The Kingdom of Kotte named after Kotte, the then capital of Sri Lanka first ruled by King Parakramabahu VI (1414-1467) flourished during the 15th century paving the way for a revival of art, learning and literature, similar to what happened in the same period in Europe during the renaissance.
Golden age of Sinhala Literature
It is very clearly perceptible that the Kotte era was the golden age of Sinhala literature. Since the King himself was passionately interested in literature and art, it was natural for them to flourish, thanks to the royal patronage given. A plethora of most-talked about Sinhala literature books were written during this time and both bhikhus and laymen including those who came from neighbouring countries too were taught Buddhism, Sinhala, Literature, Pali, Sanskrit and Astrology through pirivena education.
Supreme poetry books and other anthologies such as Buduguna Alankaraya, Loweda Sangarawa, Guththila Kaawya, Kaawyasekaraya, Parakumba siritha and Saddharmarathnakaraya were created. Sandesha Poetry such as Kokila Sandeshaya, Paravi Sandeshaya, Gira Sandeshaya, Salalihini Sandeshaya, Hansa Sandeshaya and Nilakobo Sandeshaya were also written during this era.
Most importantly there were several renowned Buddhist education institutions being instrumental in ushering in a period of dramatic rejuvenation of literature and education during this period. They were Keragala Padmawathi Pirivena, Thotagamuwa Vijayaba Pirivena, Papiliyana Sunethradevi Pirivena and Ethul Kotte Siri Parakumba Pirivena.
Among the Sandesha Poetry written during the Kotte era is the Hansa Sandeshaya which is a mine of information about the Keragala Padmawathi Raja Maha Vihara, the then chief incumbent was Ven. Wanarathana Maha Thera. The poet of Hansa Sandeshaya says that there is a message for the swan to convey and here Ven. Weedagama Thera gives vivid details of the recipient and his monastery.
‘ Dinu bimae mahima aethi muni marabala
Wanu thaenak wan satha pin sarapala
Thaenu noyek keth wath saru sarapala
Danu pasindu wehereki saedi kareegala”.
“Imbued with influence resulting from merits done, covered with luxuriant, fresh, verdant vegetation, heavy with its profuse harvest, stands a famous monastery at Keragala. Do visit it.” He does not fail to mention the presence of Ven.Wanarathana Thera – “Nithi Wanarathana mahimi himi sanda pawathi.”
The Keragala Padmawathi Raja Maha Piriven Vihara is close to the village of Keragala in the Gampaha District. According to the Hansa Sandeshaya, the route from Kotte to Keragala covered Konthagantota, Gurubewula, Gothatuwa and Welandagoda. Maskeliya, Kelaniya, Pamunuwa, Webada, Weliweriya, Henegama, Madelgasgama and Nakandapala.The temple is just six kilometres away from the Weliweriya town.
It was first built in the 13th century by two Ministers of King Vijayabahu IV(1270-1272) known as Arthanayaka and Dalasengamu for princess Padmawathi, who was the wife Dalasengamu and the sister of a provincial ruler Alakesvara of the Alagakkonara clan of the kingdom of Gampola. Nissanka Alakesvara who was a local ruler, fortified a marshy region of present day Colombo and built a fortress.
He also drove out tax collectors and even attacked the invaders from the Jaffna Kingdom. Later King Parakramabahu VI made Kotte his capital city in 1415. By upgrading the citadel he built a new royal palace. Later, Keragala Padmawathi Pirivena was started during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI.
Cultural and literary renaissance
Quite a lot of ancient ruins belonging to an era long gone can be seen scattered in the temple premises. Among them are two rock inscriptions, one belonging to the Dambadeniya era and the other to the Kotte era. The specialty is that the two inscriptions are engraved on one granite tablet during two reigns. The first inscription was engraved during the reign of King Vijayabahu IV of the Dambadeniya kingdom. Three centuries later, during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI of the Kotte kingdom, the other side of the granite tablet was inscribed.
The inscription is about the offering of several villages to the temple for the future existence of the temple as a great religious place of worship. Taking into account the description of the inscription, it is well-known that the temple was built and developed during the Dambadeniya period and flourished as a hub of religious, cultural and literary renaissance in the country during the Kotte reign.
Also, there has been a tampita vihara in the temple premises belonging to the Dambadeniya era and eight stone pillars eight feet in height which are the only remains of this tampita Vihara today. Several other broken pillars found in the temple precincts indicate that there would have been more than eight pillars holding the tampita vihara.
Well-preserved
In the sandy courtyard of the temple premises is an old granite water vessel with a spout, it is the cynosure of all eyes and is still well-preserved.
The octagonal granite preaching hall we see today was built around 1819 after the temple was rediscovered in the early 19th century. As a result of the temple being burned down by the Portuguese during the Colonial era, it fell into decay and abandonment. The next chapter of the temple unfolds in the early 19th century. Several other buildings including the stupa was built during this period.
It is stated that most Ven. Weedagama Ananda Maithree Thera wrote the Hansa Sandeshaya and then sent it to the Keragala Raja Maha Vihara requesting Ven. Wanarathana thera to make an appeal to Gods Uppalavanna Sumana Saman, Skanda Kumara and Vibhisana to provide protection to King Parakramabahu VI against enemy invasion and ensure happiness,prosperity and long life for him. Thus,the Keragala Padmawathi Raja Maha Vihara then became the epicentre of a Buddhist cultural and literary renaissance and education and is still making an invaluable contribution to perpetuate the Buddha Sasana.
