Sri Niwesaramaya - Ponnankanniya
Sri Niwesaramaya,Ponnankanniya,Kakkapalliya,Chilaw,Sri Lanka,
Chilaw Town
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PONNANKANNIYA SRI NIWESARAMA VIHARAYA IS SITUATED IN NORTH PITIGAL KORALA IN PUTTALAM DISTRICT
When coming along the main road from Colombo – to Puttalam, close to Chilaw at the third way junction Kakkapalliya turning right after one & half km: walk passing the graceful paddy fields turning right after 20 meters walk you find this sacred & beautiful temple Ponnankanniya is there with the splendid sceneric beauty.
According to the words of the people arround the temple area, they say that it started or founded 400yrs:’ ago. Then this sacred viharaya was beyond or away from the tank & later it was brought towards this side of the tank where the present & pleasant temple ground.is situated. Even if there are no written historical facts or witnessing facts to say that some old buildings & some statues found on that sides proves this saying is truthful to accept & can be proved definitely.
After construction of thise sacred temple on thise present ground first chief thera who resided here was Rt:Rev:Agalakada Upananda Thera. This Reverend thera had his connections with the Weligama Agrabodhi Temple. Thise Buddhist Bikkhu was taken here with honour & respectful situations from Mathara to Nelumpokuna Purana Viharaya & residing from there this thero performed & coverd. All the Buddhist religious activities by him. Many Buddhist religious activities were performed to the peoplewithmuch kindness.
After that this honoured thera came to this temple & resided. He performed his religious matters & religious affairs resting in this temple it self. He tried to improve this temple with his own efforts. He cured many patients with his charms & chauntings. He was progressive with his extra activities. He was very fluent with conversing English Language & mostly the people from outside areas were attracted by him. Sir Henrysteale Olcote was establishing Buddhist schools all over the country.He was attracted by this honoured thero with the admiration & support of this Buddhist English visiter this honourod thera was able to English & start a Buddhist school here. He was succeeded with his efforts & as he was very clever in conversing English this great Religious Leaders.
After the regime of Agalakada Upananda Thera his student Kakkapalliye Dewananda Buddhist priest was the chief Buddhists priest of this great temple. He was appointed & he did everything for the improyment of this place. The Buddhist temple & the Buddhist school,here at this holy place. The serpents bitten patients or the people were cured by him & did everything for the betterment & improvement of this place. He constructed & developed all the other sections of this temple & started to supply drinking water for this area by digging & drilling wells inside the Temple Garden. After the death of honourable Buddhist thera Mudukatuwe Gnanarama Thero was appointed as the chief priest to manage this temple . and also to improve the Buddhist school. He was chief Buddhist Priest in Kurunegala District.
Mudukatuwe Gnanarama Thero was a student Thero of Both Teacher Theros of Gal-Amuna Sri Wardhanaramadhipathi Mudukatuwe Seelananda Thero & Kakkapalliye Dewananda Thero. Mudukatuwe Gnanarama Thero was acheved & awarded with the Panditha Degree & was teaching for sometime at Maliyadewa Maha Pirivena in Kurunegala & for long time in Peliyagoda Vidyalankara Maha Pirivena Both. When this chief thero was in Vidyalankara Pirivena for a long time he associated Kiriwattuduwe Pragnasara Thero,Yakkaduwe sri Pragnarama Thero, the senior lecturer Kotahene Pannakitti Thero,Senior lecturer Bambarende Siri Seewalee Thero. Aftar converting Vidyalankara pirivena into University level this Maha Thera was appointed as the lecturer for Buddhist Doctrine in the university he finished his lecturing service while he was the senior lecturer in the faculty of Buddhist Doctrine. This Great Thero was clever in Preeching Bana Chanting of Pirith and also to give instructions and advises to the required people. This Thero was the president of the Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya for a long time because of his populority this Maha Thero was the Founder of Sri Dewanandha Dharma Vidyalaya. Many Bhuddhist religious activities were performed by the Rev: Thero with much kindness to the Buddhist people in the area.
The present Chief Buddist Thero who is incharge of the temple is Rt: Rev: Kakkkapalliya Anuruddha Thero. That he is the President Thero of Sathkorala Mahadisawa chief Buddhist priest. This Thero is the senior student of above mentiond both Buddhist Chief Theros of this Buddhist Viharaya. He is a great Pantith (Agga Maha Pandith) this Nayaka Thero has visited many foreign countries & he has performed his duties as the senior lecturer of Pali & Buddhist Philosophy. The Rt:Rev:Chief theros of Malwatta, Asgiri,The senior lecturer Rt;Rev;Walpola Rahula Thero,Rt;Rev:Kalasoori Mapalagama Vipulasara Thero visited this Buddhist centre as to the honour of this Kakkapalliye Anuruddha Nayaka Thero.
Now at this moment all the Buddhist religious activities are performing cleverly through the hands of Rt;Rev;Honourable Dematawa Buddhijeeva Thero. Thise Honourable Thero was awarded with his Degree B.A. & various Diplomas. At present this Thero is the Instructer to the Computer Diploma while he is the principal of Sri Dewananda Dharma Vidyalaya. In this Dhamma School there are about 350 students & there 16 teachers. This honourable Thero has done many services & still carryingout many religious,social & many welfare services to the people in the area.
All the people in the temple area accept that Ponnankanniya Sri Niwesarama Viharaya is the most sacred one in the area, If you unexpectedly had happened to visit Chilaw Please come and achieve its coolness & sensation as to the pleasure of you…………
