Across the paddy fields, a soft cool breeze blows through the leaves of the massive Bo tree. The shade and the soothing swishing sounds of Bo leaves keep me mesmerized. I close my eyes to take in the serenity that pervades my being. I am at the Dematamal Viharaya, on the Buttala-Okkampitiya road at the Helagama village in Moneragala.
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| Dematamal Viharaya and inset the huge Yudaganawa Chaitya |
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| The picture sque wewa. |
The temple precinct has many white Frangipanni trees laden with blossoms. Heaps of fallen araliya had been freshly swept into piles giving out a glorious fragrance.
This is a chaitya of historical significance, set amidst lush green paddy fields. It is supposed to be the place where Prince Saddatissa took refuge, when he fled after losing a battle for the throne with his brother Dutugemunu. The Queen Mother, Vihara Maha Devi, saddened by the animosity between her two sons pleaded with them to make amends. The Maha Sangha also intervened to make peace between them.
The result being that the two brothers made peace with each other and to mark this a colossal stupa was erected on the battlefield where they had fought. The battlefield is known in Sinhala as - “Yudaganawa”. Thus the massive stupa was named the “Yudaganawa Chaitya”. Some historians believe that an already existing chaitya was reconstructed and named Yudagana Chaitya.
The chaitya is so huge that it was difficult to frame it in the camera lens. Some believe that it is bigger than the circumference of the base of Abhayagiriya Chaitya. Abhayagiriya is considered the largest ancient stupa in Sri Lanka.
In some his earlier writings, eminent archaeologist, Dr. Senarath Paranavitana says that Yudaganawa chaitya was first built by King Parakramabahu the Great in memory of his mother Queen Ratnavali who was cremated here. Dr. Paranavitana expounds the theory that Yudaganawa Chaitya, which looks unfinished is, in fact, complete. He says that in the era that this Chaitya was built, a few other stupas were also built in the same style. The others were the Damila thupa at Polonnaruwa and the Sutighara Chaitya at Dadigama.
“It is difficult to believe that three stupas at three different places in the island were left unfinished precisely at the same stage of the architectural design and given a semblance of being completed in precisely the same manner. It is likely that these monuments represent a special type of stupa of which the drum was a conventionalized lotus of the type represented in circular pedestals, with one row of petals turned upwards and the other downwards, and that the small stupa in the centre represented the pericarp (Karnika) of the lotus” - Dr. Paranavitana.
In the vicinity of the Yudagana Chaitya is the Yudaganawa Wewa. It is believed that the clay needed to make bricks for the chaitya was dug from here. According to historic chronicles, the wewa had been built by King Mahanaga in 300 BC. In 1950 it had been renovated by the Irrigation Department. It covers an area of 150 acres and provides irrigation to 252 acres of paddy field cultivation. The wewa is picturesque. In the middle is a huge rock surrounded by huge trees, home to numerous birds. The villagers also come here for a bath. The ancient concept of development in our native culture is once again evident here-- the village, the temple, the wewa.
Moneragala is steeped in history for other reasons as well. Much had happened here during the reign of the Portuguese. A tall monument erected in town, commemorates the battle at Randeniwela on August 25 in 1630. The plaque reads that it was near this spot that the combined forces of the Portuguese were defeated by the army led by King Rajasinghe the 2nd. In this battle Don Constantine de Saa, the Portuguese Governor was slain and thus a cruel colonial rule came to an end in this land. |
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