NEWAKADA SHELGIRI TEMPLE

 Some of our creations related to history are truly amazing. Great lifeless boulders have been transformed into living Buddha statues. This statue depicts the infinite merits of the Buddha. Sweat on the other hand is the smell of our people shedding tears.

Religious devotion is fundamental to these constructions, but it is a wonderful comfort to look at them.

So, even as I look forward to it, I still feel the comfort I mentioned earlier. We went to that comforting place the other day. That ship to the Selgiri temple.

When we got there the scent of flowers mixed with the scent of incense. The surroundings are beautiful. Ehela petals fell across the courtyard.

Suddenly with this environment my mind feels like it has been dragged away. With the feeling of sitting next to the aforesaid Aukana Buddha statue.

It is in this temple that the largest stone Buddha statue in Sri Lanka is located. Many people know about this temple when it is mentioned that the ship is Selgiri Vihara. Because with the creation of the statue, this temple has become famous among many people. The name of the standing statue is made of stone in this way. We would like to remind you that this sacred place is located in the Nawakada village in the Udubaddawa Divisional Secretariat Division. There is an old saying that the village, the temple, the lake and the dagoba were the pride of our country. The location of this Selgiri is a proof of that saying. Because the sacred area is located in front of the ship Mahawewa.

You probably know what a temple grounds are. So that said, the coolness of the lake surface brings together a wonderful experience.
“Prince Taniyawallabha who started the construction of the Madampe Thaniwella Devalaya has ruled this area as a prince. During this time, the lake with his elephant bathing corridors became famous as a shipyard. It is said that this sacred place got its name as you said.

This is the largest Buddha statue ever erected in the history of Sri Lanka. This statue is made of a naturally occurring rock. The Buddha statue is about 65 feet high. In front of the statue is a beautiful pond. This pond was not created naturally. That object was built by our own hands.

After offering flowers and lamps in front of the huge Buddha statue, we decided to take a walk in the temple grounds. The soft sand gave our soles a delicate feel. Ehela Thurupath Sevana added a wonderful feeling to that subtlety. There is no doubt that this quiet and peaceful environment is truly a comfort to a busy life.

However, this temple which was in a state of disrepair for a long time has been restored to its present condition. The Chief Incumbent of the temple is Ven. Yatagama Gnanukkavansa Thero who has taken the lead in this work.

As mentioned earlier, with the creation of the Buddha statue, the number of devotees coming to worship at these places has now increased. Due to this we have a responsibility not to pollute the sacred land. Because otherwise these values ​​will not be seen by the next generation.