Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
led from the king's palace and under the moat to the queens' palace. However attractive
these stories are, historians have not been able to conclude why the palace was built.
Getting There & Away
Panduwasnuwara is about 17km southwest of Padeniya on the road between Wariyapola
and Chilaw. The turnoff to the site is at Panduwasnuwara village, where there is a tiny mu-
seum that's a dusty cliché. It's best visited with your own transport.
Ridi Vihara
Ridi Vihara
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
(donation Rs 200; 7am-4pm)
Literally the 'Silver Temple', Ridi Vihara is so named because it was here that silver ore
was discovered in the 2nd century BC. It makes for an interesting detour to see its wonder-
ful frescoes and the unusual Dutch tiles from Neduntivu (Delft).
The primary attraction is the golden statue in the main cave, called the
Pahala Vihara
(Lower Temple), which also houses a 9m recumbent Buddha resting on a platform decor-
ated with a series of blue-and-white tiles.
The tiles were a gift from the Dutch consul and depict scenes from the Bible, including
Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden.
The nearby
Uda Vihara
(Upper Temple) was built by King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe. The
entrance has a Kandyan-period moonstone. Some clever visual tricks were used by the
fresco artists; in one case, what appears to be an elephant reveals itself on closer inspection
to be a formation of nine maidens. Hindu deities and images of the Buddha are represented
in the caves.
Outside the temple complex you can see an abandoned
dagoba
at the top of a smooth
rocky outcrop. On the way up, to your right, is an ancient inscription in the stone, said to
have been etched on King Dutugemunu's behalf. An easy 10-minute walk starts to the
right of this abandoned dagoba (as you are walking up to it). Head past a modern pavilion
to an abandoned bungalow; nearby, on the top of the cliff there are the most magnificent
views.
