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Lankathilaka
The
shrine is built on the summit of the rock called Panhalgala in the village of
Rabbegamuwa, Udunuvara division of Kandy district, approximately 12 km. from the
Peradeniya bridge. It can be approached from two directions, one from the
Colombo-Kandy Road and another from the Gampaha-Kandy Road. Lankatilaka,
together with another Buddhist shrine at Gadaladeniya and the Embekke Devale
dedicated to God Kataragama, all dating from the fourteen century, form an
important trio possessing their individual architectural and decorative merits
to attract connoisseurs and scholars from all over the world. Overlooking the
eastern escarpment of the rock, the surroundings provide a magnificent panorama
with distant hills ,paddy fields and diverse vegetation . Apparently the site
had been selected as usual for its beauty and peaceful environment , at a proper
distance from bustling village life. This hamlet is well-known for its
traditional vocations, which are obviously part of its cultural heritage handed
down from ancient times.
The temple bears the same name as the famous construction of Parakramabahu I at
Polonnaruva. Inscriptional evidence at the site provides information regarding
the date, the founder and the chief architect. Accordingly, the foundation dates
from 1344 A.D, being the pious dedication of Senalankadhikara, a minister of
Bhuvanaikabahu IV of Gampola (Gangasiripura). The chief architect was
Sthapatirayar, evidently a South Indian. The original building has undergone
several stages of development in later times. the temple has maintained its
significance throughout the centuries, as seen from the various donations
mentioned in the inscriptions. In the second half of the fourteenth century the
scholarly incumbent monk of Lankatilaka was, in fact the grandson of the founder
of the temple. According to the Culavamsa, the ruler, Parakramabahu VI of Kotte
(1412-1467 A.D), carried out some stucco embellishments. The major decorative
elements in the form of murals are possibly the work of Kirtisri Rajasimha (
1747-1780 A.D).
Besides being an important architectural monument , this shrine is also
significant from a religious point of view , since it combines the worship of
the Buddha with that of the Hindu gods. The shrine retains special units for the
images of Hindu and indigenous deities. This feature of religious synthesis is
also evident at Gadaladeniya , which belongs to the same period .
The Lankatilaka image house is a fine example of a Buddhist-Hindu shrine of the
fourteenth century. The Buddhist pilimage faces east and the Hindu devale is
orientated to the west. This magnificent edifice of brick and stucco, positioned
on the saddle of a dominant cliff, originally had a grand flight of steps of
about 45 metres leading to the Buddha shrine. The residence of the monks is at
the lower terrace and is of the courtyard type. This has the traditional
appendage of grain stores and auxiliary functional units. The fields, belonging
to the lay-guardians, extend beyond the irrigable land.
To the west of the shrine, and frontal to the devale, is the extended ridge of
the cliff, which holds the main gateway leading out of the inner court. The
other sacred edifices of the inner court are the Stupa, the Bodhi-tree, the
preaching hall, and the kitchen to prepare food for the gods. The secular units
in the same court are the official circuit-room and office of the chief
lay-guardian. There is a massive inscription in Sinhalese and Tamil indited on
the bare rock of the inner court. Beyond the gateway, is a straight long
processional path leading up to the depository, meant to hold the symbols and
weapons of the deities which were carried in ceremony and placed there for
public veneration during the annual festival. With the depository position being
about half a mile from the gateway, there was adequate space to locate the many
houses of the serfs on the two sides of this main street. The high ground set
apart for the serfs for services to the shrine was that found immediately behind
the houses. The main street extends beyond the depository to link the shrine to
the adjacent villages, and to the other religious establishments. This type of
shrine-centred village was a common layout of the rural fourteenth century phase
of the Sri Lankan rural planners.
The Lankatilaka shrine is one of the more splendid examples of these
Buddhist-Hindu edifices. In fact, it had been designed originally as a type of
Buddhist image house where Hindu figures were placed on the exterior in niches
at the centre of each of the outer walls and on the two sides of the front
facade. This type of shrine-layout has parallels in Hindu examples such as those
commonly found in Tamil Nadu and Chandi Singasari in Java. However, with time
the outer walls were converted into an enclosed ambulatory with entrances to it
from all four directions, frontal to each of the five shrines. The main entrance
to the west had an additional vestibule with a mandapa in front.
The edifice was originally meant to have been four-storeyed as described in the
inscription, but this masonry structure had collapsed, and today only the ground
floor is used, although a part of the second storey remains. The second storey
is attributed to have had images, and the remains of the stairway to this are
still seen at the back of the main image. The third storey is credited to have
had a recumbent image and the fourth, a stupa, in which sacred books were
enshrined. Once the two upper floors collapsed, the remaining structure was
roofed with a wooden canopy.
