Monday, July 21, 2014

Old 'Dalada Maligawa', Dambadeniya, Sri Lanka, 13th Century AD.


Statue of the Second Parakramabahu (1234 AD).
The repository of the 'Sacred Tooth Relic' in 1234 Ad.
A stone stairway.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Dambadeniya, old Dalada Maligawa, Sri Lanka.

Old paintings on the outer walls and roof.


Decorative design on the roof.

Wooden carvings of 'inverted lotuses' on the top of the granite pillar.
These belong to the 13th Century AD, when Dambadeniya was the capital of the Sinhalese King Parakrama Bahu the Second.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Dambadeniya, some scenes.

The Stupa covered with a roof.

An old 'Mal-aasana' - flower pedestral of stone.

Ornamental steps leading to the inner area of the old Dalada Maligawa.


Friday, July 18, 2014

Dambadeniya, an old capital of Sri Lanka.

The old 'Bo Tree'.

A side entrance to the old 'Dalada Maligawa'

Some artifacts at the entrance to the inner sanctum which once housed 'The Sacred Tooth Relic'.

Stone pillars of the 13th Century AD which supported the roof of the building.

Old stone carvings said to have been erected at the site where soldiers fell in battle -? 'Veera gal'. These now are at the entrance to the building of the old Dalada Maligawa.



Please click on the web-link below:-
http://youtu.be/SUQJVw_-DMI

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Representation of the Sacred Foot-print of Lord Buddha at Dambadeniya, Sri Lanka.




A representation of the Sacred Foot-print of Lord Buddha formed the object of remembrance of the Teacher, in the early years of Buddhism. An empty chair, a 'chamara' - a type of large fan, an umbrella etc were also used for this purpose. This was because of the firm belief since Lord Buddha attained 'Nibbana' - 'nothingness', there was no object left of him to worship. This was a strongly held belief till the advent of the statues made in the 2nd Century AD.
The Sacred Foot-print had some of the the auspicious signs as predicted by astrologers incorporated. This version installed in Damabadeniya was made in recent years.