Kadurugoda Vihara

 Apart from the Nagadeepa, the other main sacred places that Buddhists visiting the North can see and worship are the Kadurgoda Purana Vihara and Dambakolapatuna. Jaffna travels to Dambucolapatuna by way of Kankasanthura and on the way you can also visit Kadurgoda Viharasthan.

Km from Jaffna on the Kankasanture road. After walking for about ten minutes, you will find the Chunnakam junction. Chunnakam junction with many shops shows a crowded place. At Chunnakam Junction, turn left and proceed to Kadurgoda Pudabhim. There is a signboard in Sinhala at Chunnakam Junction as "Road to Kandarodei Archaeological Site".

Kadurgoda is known as "Kandarodei" to the people of that area. It is said that the ancient "Hunugama" is named as Chunnakam.

Turn left at Chunnakam junction, Km. After about two minutes, you will see Kandarodei Viharaya or Kaduruguda Viharaya. At Kataragama, the devotees feel as if they have stepped into an oasis.

The history of the ancient temple of Kadurgoda dates back to the early Anuradhapura period. The Mahavamsa mentions that King Devanampiyatissa (250 - 210 BC) planted stones from Dambakolapatuna. Kadurgoda temple is also mentioned in that reference.

Eventually .......

The unknown ancient temple of Kadurgoda was re-gifted to the nation in 1917. Jaffna District Judge Dr. Paul E. Piris Suri discovered this sacred site. Kaduruguda temple was excavated for thirty two years (1917 - 1919). There, this legacy of Bodu resurfaced.

A temple like Kadurugoda Purana Viharaya is not seen in any other part of Sri Lanka. Therefore, this is also of special importance as a rare sacred place.

The Kadurgoda temple is unique in that there are many small pagodas. About 22 such dagabs have been protected so far. Only the foundations of a few others have emerged because they have been destroyed. It has also been found that there are many other stupas that can be excavated and unearthed in that area.

The relics of the Buddha are not treasured in the vaults of the Kadurgoda temple. The relic of Maha Rahat. That great arahant lived on the "Puwangu island" or Punkuduthiv island in the northern peninsula. It was said that this Arhat who lived there had buried his relics after he had passed away.

This dagab in the Kadurgoda temple should be about ten to twelve feet in diameter. And should be of similar height. But there is still a small dagab here.

The use of limestone as bricks for the construction of Dagab is also not seen in other areas. Limestone may have been used in this way because limestone was abundant. The bricks attached to the surface of the slab are about 4 to 6 inches. All of them have small pits arranged in them. It is believed that the lime bricks were made in such a way to protect them for a long time.

Among the features of a Buddhist temple in Kadurgoda Viharasthan, a fairly large pagoda with a roundhouse has also been built. But only their base can be seen today due to their destruction. Only its spire remains. Another thing is that it is made of limestone

A feature that is absent in Dagaba. 

There are also the ruins of a Rajavasalaka in the Kadurgoda Viharasthan. There are evidences that the small palace was built there. Also, there is a stone where the pits were dug. It is also possible to imagine that there was a royal palace with the king and the queen.

Dr. Pol E. During the excavations conducted by Peiris Surin, Buddha statues, pieces of painted tiles, coins belonging to Anurapura and Polonnaru periods were also found in this sacred site.

Nishankamalla, the first Parakumba to rule Sri Lanka. It is believed that kings like Lilavati, Bhuvanekabahu etc. also patronized this temple. Also, this temple is also mentioned in the Anthani Kardu letter made by the fourth king Kasyapa (898 - 914 AD). According to such historical information, it is confirmed that the Kadurgoda temple was popular for many centuries.

This temple was destroyed when King Sangili II was the ruler of Jaffna. Sangili (1617 - 1619) fought with the Portuguese. Sangili was defeated there. Since then, no one paid attention to the Kadurgoda temple until three centuries had passed. Kadurgoda was introduced by the Portuguese as "Kandarakudidei".

In 1948, the land of Kaduruguda Viharaya, which was a Buddhist archaeological heritage, was taken for money by the government. The government had to buy this sacred land as it had become a private heritage. Although it was bought as a land of about 7 acres, due to the war situation, only about 3 acres has been left for it.

With the last war period, this sacred ground became a hotspot for LTTE terrorists. After the liberation of Jaffna by the Sri Lankan army, the heritage of this holy place was saved by the heroic army. The nation is indebted to them for making that holy place which had been turned into a toilet into what it is today. Due to repeated attacks by tigers on this sacred ground, the lives of two war heroes were sacrificed in this sacred ground.

The Bodhi tree in the Kadurgoda temple was also planted by the army itself. That bodhi tree grows again with blue leaves like the Buddhist heritage of Jaffna. Both the Buddhist temple and the abode house of the Kadurgoda Viharasthan have been recently built using tin. At present, Venerable Batagattara Punyananda Thero is working there.

The army, which bequeathed it to the nation while protecting the Kadurugoda temple, is carrying out its development work. Located in a non-Buddhist environment, it is protected from life. Kadurugoda sacred ground should be built and developed with proper planning. The government has a huge responsibility for that.

 -  Sunday Island -