Seema Malakaya or Assembly Hall for Monks floats on the Beira Lake and has a serene ambience in the midst of Colombo’s bustle. When the Seema Malaka built in the 19th century slowly sank beneath the waters of the Beira renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa was commissioned to design a new one. Mr.S.H.Moosajee provided financial support. The design has been inspired by ancient forest monasteries such as those in Anuradhapura and Ritigala which have had platforms linked by wooden walkways.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+
