MATALE

Sri MuthumariAmman Kovil 

Massive Hindu Kovil is rising up to the sky in the heart of the Matale City in the Central province of Sri Lanka. Awestruck massive structure symbolizing the Heaven of Goddess Sri MuthumariAmman who is the prime God of this temple. The many different kinds sculptures has been attached to the massive building to create the heaven of the relevant Goddess.

It is believe that this temple begun in 1820s by the South Indian Tamil labours brought here for estate plantation.  The colony were setup  at the premises during the English rule  in early 19th century. According  to the history, the Beli Tree (Agbel Marmelos) inside the shrine room was the reason to made their belief on the site and dedicated to the Goddess Sri MuthumariAmman. Helpless labourers devout Hindus being venerating this Beli Tree daily in searching spiritual help. Having fulfilling their wishers may cause to chose the premises to built up this honoured shrine building for Sri MuthumariAmman.

The foundation and the structure of the temple been completed in 1852 and since then development work has being continuing with the help of devotees.

Like in many cases both Buddhist and Hindus are believing powerful Goddess being visiting this temple or daily rituals and pooja ceremonies.  In every Hindu temples there are three offering times a day where the male priests are performing the milk bathing, garlanding and food offerings from the devotees regularly.

Wishes or the requests take place in different ways such as some are braking coconuts making a serious vow to the Goddess. Some are tying up a coin with a piece of cloth to fulfil a desire with great vows. It is said that all wishers come true after you made the offer. But shouldn't be forgotten your vows to fulfil when once  become them true where this Goddess not let you free with out a punishment.

By: Eranga Jayasinghe

Ref : found the story in a Piece of magazine, not sure the name of it

Aluvihara Temple 

Situated in Matale District , is about 4 kms north of Matale City on A9 national road. From Dambulla is about 43 kms south on A9 road. Easy to identify with its Elephant wall facing to the A9 main road in front of the temple.  Cave temple located at the foot of the mountain behind the temple making the elevation higher than the vehicle parking area of the temple.

Historically very important temple for all Buddhist in the world where occurred the 5th reformation of Buddhist order in recording the Dhamma  in written documents. Before recording of Thripitaka Buddha Damma have been continued to practise by memorising generation to the next generation verbally. 

The Great King WalagamBahu (Watta Gamini Abaya) of 1st century BC has been influenced a Thera  Arahath KunthagataTissa in his second throne after 89BC.  Visionary King has organised all the need to complete this mission. There were 500 Arahath Thera leaded by the Arahath  KunthagataTissa Thera (Arahath = Enlighten ) at the Dhamma reformation & recording on Palm Leafs for future interest. Thripitaka Dhamma or three sector of teaching were recorded in separately as Vinaya Pitaka, Abidharama Pitaka and Suthra Pitaka. 

Archaeological evidence prove that temple being exist here since 3rd century BC. Some inscriptions founded on cave tops and the Yanthra Gala or the main foundation rock of the old Thupa proved its historic relation to cave monastic  of 3rd century BC.

Importantly in 5th century AD great sage Thera Buddagosha visited to the temple and lived in a cave to added Atuwa to the Thripitaka Grantha written in 1st century BC. The cave named after the Sage Buddhagosha since he used to be lived. 

After the Anurdhapura period King Parakrama Bahu Great (1153 1186) and King Nissankamalla (1187-1196) of Polonnaruwa, in the Kandyan Kingdom King Sri VijayaRajasinghe (1739 -1747) continued to renovate temple and its buildings.

After the English arrival to the country there has been a attack to the English force by the Sinhala force of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1798-1815) at the Aluvihare in 1803, this anger cause them to burn the temple by English forces. However they them selves have rebuilt the temple in 1820.

Again in 1846 there was rebellion against the British rule called Matale Karalla leaded by  the well-known hero WeeraPuranAppu with the assistance of GongaleGodaBanda, lost to the English forces at the Aluvihara temple premises and English were robed the temple library and burnt the temple again. Taken over all the lands that temple owned  for  Government control and given lands to estate planters from UK. 

Some time later in 1896 - 1934 a Kirthi Sri Saranankara Thera was living as Maha Thera  (Main priest)and was able to built up the temple again with help of village devotees.  Since then temple being developing little by little. Unfortunately there isn't much appreciation for what this temple remained to the Buddhist community for the world. Well actually not only for Buddhist devotees but also for all intelligent people of the world.  

By Eranga Jayasinghe

*Ref : some details taken by inscription at the temple site.