Linking nations through culture

By Ranga CHANDRARATHNE

Although the Katina, the ritual of offering robes is an important occasion in the religious calendar of Buddhist temples in general, this year's Katina ceremony to be held on November 12 at the historic Kosgoda Ganegodalla Rajamaha Viharaya ( the temple built by a king) will be a significant occasion not only in the history of this Buddhist establishment but also marks an important milestone in the longstanding diplomatic relations between the kingdom of Thailand and Sri Lanka as the royal family of Thailand visits the temple to offer Katina civara, special robes to the Buddhist monks.

The visit of the royal family will also renew the longstanding relationships between the Royal family of Thailand and the temple since 1929. The foundation stone for the temple was laid by a Thai king.

Katina is an important ritual in the Buddhist calendar and refers to the offering of special robe (Katina civara) marking the end of three-month period of retreat Vas (Vassana in Pali) the period of rain. The Katina ceremony is over 2500 year old monastic tradition observed by Buddhists.

Historic temple

According to history, Kosgoda Ganegodella Purana Viharaya was build in the 12th century BC in the Dambadeniya era by Minister Devapathiraja on the orders of king Parakkramabahu the second. In the chapter 64 of Mahavamsa , the great chronicle, it was stated that the temple was constructed in three stories. The Portuguese and Dutch who invaded and captured the maritime provinces had attacked the temple and raised it to the ground. In the Kandyan era, the temple was constructed again. Kandyan influence is prominent especially on the murals of the temple. Currently the temple is managed by the Department of Archaeology. The murals offer invaluable insights into the evolution of temple painting in Sri Lanka. Though managed by the Department of Archaeology, some of the murals of the temple are in a state of decay and need immediate restoration. The basic infrastructure of the temple also should be upgraded in order to preserve the murals. However, some murals have been restored with the support of philanthropists and well-wishers.

One of the important areas of the temple is the section known as Kirigaruda Viharaya (marble temple). The octagonal temple houses a statue of the Buddha in marble. The marble statue of the Buddha was gifted to the temple by the Government of Thailand. The lower chamber of the temple is covered with murals depicting episodes from the Jataka stories. The small pagoda or Chityaya is believed to be constructed in Kandyan era.

The largest section of the temple known as Maha Vihara was built in 1929 under the patronage of then chief incumbent of the temple Ven. Kosgoda Sudhammanada thera. The foundation stone for the construction of the temple was laid by a Thai king and it was mentioned in a stone tablet. It was said that the then king of Thailand was a friend of the chief incumbent of the temple. Special thanks should go to Ambassador, Secretary and the Royal Embassy of Thailand for the assistance and support. The current incumbent of the temple is Ven.Kosgoda Mangala thera and Viharadhikari is Senior Lecturer in Sinhala of the Department of Sinhala of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Ven. Kosgoda Chandrajothi thera.