Ridi Viharaya

Ridi viharaya is very famous temple among the sinhala Buddhists.it is situated in Kurunegala district and a village called Ridigama.the temple is categorized as "Rajamaha Vihara" because the maintenance of the temple is sponsored by the ancient kings in sri lanka.In the kandy times the temple becomes a "Raja maha vihara."Here we can see lot of rock paintings.there also we can a big cave.the temple is built with the cave.but today the rock paintings are destroyed. their colors are shaded.you can go to ridi viharaya by to ways.one is the new road.and other is the foot steps.nearly two thousands three hundred years ago sinhala buddhist monks was lived in this caves.one of the famous monk of them is Dhamma Rakkhithe thero.

Ridigama Temple

you can see some letters in the rocks.those can not readable because they are in a different letter system.the letters  were used in Anradhaparu Era in Sri Lanka.The history says that those letters are first used in the time of Dewanam Piyathissa.here we can see Brahmi Letters that was used in ancient Sri Lanka.they are curved in rock caves.there are nearly Twenty Five rock caves in this place.The main temple is situated under a large rock cave.The theme of most rock paintings are Lord Buddha.According to the Arts we can see the Artist must have a good talent to do a good art like this.there are manny buddha statues.on the other hand we can see some statues of gods.on the other hand we can see some "Brahmi Scripts " inside some caves there.there some flower pantings.we can see five buddha satatues standing inside the temples.according to the Mahawansa the statues were painted in gold.the statues were recognized as the five Buddhas.On the other hand you can see some pained tiles.they shows the life of   Jesus Crist.you can see some elephant tusk curvings.they are take in a glass box for the protection of this curvings.You can see the famous curving called "Panchanarighataya".means five womens in a pot.the paintings were painted by Dewaragampala Silwaththana.in some paintings the War of Rawana is painted.there are two dagobas in this temple.one is situated in the temple and other is situated in the Sarasamugala Rock.first dagoba we can see inside the cave.it is protected by the cave.on other hand we can see some rock around the temple.they are Dolukanda,Ritigala Kanda,Atipola Kanda and aome other rocks.Here we can see a strange temple.it is called "Waraka Waldu wiharaya".According to falktales It got it names beacause Indraguptha maharath Thero have surved jackfruit here.jak fruit is called "Waraka".This wiharaya got the shape of the Hindu architecture designs.Ridi Viharaya means Silver Temple.How It got its name?Once upon time of the king Dutugamunu.A salesman was going to Malaya Rata in ancient sri lanka.when its dark he and his people stay near a place to ridigama temple.when he was in there he saw a jackfruit there.and when he is going to eat he a rahath monks were attended there.Indraguptha rahath thero was in there and the saleman surved jack fruit to the monks.after he is going to leave monks show a road to go.when he was going through the way he saw some silver source in a cave.King dutugamunu came there and developed the temple and the silver were used to build the Ruwanweli saya one of the greatest dagobas in Sri Lanka.