Buduruwagala - Sri Lanka

Rock Carving of Maithri Bodhisathva - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

Buduruwagala was one of several stops I made on my way to Arugam Bay in July. The area is known for an archeological site located in the middle of the jungle relatively close to the town. The main features of the site are the seven figures that have been carved into the side of a large rock. The rock itself is said to look like an elephant kneeling down with its trunk in its mouth. Buduruwagala loosly translates to "Stone images of the Buddha".

More photographs inside.

 Rock Carvings of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

The centre carving is a standing Buddha statue which measures 51 feet. This is the tallest standing Buddha statue in Sri Lanka and perhaps the world (since the Bamiyan statues were destroyed). The statue is complete above the waist but the bottom section is still rough. This may indicate that this statue was actually a model.

The Buddha Statue - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

The main figure in the group to the right of the Buddha statue is Avalokitesvara Bodhisatva. This figure has retained a substantial amount of its white finish and traces of orange around the head. The main statue too has traces of white robes. The centre of the crown of the Avalokitesvara statue is a figure of the Buddha in meditation. The figure to the left of the Avalokiteswara has been identified as Tara Devi and the figure to the right is said to be Prince Sudhana.

Rock Carvings of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

The centre figure on the group to the left of the Buddha statue is the Maithri Bodhisatva , the fifth Buddha for this aeon (first photograph). The details of the crown, ornaments and the robe can be clearly seen. The statues on either side of the Maithri Buddha have not been identified.

The statues at Buduruwagala - Sri Lanka

We made it to Buduruwagala at around midday and the light was terrible for photography. We had a long drive and there was no way we could have made it any earlier. Since we were driving on to Arugam Bay on the same day, we were not able to stay overnight in the area. I've converted some of these photographs to black and white images as I felt they brought out the textures a bit more.

All photograps on this post were taken with the 24-105mm lens and the Canon 7D.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Thanthirimale is a small village which lies in thick jungle approximately 40 km away from Anuradhapura. The temple in Thanthirimale is both religiously and historically significant and still attracts thousands of pilgrims during Poson. The history of Thanthirimale is said to date back to the 6th Century BC.

More photographs inside.

 Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

References to Thanthirimale can be found in the Mahavamsa in the sections that describe the Bo (Ficus religiosa) sapling being brought to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The Bo tree in the temple is said to be a sapling from the sacred Bo tree in Mahamewuna Uyana.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

There are five ancient Buddha statues, four of which are incomplete (6th image on the post), on the temple premises. The largest of these is the sleeping Buddha (photograph above) which has been carved out of the rock. Surprisingly, the proportions of the statue seemed to be incorrect as the legs look short when compared with the size of the upper body. This is the first time that I'd actually seen an ancient statue that was out of proportion.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The remains of an ancient library have been found on the premises. A number of rock huts and caves, which have most probably been used for meditation by monks for centuries, have also been discovered on the site.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

In 1909 archeological evidence was found in a cave close to the temple which suggests that a prehistoric civilization existed in this area. The evidence included fragments of cherts, a piece of crystal and drawings, which are still visible, on the walls of a cave.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

To top off the day we witnessed a stunning sunset on the drive back.

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 24-105mm lens.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The Statues at Maligawila - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The Maligawila Buddha Statue - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

Maligawila is a small village approximately 250km from Colombo. The area is sparsely populated and is covered in jungle. In 1951 the fallen remains of a 7th century giant free standing Buddha statue (said to be the tallest free standing Buddha statue in Sri Lanka) were discovered in the area. The statue was part of a larger complex which also included a large statue thought to be of the Avalokitheswara Bodhisatva and a gedi ge (A Buddhist shrine).

More images inside.

 The Maligawila Buddha Statue - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The Buddha statue is carved out of a single limestone rock and stands at a height of around 14 meters. When it was first discovered in 1951, it had fallen and was broken into pieces by a combination of the fall and treasure hunters. The first attempt of raising the statue was made in 1974 but was unsuccessful. The statue was finally raised and  restored in 1980 by a team of local engineers.

The Maligawila Buddha Statue - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The statue was said to have been built by a King named Aggabodhi who ruled the southern region of Sri Lanka in the 7th century. A stone pillar found within the complex also documents the work done by King Mahinda IV (956 - 972 AD) to uplift Buddhism and also defines the rules laid down for the administration of Buddhist sites.

Statue of the Avalokitheswara Bodhisatva - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The statue of the Avalokitheswara Bodhistva is a short distance away from the Buddha statue. It too is carved out of a single limestone rock and stands at a height of approximately 10 meters. This statue too was found broken into several pieces due to its fall and the damage done by treasure hunters. The intricate details on the face of this statue have been preserved quite well due to the fact that the head had been lying face down for  an extended period of time (possibly hundreds of years). It was successfully restored in 1990. When we visited in July this year we found a scaffolding around it and more restoration work in progress.

All images on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and the 24 - 105mm lens.