Kathaluwa old Temple
Kathaluwa ancient temple was built when British subdued Sri Lanka on to their hand. After six months of getting Sri Lanka on to their hand British built this Kathaluwa ancient temple. Kathaluwa ancient temple is very famous because of wood murals in the statue house. Most of the people who studied art as a subject has surely heard about this place. Statue house of Kathaluwa temple had built according to a Thai architectural style. It is an octagonal building. Costumes and traditions in Kathaluwa ancient temple murals are very similar to Mulkirigala temple
Among those murals there are two dissimilar murals. First one shows an image about European soldiers who dressed with European dresses by holding guns and the way they are participating to a Buddhist procession. The second mural shows how Buddha’s relics takes after the great parinirvana.
When I visited Kathaluwa ancient temple I was able to take some pictures.
This printing press was imported to Sri Lanka from England. This printing press firstly unloaded at Galle harbor. After that the printing press was taken to the Galle Paramanada Temple. The printing press was taken to the Kathaluwa ancient temple in 1891, till that printing press was in Galle.
The building which used for the printing press was destroyed by fire in November 2012. I visited Kathaluwa ancient temple in April 2013 and I saw the destroyed building. The destroyed printing press building was reconstructed in 2014.
There are two temples separated by a one wall at the area of Kathaluwa ancient temple. I don’t expect to mention reasons for that. Both temples were constructed in 1820. To notice the attraction of Kathaluwa ancient temple needs to identify the right Kathaluwa temple. Directions – Road: Take Madolduwa Road and take the A2 to your left for the second road (when coming from the Colombo side). Turn right at the first T-junction you see on this road. The temple is located at the end of this road. The total distance from the A2 road turn to the temple is 1 km.