Shrine Chamber
The main image of the Buddha in the shrine is in a seated posture and is placed
under the makara-torana which occupies the entire rear wall of the room. It is
flankled by two upright Buddha statues standing at some distance from the north
and south walls. The wall surfaces and the ceiling are all covered with
paintings.
West Wall
The greater part of the west rear wall is occupied by the main image under the
makara-torana. The remaining portion to the proper left of the image contains a
portrayal of two conch-blowers turning towards the Buddha. The part to the
proper right of the Buddha shows a king standing in frontal pose, who is
probably Kirtisri Rajasimha. The main Buddha image is seated upon a decorated
throne under a massive makara-torana, leaning against an ornate cushion
decorated with sprigs of flowers and a diamond-patterned border. Each pillar of
the torana bears a prancing simha figure, supporting the capital which is
decorated with a sculptured makara. Painted representations of the arahants,
Sariputta and Moggallana, turning to the Buddha in a gesture of reverence, are
all seen to stand on either side. Close to the figure of Sariputta, there is
another painted representation of a conch-blower. The arch frame forms the pair
of makaras on either side, adorned with figures of painted walking lions topped
by a kirtimukha and the tree of Enlightenment. The four great gods of the Hindu
pantheon, together with their consorts and respective vehicles, play prominent
roles as attendant divinities to the Buddha. The gods, their
semi-anthropomorphic vehicles, and the goddess Parvati, hold their hands in a
worshipping attitude. Four Suddhavasa-Brahmas, raising their hands in
salutation, complete the set of attendant divinities behind the makara-arch.
North Wall
The lower part of the wall is covered with representations of ten arahants
holding flowers and turning towards the main image. This painting appears to
have been drawn over another row of smaller arahants figures, traces of which
are seen in the eastern corner of the wall. Above the arahants are two rows of
five identical panels containing representations of ten of the twenty-four
Buddhas of the Past. A rectangular panel with a standing image of the Buddha
occupies the upper western corner of the wall.
South Wall
The themes depicted upon the south wall, consisting of the Buddha and the
arahant figures, are identical with those on the north wall and are arranged in
the self-same manner.
East Wall
The narrow portions of the wall flanking the passage are also painted. The area
on the southern side contains two large figures of, first a nobleman, probably
the donor holding a sapu flower, and next, an attendant holding a basket of
flowers. Above them are two square panels depicting two of the twenty-four
Buddhas of the Past, a gajasimha motif and flower. The area on the opposite side
of the wall is filled in on the lower portion by two monks, corresponding in
size and position to the nobleman and his attendant, but this panel seems to
have been painted over an older scene, for some remnants of the earlier work can
still be seen. Above these are two panels depicting two of the twenty-four
Buddhas, similar to those on the opposite side of the passage.
Corbelling and Ceiling
The upper part of the wall, which is corbelled, displays several horizontal
bands decorated with various types of floral motifs. The ceiling displays
elaborate ornamentation centred on a hamsaputtuva drawn on an ornate background.
Arch
The wall surface, consequent to the thickness of the arch, is covered with
identical panels on either side. An elephant with a mahout occupied the lower
part and an elaborate double-scroll motif covers the space above. The vault
displays one of the most exquisite designs known for this type of architectural
space, with a hamsaputtuva motif drawn between two narilatas amidst the scrolls.
Antechamber
The narrow portions on either side of the passage which forms the western side
of the antechamber, display the scenes of the Seven Weeks after the Buddha's
Enlightenment. These are arranged in separate panels, one above the other. The
sequence begins on the upper part of the northern side and alternates between
the two walls. The events of the Fifth Week occupies two panels one above the
other.
North Wall
The painted wall space has been divided into four registers. The three upper
rows consist of the portrayals of twelve of the twenty-four vivaranas,
commencing from the upper corner on the west and each bearing an elaborate
written description of the proclamation concerned. The lowest register contains
the first seven of the sixteen sites, beginning with Mahiyangana, Nagadipa,
Kalyani, Padalancana, Divaguha, Dighavapi and Mutiyangana. The scenes are
separated from one another by an intervening tree.
South Wall
A similar arrangement, as in the opposite wall, displays the balance nine sacred
sites on the lowest register, beginning from the western corner, viz.,
Tissamahavihara, Bodhi, Maricavatti, Sonnamali, Thuparama, Abhayagiri, Jetavana,
Selacetiya and Kacaragama (Kataragama).
Ceiling
The arched ceiling is covered with patterns simulating a painted cloth. The
centre is filled in by a multi-petalled lotus motif surrounded by regular rows
of lotus rosettes. The intervening space is filled with leaf-patterns in
geometrical outline. A floral border runs round the composition, while edges are
appropriately lined with eave-tile patterns. The edge of the inner vault of the
door has a row of overlapping rosettes and a band of floral designs.
