Kadadora Viharaya : Rising from the water

කොත්මලේ ජලාශයෙන් මතු වෙන කඩදොර විහාරය.

Kadadora Viharaya also known as Kadadora Sri Priyabimbaramaya Viharaya, was a Buddhist temple, situated in Kadadora, Kotmale. The temple was abandoned and ruined as the construction of Kotmale Dam in 1979 by Mahaweli Development programme. it is said that about Submerged by the waters of the reservoir are the ruins of many temples and human settlements. In fact, more than 14 tea estates, 57 villages and about 54 ancient temples, among others are said to have gone under water when the reservoir was built. but many of places are not exist at present, even underwater. Still as a miracle Kadadora tempale and statues of load Buddha still can seen when the water level get reduced.

Lcals have been arriving at the Kadadora area to visit the ancient ruins of Buddhist temples re-emerging from the depths of the Kotmale reservoir as water levels are receding fast due to the prevailing drought in the central hills. The temples of the Kadadora Sri Piya Bimbaramaya, Thispane Viharaya, Morape Viharaya and the Medagoda Devalaya were submerged when the reservoir was built in 1979.

Travel at Glance

A magnificent temple drowned with a village at the time of constructing the Kothmale reservoir. The temple is of absolute beauty though some of the parts are being ruined. The temple comes to visibility time to time when the reservoir level goes down. It’s pretty sure this would have been so beautiful sometime back.

Sumudu Ranasinghe

The Kotmale Maha Seya was erected in memory of these submerged religious sites.

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