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The crumbling lotus-shaped dagoba
A lotus-shaped (padmakara) dagoba located in Nandimithra Nawawanguwa Raja Maha Viharaya in Pallama, Chilaw dating back to the reign of King Dutugemunu are on the brink of destruction at present; the Chief Incumbent Poththukkulame Dheerananda Thero claimed.
Lotus-shaped stupas are not very common in Sri Lanka. What’s special about this shape is that it appears to be a significantly large basal ring.
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- The monk and villagers survey the scene
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- Chief Incumbent Poththukkulame Dheerananda Thero points out the damage to the structure
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- Falling apart
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- Centuries old building blocks exposed to the elements
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- The temporary roof has come apart over the structure
According to the monk, the temple is in a state of disrepair.
The structure is exposed to heavy rainfall, and has been damaged. The dagoba bears a neglected look with its broken stone walls, bricks strewn on the western side, and dilapidated slabs.
The Archeology Department had commenced the conservation of the dagoba on May 16, 2016 after the intervention of the then-government.
However, excavations had been carried out until August 2017, but since then the excavations have been halted. The monk fears that exposing the site to nature would lead to further damage to the brick structure.
It is said that this temple had been built by the warrior Nandimithra, one of the ten warrior giants (dasa maha yodhayas) in King Dutugemunu’s army.
The monk says the dagoba had been one of the tasks undertaken in that period, and would have been done by warrior Nandimithra who had been responsible for the construction of the Nawawangu Raja Maha Viharaya.
Former Chairman of the Nandimithra Rajamaha Viharaya Dayaka Sabha, Gamini Karunaratne said, “When they said that the Archeology Department did not have the money to build the roof of this temporary shade, all the contributors to the Rajamaha Viharaya came together and prepared this roof.”
The temporary roof has been erected with roofing sheets.
The monk laments; “If the dagoba is not preserved for posterity, how could future generations understand how our ancestors prospered?”