Door
The large arched door is adorned on the exterior with panels containing diverse
floral scrolls filling the geometrical spaces.
Porch
The porch is also arched, containing two pairs of sculptured guardians
brandishing swords. The ceiling shows the outlines of flower scrolls that
covered the whole space.
The subject-matter conforms to the traditional themes of the Kandyan period,
namely, the recording of the twenty-four Buddhas of the Past, the Twenty-four
Proclamations, the Seven Weeks and the Sixteen Sacred Sites. No narrative themes
have been painted inside the cella. Repetitive depictions of the Buddha, the
Buddhas of the Past, and the arahants occupy most of the painted space. Much
importance has been given to portrayals of historical figures, such as the king
(Kirtisri Rajasimha), the patron (Senalankadhikara) and the incumbent, probably
the Pirivena Maha Sthavira, Lanka Senvirat (the grandson of the founder). The
four godheads of the Hindu pantheon, Siva, Visnu, Brahma and Indra, whose
depictions normally appear in association with the makara-torana in other
shrines, have been given here added importance, by being provided with the
complete retinue of consorts and vahanas. This is in conformity with the
religious synthesis which had been brought about during this period, in
accommodating Hindu gods within the Buddhist shrine. The series of Jataka
stories are no longer found here, and even the episodes from the life of the
Buddha have been reduced to the depiction of the Seven Weeks after Enlightenment
and the Sixteen Sites believed to have been visited by him. The most striking
feature of Lankatilaka is the important role played by decorative elements,
which occupy as much space as didactice and devotional scenes. The designs used
are variant and most delicate especially those upon the ceiling, which are
unsurpassed in beauty and elegance in the history of art in Sri Lanka.
The majority of the paintings belong to
the time of Kirtisri Rajasimha (1747-1780 A.D.). The sculptured Buddha images,
makara-torana and its associated divinities were all probably contemporaneous
with the founding of the shrine in the fourteenth century, and were apparently
remodelled and repainted during the eighteenth century. Instances of repainting
do occur in the shrine room and in the porch. Clumsy and decadent imitations of
the elegant tree-motif upon the throne of the main Buddha image have been
repeated several times upon the walls of the shrine room. The same can be said
about certain motifs painted on the corbelled roof of the same room, displaying
poor reproductions of older designs.
The traditional pigments of the Kandyan painters have been used, but most
colours have been toned down into a harmonious scheme, avoiding the harsh
contrasts normally encountered in other temples. The usual colour for the trees
is grey-green, although creepers are on leaf-green. Bright red is used for the
background of the scenes and for flowers, although pink and grey are applied
alternatively for the lotus throne of the painted Buddha figures. The colour
combination of green and red for creeper-patterns on a white background is quite
distinctive. A special preference for white can be noticed in these paintings.
It regularly appears as the background of the decorative themes, the makara
figures, the pillars that support the makara-torana, as well as the cushion
behind the chief Buddha image. Black gives clear delineation to many complex
designs, while gold, applied to the sculptured figures of the Buddha, adds much
lustre to the entire colour scheme.
The main Buddha image which is large, is in proportion to the vast size of the
shrine. The Buddha figures wear the Kandyan style of robe. There is a tendency
towards positive squarish figure being favoured during this time. However, they
are distinctive in that there is an elongation of the torso and in the elegant
curves, which features could have been taken over from the fourteenth century
images of the shrine. The halo has a tall conical shape, different from the
cylindrical type with a curvilinear top usually encountered in the art of the
Kandyan period.
Each of the trees of Enlightenment of the twenty-four Buddhas shows an
individualistic character in the treatment of the branches and leaves. The
branches show serrated contours, which have no parallels elsewhere. The kadupul
flowers display a developed form, which is a combination of the usual form with
that of the other floral motifs. The hamsaputtuva motifs records the best
presentation of its kind in the realm of Kandyan period paintings. The narilatas
seen among delicate creepers with red flowers are, indeed, among the best of
their kind.
The use of the square panels as background for the repetitive depictions of the
Buddha recalls the style of Ridivihara, Gangarama and Dambava. The handpose,
however, is always the vitarka-mudra, in contrast to the samadhi pose
encountered at other places. The occurrence among them, of long panels
containing standing Buddha figures, is a special feature, which Lankatilaka
shares with Gangarama. The flower sprigs shown on the cushion behind the main
Buddha figurre are similar in form to those found at many other shrines, such as
Dambava, Dambulla and Gangarama, where such designs are contained within a
diamond-shaped frame. Decorative bands consisting of continuous rows of diamond
patterns are used exclusively. The alternating circle and diamond motif also
appears upon the prabhamandala of the standing Buddha figures, although
displaying a rather ornate form.
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