Kadurgoda Temple in Jaffna
The Jaffna area has been a human settlement since prehistoric times. The area now known as Einudu Kanderode has been identified as the fourth human settlement in Sri Lanka. It is also the most important archeological site in the current Jaffna area. Lord Buddha visited Sri Lanka for the second time in this area. While the Buddhist culture of Sri Lanka was spreading again centered in Anuradhapura, it seems that there was a Buddhist cultural revival in Jaffna as well. It may be because the bud of Sri Maha Bodhi was brought from India to Anuradhapura via the Jaffna Peninsula.
There is a temple in Jaffna that is said to have passed away when Sanghamitta Theranu came to Sri Lanka to visit Sri Maha Bodhi Ankura. It is Kanderodaya or Kaduruguda Vihara, which is about three kilometers to the west from
Chunnakam intersection in Jaffna. The special feature of this is that many small dagabs of different sizes are built together in the same form in a way that is not seen anywhere else in Sri Lanka. It is believed that these Dagabs are where the relics of the deceased Arhats were stored. (There is a legend that a mushroom curry offered to the monks as alms killed all sixty names due to poisoning.) Legend has it that during the second journey of the Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka, he also visited this temple premises and spent his time in good health.
The Mahavamsa mentions three shrines built by King Devanam Piya Tissa on Naga Island in one year to commemorate the arrival of Sri Mahabodhi Ankura to Sri Lanka. They are Tissa Viharaya, Jambukola Viharaya and Pachinarama. According to the description in the "Name Book" or "Vihara Asne", a catalog of temples and shrines written in the Kandy period, this Pachinaramaya has been identified as the Kaduruguda Vihara today.
In a tam letter of King Kasyapa IV found in this premises, it is read that he has mentioned the grants made to this temple. It is also said that kings such as Parakramabahu, Nishankamalla, Lilavati, Bhuvanekabahu etc. have patronized this temple, so it appears that this temple was a living shrine even in the fifteenth century.
After Sri Lanka became politically weak and the Jaffna area fell into the hands of non-Buddhist rulers, it seems that the second ruler named Sangili, who was ruling Jaffna, destroyed the Kadurgoda temple. Later, this temple became a ruin as this place came under the hands of the Portuguese.
Dr. Paul E., who was a district judge in Jaffna around 1917, bought this land with ruins. Attracted the attention of Mr. As he drew the attention of the Department of Archeology to the historical and archaeological importance of this land, the English rulers declared this land as an archaeological reserve.
Between 1917 and 1919, excavation work was done here for the first time. Later, between 1965 and 1968, Charles E. Mr. Godakumbura and a team led by Dr. Wimala Begley of the Department of Archeology of the University of Pennsylvania have carried out excavations in the 1970s.
In these excavations, a dagab with a diameter of about 23 feet, many dagabs and bases of different sizes of dagabs with a diameter of about 6-12 feet, parts of a Buddha statue, a Siripathul stone, parts of Korawak stones, koth curls, polished tiles, metal fragments, coins, bricks. And a lot of antiquities dating from the pre-Anuradhapura period to around 910 AD such as Valang pieces, pottery with Brahmi characters, glass pieces, beads etc. were found.
It is believed that the large dagabas here may have been used for worship purposes, and the other dagabas are believed to belong to the departed arahants from the island. It is also believed that the size of Dagab may have been determined according to the seniority of the arahants.
Later, due to the atmosphere in the area, this archeological site had been lost from the memory of many people. In the beginning, it had become an archaeological reserve of about seven acres, but later due to unauthorized acquisitions, it has become a land of about two acres. After peace came to the area, this land came under the protection of the government army.
Then in 2011, excavations were carried out again with the contribution of senior archaeologists of the Department of Archaeology, professors and lecturers of the University of Jaffna. As a result, a bowl, pottery with Brahmi characters, a clay seal, animal parts, beads, coins, glass, carnelian rings etc. have been found in this area.
Antiquities found in the Kadurgoda temple premises are displayed in the Jaffna Archaeological Museum.
It is said that ruins of a monastery and a monastery can be seen in this land. It seems that the archaeological excavations are not over yet. Further excavations here will reveal more evidence of Buddhist heritage in the north.
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