Hello my fellow Architecture+Design community lovers,
How are you guys? I hope you are all having a very happy time. Although I have not been able to post content to this platform for a long time, I took the opportunity today. From my previous content, you may have seen that the fort of Galle city, which was important in terms of trade and military during the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial times, is a place at the top in terms of architectural elements. It can be assumed that such differences can be seen because different nations took control of it. So, through this content, I will present information about Sri Sudharmalaya Buddhist Temple, a unique Buddhist temple in Galle Fort. The Southern Expressway, Southern Coastal Railway or Galle-Colombo Normal Road can be used to reach this temple from Colombo city.
The entrance part of Sudharmalaya temple has a big difference. Other temples have a higher entrance area but this temple has a small wooden door with arched open windows at the front. Since it was built during the Dutch colonial period, they may have made changes here in their own way. Arched doors and windows are common in the Fort area. At top of the front wall, a pagoda has been created. Since it was built during the Dutch period, it was notable that no objects was created to provide protection to the temple.
The front of Sri Sudharmalaya Buddhist temple resembles many coffee cafes and jewelery shops in Galle fort. The difference is that this is a temple. Strong circular small pillars made of stone have been added to support the arched windows as well as the upper parts of the wall. The ceiling is made of wood, with lights hanging down from the ceiling. After entering the temple, you will see that there are several concrete pillars made of cement to support the roof.
In the first part of the Sri Sudharmalaya Buddhist temple, there are several wood carvings of in various poses. I could see how these carvings were carved by the creators in a very delicate way. An introduction to each of these Buddha carvings is written below in Sinhala language. Large scale Buddha carvings were placed in glass covered chambers for protection.
Looking further, one can see a wooden structure with a beautiful finish. It has recently been polished to a shine. Five rectangular wooden frames of equal size were joined together to form this structure. These kinds of wooden booths are used when pirith preaches. Although the roof is made of old tiles, wood has been used to create the roof. Strong wooden beams are also used on each concrete pillar to support the weights of the roof. It is notable that the roof was arranged in a triangular shapes and the ceiling was also made of wood.
Although we cannot see the traditional Buddhist signs in the first part of Fort Sri Sudharmalaya Temple, we find them when we go inside. Above the wooden door could be seen a carving in the form of scrolls. On either side of the door there are two images of deities for protection, and on either side the images of elephants and Bhairava can be seen. The upper part of the wall and the doors highlight Dutch architectural features.
Two Buddhist centers can be seen here, smaller in size than the other temples. A large reclining statue of Buddha, our religious leader, can be seen. Two statues of Saryut and Mughal Rahats, who were known as Buddha's right and left after attaining enlightenment, have also been completed. Mughal Rahats are easily recognizable because of their blue body. It is said that the body has turned blue because of a sin committed in the previous soul.
The interior of the Buddhist center is truly awe-inspiring because of the brilliance of its frescoes and sculptures. The beauty of the concrete towers is also enhanced by the carvings with Buddhist symbols. In addition, there were beautiful paintings on the ceiling wall. Flowers were mostly used for those creations. On the side walls, stories of the Buddha were painted. There was also a creation with marks on the lower feet of the Buddha. And in this temple, a small space was reserved for God.
It is said that the Stupa of Fort Sri Sudharmalaya Temple is an old one. But a monk of the temple told us that the Buddhist signs can be seen there because it has been renovated. It is not surprising that a small stupa is found in this small space temple. Three Bo leaves can be seen in the center of the stupa and the upper part is finished in a meaningful way.
It can be imagined by seeing the photos that the second Buddhist center of Sri Sudharmalaya Temple is also a more attractive area. Here, those who introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka had created a statue to commemorate the occasion. The combination of colors is well blended and bright. Buddhist symbols were painted on the ceiling wall. Tiles have been laid for the floor and it is noticeable that beautiful shapes have been added on it.
Also painted on the walls of the second Buddhist center were murals showing the appreciation and acceptance of Buddhism. It can be seen how people as well as animals showed respect to Buddhism.
One of the unique features of the Fort Sri Sudharmalaya Temple is that many artefacts can be seen here. There are many items that were used and traded in the past. Stone mortars, betel nuts and brass trays are common among them. Apart from this, metal Buddha statues and pottery can also be seen in the cupboards. All these are artefacts and a CCTV camera system has been set up for security.
*The building is covered with artefacts and has a wooden roof. It is also triangular in shape and roofed with clay tiles. And there was a wooden staircase to go upstairs, but the archives were closed so I didn't go there. This is how I end another beautiful architectural tour."
