Nalanda Gedige, Matale | Timings, History

Nalanda Gedige, Matale Overview

Nalanda Gedige is an ancient stone temple situated within the Matale district. The initial location of the temple was considered the centre of Sri Lanka.

Nalanda Gedige is also known to be a temple worshipped by the Buddhists. Along with its prolonged history, some scholars suggest that the ancient temple is of Mahayana faith which was known for its tantric lessons and learnings. The Nalanda Gedige temple's architecture aligns Hindu temples, such as the entrance of the temple, a mandapa (pillared hall), and an ambulatory round to the centre of the holy temple. The combination of art and religion highlights the Nalanda Gedige temples' beauty and allows one to understand the rich and deep meaning behind the masterpiece.

History of Nalanda Gedige

Dating back to the Sinhalese monarchy, the Nalanda Gedige was built around 1,000 years back to restore the ethnic diversity of the Sinhalese ethnicity which was during then deteriorating. Since then the temple of Nalanda Gedige has undergone renovation, displacement, and relocation which was due to the efforts of the then archaeological commissioner Mr H. C. P. Bell. His vision and plan for the temple laid the foundation of the renovation of the beautiful historical site. The temple was converted into an official archaeological site during the year 1893 and the period of the 1980s was the period of the shrine during which much changes took place regarding the temple restoration. With regards to its infrastructure and cultural blend, the temple represents a Hindu and Buddhist affiliation.

How To Reach Nalanda Gedige

The temple of Nalanda Gedige is situated near the city of Matale on Gedige road. There are also buses available from Colombo from the Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal in every 2.5 hours. The bus route is from Colombo to Kurunegala and from Kurunegala to Nalanda Gedige one has to catch a private taxi costing around 3298.97 LKR.

One can also book private cabs from Colombo to Nalanda Gedige (147.6 Kms) costing around 12688.37 LKR.