Tempita Vihara

Tempita Vihara (Sinhalese: ටැම්පිට විහාර) is an unique type of image house found in some Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. Have an inimitable architecture design, Tempita Viharas were popular aspect of many Buddhist temples during the 17th-19th centuries. Construction of Tempita Vihara in or after the 20 century has been not recorded. There are more than two hundred Tempita Viharas have been identified in Sri Lanka to date. Most of the shrines are found in North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Western provinces.

Medawala Tempita Vihara in Kandy is considered the first accounted Tempita Vihara in Sri Lanka. According to the Medawala copper plaque, it was a two storied shrine during the 14 century and was renovated as a Tempita Vihara by Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747 - 1781) in 1755. Minuwangamuwa Tempita Vihara in Kegalle is believed to be the last Tempita Vihara in the island built on 2 May 1886.

Beside the Buddhist temples, few Ambalamas and Devalayas have been identified in Sri Lanka as Tempita buildings. These structures are also built on raised stone pillars or rock boulders but have minor differences in its architecture design. Awariyawala Ambalama in Gampaha, Panawitiya Ambalama in Kurunegala and Halpe Pattini Devalaya in Ella are three examples of them.

Perched on raised stone pillars or stumps, Tempita Viharas possess wooden platforms and wattle walls supporting a timber framed roof. Usually pillars are in exposed state and not more than 3 or 4 feet in height. However the pillars used in some temples such as Dodamthale Raja Maha Vihara in Mawanella and Ambulugala Raja Maha Vihara are about 6 feet in height. Wattle walls make the main enclosed shrine room containing the Buddha statues made of Limestones or timber. Inner walls are usually decorated with varies murals and paintings of the Kandyan period. The roofs are two-pitched and covered with flat clay tiles. Some Tempita Viharas have narrow verandas circulating the main enclosed space.

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Wikipedia