Nalanda Gedige is a stone structure. According to the history, construction period of this amazing structure drives back to 8th and 10th century. At that time, this was a Buddhist Temple.
Nalanda Gedige is the center of Sri Lanka. We can identify this Dravidian architecture as a Mahayana Buddhist temple.
We find this amazing structure in Matale District of Central Province. Travel along the Jaffna – Kandy high way towards the Dambulla to find the Nalanda area.
This is an archaeological site. To illustrate, we can find various archaeological ruins around this.
History of Nalanda Gedige
Archaeologists used following facts to define the built time of this. Sri Lanka received Pallawa styles after the 691 A.D. Nillaggama Bodhigara is also same architecture and related to the same period.
In addition to both of these, a stone inscription found on the site, which mention the related details. Sri Lankan Archaeological Department established a museum to store the findings. This stone inscription also stored there.
Former archaeological commissioner H.C.P. Bell visited and examined the site in 1893. H.C.P. Bell discovered every part of this, which buried from soil in 1911.
Investigations stopped when H.C.P. Bell retired. After that no further archaeological discovery happened on Nalanda Gedige.
In 1970 government started the Mahaweli Development Project. In the meantime, Nalanda Gedige was under risked covering by the water of the newly estimated Bowathenna tank.
Archaeological Department decided to remove it from there and restore in another place. So, they numbered each part of the Gedige and disassembled carefully. Then stored the disassembled parts in Archeological Department Office. But many authorities did not agree to moving the location because it is the center of Sri Lanka.
They said, the movement would lose the validity. Consequently, they decided not to move it. Mahaweli Development Authority constructed a 23 feet high land in the same place, under the coordination of Professor P.L. Premathilake and Carpenter M. Wimaladasa in 1980. This was the first time they did a project like this in Sri Lanka.
Architecture of Nalanda Gedige
This completely stone blocked building has a mountain-shaped roof. Furthermore, roof designed with the carvings of various divine statues. Nalanda Gedige shows some kind of Hindu architecture.
In addition to Hindu architecture, Mahayana tradition and worshiping styles also mixed with this as we said before. Especially this is the only remaining Buddha Shrine Palace, which made according to the Pallawa architecture.
Tours cover Nalanda Gedige
Here we are showing some Nalanda Gedige visiting tour itineraries below. If you like to visit Nalanda Gedige on any other tour in Sri Lanka we can arrange a customize tour for you.
