One of the most popular tourist destinations in Kandy is the Gadaladeniya Temple, Kandy. Located amidst hills in the Kandy Valley in Sri Lanka, the picturesque city of Kandy is home to a number of temples. The Gadaladeniya Temple, Kandy is one of the renowned temples that you will come across in Kandy.
The Gadaladeniya Temple, Kandy with an ancient monastery is positioned on the flat rock at Diggala in Kandy. In accordance with an inscription, the temple was built in the year 1344 by King Buwanekabahu IV. Another inscription suggests that the name of the temple is Dharma Kirthi Viharaya, which is the name of the monk who found it. The temple is identified as Saddharmathilake by the work Nikaya Sangrahaya, while as per Saddharmalankaraya this temple was named Gadaladeniya Viharaya.
The Gadaladeniya Temple, Kandy is designed in a South Indian style. The main shrine room in the temple houses four standing Buddha images and a statue of Lord Buddha under a Makara Thorana. Both faces of the makara thorana are adorned with paintings of gods like Brahma, Natha, Maithree, Suyama, and Santhusuta, and two attendants.
A Devale or shrine consecrated to God Vishnu is placed adjacent to the shrine room in Gadaladeniya Temple in Kandy. The deity is special to the Sri Lankans since Lord Vishnu was selected as the guardian to protect Sri Lanka and Buddhism after Lord Buddha passed away. Beside the Vishnu Devale is a Stupa made on a rock, supposedly built by King Parakramabahu V. Better known as the Vijayothpaya or Vijayantha Prasada, this stupa has a roof constructed over it. This roof stands on 4 pillars. Around the main stupa there are small shrine rooms which house 4 smaller satellite stupas.
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