22nd February 1998

Aukana: arch turns rival to Buddha

D.M. Premala and Tharuka Dissanaike

The world famous Aukana Buddha statue is endangered by the very arch erected to protect it. The brick arch constructed in the "70s by the Department of Archaeology has been rendered unstable by water seepage and is in imminent danger of collapse thus threatening the 1521 year old statue, located in the Anuradhapura District.

The 43 foot statue is carved out of a solid rock surface and in 1976 a huge arch was built over it, using a million bricks to protect the statue from rigours of nature. Ironically this very structure is now threatening the safety of this archaeological wonder. Over the years, trees and shrub have taken root upon the brick surface, the roots of which have crept 5-6 feet into the structure causing water to run through it.

A few loose bricks have even fallen down upon the statue and are seen strewn on the ground near it.

The Department had long realised the need to take down the canopy.

"Two years ago we submitted a proposal to bring the canopy down. It was to be done by the State Engineering Corporation, but the project never came through,"Director, Excavations, Department of Archaeology W.H. Wijepala said.

He added that recently, due to the failure of the previous attempt, a proposal was put forward to remove the canopy using Department resources, manpower and money. "But for some reason, there has been yet no response from the Ministry," Wijepala said.

Ven. Kandulugamuwe Sumana Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Aukana Raja Maha Vihare complained bitterly about the state of the canopy and said that it was of utmost urgency that the brick structure be taken down and replaced with a more stable protection. "There is no use waiting for disaster to happen and then acting upon it. Something must be done before the weighty arch collapses over this historic statue."

The Thero accuses the Department of using low quality materials to build the arch in 1970. The arch is supported by the rock surface behind the statue.

Wijepala said that the Department was prepared to remove the canopy as soon as approval is received from the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs. The cost of bringing down the heavy arch is estimated to be around 8-9 lakhs.

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