Samana Devala Ratnapura
Sabaragamuva
Maha Saman Devala is located in close proximity to the Ratanapura City
in Sabaragamuwa Province where about 6 km from the town. From Colombo via
Panadaura road there are about 56 miles towards South East to the Devala. If
takes the other way via Avissawella road about 67 miles towards to the same
direction. It is only about 2 ½ hours drive from Colombo to the Devala.
Recorded
History
Devala
was first built in the period of King Parakramabahu II in 13th
century (AD 1235-1270) by a minister of the King called Aryayakamadeva. Story
says that Aryayakamadeva went to Gem mining wowing to the God Saman to have a
blessed one for him. He was gifted with a huge Ruby almost about size of a Cucumber
from the Gem pit. Then he has full fill his wow making the shrine building for
the God Saman in this premises.
Thereafter
some time later in the period of King Parakramabahu VI in 1452 an ascetic
called Neelaperumal developed the Devala and gifted land adjoining to the main
shrine premises. Today the area spread over on 10 acres of land.
This
living God also believed to have one of the 4 Gods who protecting the Island
from the four sides (Satarawaram Deviyan). Other Gods are by namely God Vishnu,
God Kataragama and God Vibishana in this group of Gods.
God
Saman is well known character in the history of Sri Lanka both the Buddhist
tradition as well as the Hindu tradition.
According
to the Hindu tradition God Samna is the brother of Rama who defeated King
Ravana of Lanka during their war in Ramayanaya Legend. After won the war Rama
has appointed his brother Luxmana or Saman to take care of the region. And in the Buddhist tradition the God Saman is
the person who built the first Stupa in Mahiyagana Chetiya completely with Blue
Sapphire at a height of 7 Riyans and the circumference of 21 Riyans enshrining
the Hair Relic of Lord Buddha on his first visit to the Island for protecting
the Island from Yaksha’s inhabitant. And then again God Samna has requested
Lord Buddha to print his foot print on the summit of the mountains he lives on
Samanala Kanda on his 3rd visit to the Island followed by the
request of Naga King Maniakkitha of Keleniya region.
Location,
Tradition and the Rituals
Behind
of the shrine is famous ‘’Kalu River (Kalu Ganga)’’ and the front side is
facing to the Ratnapura and Horana National road way. The main shrine room of
the God Saman actually facing the mountain Sri Pada or the Samanala Kanda. It
is said that God Saman visiting the mountain daily to warship the Holly Foot
print of Lord Buddha at the summit of the mountain. Not only visiting but also
the God who being controlling the whole area for the betterment of all. Even
today people of the Sabaragamuwa and whole country believe that the God Saman
is the Guardian protector of Gems in Sri Lanka. Therefore any one engages in
gem mining needs the blessing of God Saman to digging their pits.
Other
related interesting story I know that the temple (PothgulVihara) located other
side of the black river (Kalu Ganga). People of the village say that this
Buddhist temple belongs to the period of King Walagamaba in 1st
century BC as he was recruited and trained his army every part of the Sri Lanka
to defeat South Indian invaders. It is a rock cave temple with huge reclining Buddha
statue. The interesting part is that water stream flowing through underneath the
rock cave temple. People of the village explain that miracles happening there
between the temple and the Saman Devala. One miracle is that ladies who are not
blessed to have babies could become able after drinking this water. And other
miracle is that if you place a flower in the water stream flowing through the
rock underneath, will appeared from the water well in the Saman Devala gardens.
It is not possible to think the connection between the two places where there
is a huge river flowing through in between these two locations.
Apart
from these unusual rituals could perform at the premises of God Saman, common
festivals and daily rituals are taking place in this Devala at ceremonial times
in the morning and evening and again weekly, monthly and then annual Perahara
Festival in the month of August. Esala (August) Perahara is the biggest
festival after the very important event of Sri Pada venerating season, every
year Sri Pada season or the climbing of mountain Sri Pada beginning on the full
moon day of the December to warship the foot print of Buddha for general
public. To start this event God Saman will takes the lead as a first visitor of
every year and then the last devotee on Full moon day of April by returning
himself to the Saman Devala. This event symbolize by taking a statue of God Samana
to the shrine room on the summit of the mountain and returning back after end
of the season. These two occasions celebrate by a different Perahara Festival
joining many thousands of devotees every year.
Other
interesting event is that anyone who wants to become a professional in the
dancing of Sabaragamuwa traditional sector must have to perform them self in
front of the Devala to get the permission to be a professional dancer after
finishing the training by professional teacher.
God
Samna is just everything for the people who believing him to get help for their
all needs and wants of day to day life. For many people he is a living God, in
some stories of people have believing that he has being rescuing many hundreds
of devotees in the thick rain forest who went lost themselves in the early days
of Sri Pada climbing. Even today people believe that he is yet come out to
speak to some devotees in a human form. No matter what you believe it is his
mighty power that you takes up to the summit of the mountain and return back
without an injury.
Style
of the of the Devala is more like a Buddhist temple but the different here is
that the Buddhist shrine room must be more newer than to the God’s Shrine, come
to a conclusion of explanation taking consider of the location of Buddha image
house and the God’s Shrine room. In general Buddha image house being central to
all other shrine rooms in temples but here the God Saman’s shrine room has been
centrally built up placing the Buddha’s image house on side of the shrine room,
giving a clue that shrine building was older than Buddhist temple here.
Probably this might be the place where the God Saman originally lived long
before the Buddhism introduced when the Rama invade the Ravana in the period of
Epic Ramayan.
Resent
History and the monuments
After
invasion of Portuguese in the Island they has been destroyed many parts of the
Devala and control the area as they wished. In the period of Seetawaka
Rajasinghe (Rajasinghe II) during the period of 1635 – 1687 AD has fought back
the Portuguese from the area and rebuilt the Devala. A sword presenting at the
Devala believed to have the one that used to defeat the Portuguese during the
war by King Rajasinghe II.
The
other unusual object at the shrine premises is the stone tree that growing up
gradually in a form of vine plants, could be seen at the main building even
today at any time when you visit the Devala.
At
the lower level of the shrine room building aside of the main entrance stair
way there is a sculpture representing Portuguese soldier killing a local
soldier on the ground. As there are many ruined pillars standing here and there
within the premises telling us the story of new formation of the building.
By: Eranga Jayasinghe
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