Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c16.12

c16.12

Perhaps the most remarkable eighteenth century stonework building in the Kandyan District is the peculiar vihāra at Galmaḍuva. This, the ‘most Hindu-looking Buddhist temple in existence,’ or at least in Ceylon, was never finished. It is said to have been built by Kirti Śrī, but that while it was in progress he heard of the cave at Degaḷdoruva, he abandoned the scheme and set to work on the cave-temple at Degaḷdoruva. This, however, seems improbable, considering the great difference in style of the two temples, and the fact that the massive masonry and brickwork at Galmaḍuva were finished, nothing remaining to be done but to set up the image and decorate the temple. The plan of the building is a square stone chamber, covered by a pyramidal tower of stone and brick masonry, reminding one of the gopuram of a Hindu temple. Around this building and a little removed from it is a massive wall with an overhanging cornice, with five windows on each of three of its sides, and a doorway in place of the central window on the other side. The arches of the doorways and windows is remarkable. They are semi-circular cusped arches with a keystone; the door has six of these cusps, the windows two. In the image room there is an asana, or throne for the image. The whole building contrasts markedly with all other ‘Kandyan’ architecture.