 Savendarapitiya Patthini DewalayaThe story of this Dewalaya (Gods' temple) begins in the period of King Buwanekabahu (4th) who reigned in the Gampola Kingdom between 1341 A.D and 1358 A.D. A number of relics and temples built by his kingdom remain in use today. Lanathilika Temple, Gadaladeniya Temple and Ambekke Dewalya are considered distinguishable monuments to the Sri Lankan culture and are popular visiting places of worship and appreciation. Savendarapitiya Dewalya is a small, simple temple, located in Pallegama (close to Nawalapitya) and has not been as frequently visited in our time. Its significance is perhaps, felt only by those who believe in the existence of goddess Patthini….. This story tells how the temple came to be and was told to my brother and I at Savendarapitya Dewalya by the Gurunnanse, Rathnayakemudiyanselage Vijekoon Bandara.
These seven princes were so wild in their childhood that their behavior toward the people of their country was cruel. The king Sri Ramasinghe couldn’t take the misconduct of his children anymore. He made them depart for another land by sailing them in a ship full of fortune. |
 As
they were sailing they became caught in a fierce thunderstorm which destroyed their
fortune and the crew. The goddess of the ocean -whose name was princess Muhudumanimekhala-
took pity on these young princes aged only seven years old because she knew they were
supreme beings who were to become gods. With her powers, she made a stone ship appear next
to the plunging ship of the seven princes. The princes survived with nothing but their
lives. On this stone ship they sailed near Sri Lanka. Although their were 9 harbours
around the island, the Gods of Sri Lanka did not allow them to anchor because they
believed there were evil spirits on the ship. Finally, they came close to Beruwala, then called Seenigama. Here they made a confession to goddess Patthini Dewalaya (her story is another one) relating to their wishes. As they were no ordinary children the goddess took pity on them and offered them seven places to inherit in Sri Lanka. These places are Veragoda, Beruwala, Nawagamuva, Kehelgamuva, Uswelikanda, Amanawala and Savendarapitiya.
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 The
prince who inherited Savendarapitiya wished every tree in the wood to become a sandalwood
tree. The area was a dense forest region. The folks of a nearby village informed their
King, Buwanekabahu, of this miracle. This was surprising news to him as the night before
he had dreamt of someone asking him to build a Dewalaya (place of worship) at the same
place. This is how the Dewalaya became.
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From that very day the place became sacred among the folks
of Sri Lanka. Every Wednesday and Saturday rituals are taking place by a Gurunnanse (the
person who prepares the offerings to  gods and makes prayers). Still people around the
region come to Savendarapitiya to make confessions about
their problems and to pray to heal them. Actually this place is miraculously calm. Even
though believing in these stories may be beyond our understanding, the meditation which
gives these rituals to our mind is beyond explanation. |
| Although almost 750 years old, the structure of the
building remains stedfast.
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Story and Photographs by, Nilantha sampath keerthirathne & kosala keerthrathne Email:originalkosala@email.com |
During his time, Kukusanda Buddha, (we believe in 28
kinds of Buddha) was offered ‘Mee amba’ (mango) by seven princes wishing
themselves to become gods. After their death they were born, again as seven princes, to
King Sri Ramasinghe whose castle was situated in the Vadigapura region in the city of
Kuduppura in India. 
There
are some woodcarvings which have been related to a famous temple of the same period,
Ambekke Dewalaya. Every year there is a big ceremony in order pray for prosperity for the
people and to show the goddess, Patthini, that we do really care about her. The rituals in
this ceremony are very colourful bringing many people to witness them. They include
firewalking, dancing and drumming