Kantharodai Viharaya

Located in a small hamlet called Kandarodai, Kadurugoda Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple which is one of the few Buddhist temples This temple is located on the Hungama (Chunnakam) – Minipe (Manipai) road about 02 KMs from Hunugama and has been declared as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka which currently is maintained by the Sri Lankan army.

Kadurugoda Viharaya as a history dating back to the Anuradhapura era. It is said to be one of the places their Sangamitta visited en route her jouney from Dambakolapatuna to Anuradhapura to deliver the sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi to king Devanampiyathissa. Kadurugoda Vihara was built by a prince of the Shailendra dynasty of the Sri Vijaya Kingdom according to interlinear inscriptions read by Professor SenarathParanavithana. It is also believed that Load Buddha visited this site and stayed sometime during his second visit to Sri Lanka.

The unique feature of this temple is the existence of small multiple stupas instead of the usual single large stupa. Folklore suggests that these were built enshrining the remains of 60 Arhat Bhikkus who died while fleeing the harassment of king Sangili who rules the Jaffna peninsula at the time. The cause of death differs from tale to tale with the most common being poisoning and famine. 20 such stupas are found today within the temple premises along with many stupa foundations (totalling up to 56 stupa ruins) and the stupas possess unique features that cannot be found anywhere else in Sri Lanka. They have been made of grey-coloured coral stone and have a very distinguished pattern with small holes all over them. These ancient stupas do not possess the standard square shape parts (Hathares Kotuwa and Dewatha Kotuwa) above the dome and instead have umbrella-shaped fixed pinnacles. Through the excavations on that premises, the ruins of a shrine room, coloured tiles, parts of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, Buddha foot imprints, a guard stone with Punkalasa and ancient coins belonging to 1st Parakumba, Malla, Leelawathi and Buwenakabahu’s time were found and some of these artefacts are preserved at the Jaffna museum.