The archaeological and historical heritage of Medirigiriya Watadageya
Medirigiriya ancient religious place is situated in Thamankaduwa region in Polonnaruwa.This place is met when go to 24 miles Polonnaruwa – Higurakgoda road.The evidence has been found that was main religious place in ce 2 to12 centuries.’’Madiligiri ath vehera’’ name was noticed in tam letter which received from madiligiriya.
But there was no any evidence that who had made it.Mahavansaya said that king Kannittathissa made a uposathagaraya for madiligiri viharaya.In king fourth Agbo time period Malayaraja, regional ruler was built relic house.It is identified as currently watadageya.King second Sena offered villages tomadiligiriya.King fifth kasup gave protection alimony for madiligiri ath vehera piyangala four limits.In this time noticed that there was a hospital here after that this religious placed was reconstructed in first Vijayabahu time period.There was a incident reported in polonnaruwa era about this place as a special religious place.King second Gajaba and king maha parakkramabahu had a peace aggrement which was carved in rock here .It mentioned in mahavansaya but this inscription was not found yet.Its copy had met at sangamu viharaya’s rock, Gokaralla in Kurunagala distric.According to aggrement when one is dead first the kingdom is owned to other one.But when king Gajaba died,King Parakkramabahu had to fight to get kingdom.After that king Nissankamalla was appointed as aking.Mahavansaya noticed that it was the famous place that the king worshipped.Proffesor Wimal Wijayarathna noticed that according to his research madirigiriya and sangamu viharaya are same.It is clear that madirigiriya was noticed in inscriptions and chronicle of ce 2 to ce 13. The bricks met in excavations were decorated in carving brahmee characters.Madirigiriya sthupa owns to Srilankan oldest topes.That is the conclusion of professor Senarath paranavitharana.
Watadageya is the most valuble architectural creation in this place.At first Mr. H.C.P Bell had explored,since 1897.In 1941 Archiologist department was cut down forest and started unearth archiologist duties.
Watadageya is specialized among buildings built connected with rock in natural environment.Medirigiriya watadageya was created at the place of pop up earth on rock .Entrance door of north sides watadageya is here also.Its measurement are same to Polonnaruwa watadageya.
Medirigiriya watadageya had open verenda and beautiful ladders with 27 steps.There is a normal moonstone on foot. Plane end among steps of ladder.
Four Samadhi images are on the center of watadageya.They are made in limestone.Today only in east side’s image is left unbrokenly.
Three rounds of towers are surrounding the tope which is one center of watadageya.One of tower is created by one stone.These towers and head of towers are octagonal shaped.Kudumbi hole and Kudumbi outfit were in towers heads.These features can be seen in Anuradhapuraya.These towers heads consisted with carvings.
Watadageya consist 3 tower lines.Outwardly 32 towers. Middle tower line consist 20 towers.Another tower line has 10 towers.
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