Dematamal Viharaya Temple – Okkampitiya
Description
Dematamal Viharaya Temple is a novel site of archeological and ancient significance, located in the village of Okkampitiya in the Monaragala District in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. A unique place of worship for travellers as well as followers visiting Monaragala.
In the 3rd century BC, Temple was built by King Mahanaga, the most youthful son of King Devanapiyatissa. Legend has it that Prince Gemunu lost the battle due to a disagreement with his brother Prince Saddhatissa and the king went and hid under the bunk of the monks who resided in the Mal Vihara. The Arahants had built a mountain in front of Prince Gemunu, who saw him following. Prince Gemunu did not injure his brother when he saw the younger brother in hiding but out of respect for the Arahant. It is considered that Mal Vehera saw the temple because the more youthful brother noticed it, and then it may have moved Mal Vehera to destroy.
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History of Dematamal Viharaya
The history of Dematamal Viharaya dates back to the Anuradhapura period. Local traditions suggest that the brick stupa in the temple compound was constructed in the 3rd century BC, during the island's earliest Buddhist period. According to local legends, the temple served as the hiding place of Prince Saddhatissa after he lost his war of succession against his elder brother, Dutthagamani. The monks at the temple played a pivotal role in reconciling the two brothers, leading to the bundling of forces of the southern kingdom, Rohana, to reestablish Buddhist reign in Anuradhapura.
Location of Dematamal Viharaya
The Dematamal Viharaya is situated in paddy fields near the B 522 road, 7 km southeast of Buttala, a central Sri Lankan town. Despite being near the Buddhist giant statues of Maligawila and Dambegoda, which are 11 km distance, most pilgrims and tourists visiting these sites pass by the Dematamal Viharaya without taking further notice of it.
Features of Dematamal Viharaya
The Stupa: The main feature of the archaeological site is a typical Sri Lankan brick stupa, which is probably from the Anuradhapura period. The stupa is located at the centre of the temple compound and is the most prominent structure.
Meditation Cells: Within the small compound of Dematamal Viharaya, there are also some traces of other structures, most of them being meditation cells of monks' abodes. These simple platforms are a testament to the ascetic lifestyle of the monks who inhabited the temple in the past.
Ceremonial Buildings: Apart from the meditation cells, the compound has classical ceremonial buildings, namely a Pathimagara and a Bodhigara. The Pathimagara once served as a place to venerate a Buddha statue, while a tree was worshipped in the Bodhigara. These buildings are well-preserved and provide insight into the religious practices of the past.
Museum: A small museum is attached to the temple, where some of the temple's artefacts and decorations are safely kept and exhibited. One such artefact is a bust of a Mahayanist Bodhisattva, which was part of a statue. Statues with tall hair crowns usually represent Bodhisattvas, the helping saviours venerated in Mahayana Buddhism. However, the Dematamal Viharay statue is too weathered to be identified as a Mahayanist figure unequivocally.
Guardstones: Several guard stones at the Dematamal Viharaya have intimate couple motifs unique to southern Sri Lanka. The gender of the couple is usually not distinguishable. Sometimes, the couple is interpreted as the Bodhisattva Maitreya and his consort, widely revered in the ancient kingdom of Rohana. However, the lack of iconographic and epigraphic evidence makes such an attribution uncertain. More likely, the couple represents a royal pair, perhaps the donor and his wife or a king and a queen. The Dematamal Viharaya guard stones are among the most artistic examples of this type of sculpture.
The Legend of Prince Saddhatissa and the Reconciliation
According to local legends, the Dematamal Viharaya was the hiding place of Prince Saddhatissa after he lost his war of succession against his elder brother, Dutthagamani. With the help of the monks, the two brothers were finally reconciled. The reconciliation aimed to bundle forces of the southern kingdom, Rohana, to launch a campaign under Dutthagamani's leadership to reestablish Buddhist reign in Anuradhapura.
