GANGARAMAYA TEMPLE
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This Buddhist temple is one of the most important in Colombo. It dates from 1885 and was founded by the monk Hikkaduwe Sri Sumanagala Nayaka Thera. It is composed of several buildings whose architecture uses Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese styles. It is particularly representative of Buddhist temples in that it includes a main temple, a pagoda, a sacred tree symbolizing spiritual awakening(bodhi tree) and an assembly hall for the monks. The number of accumulated objects makes the place look like an antique market.
The temple was built to house a monk. Don Bastian, a wealthy shipowner, bought the swampy land and had it drained and refloated at great expense. The temple was built with the help of the community. The sacred tree comes from Anuardhapura and was planted by Don Bastian.
Since 1979, the Navam Perahera festival is held every year in February and is the most important religious event in Colombo. On this occasion, there is a big procession in front of the temple. This is led by an elephant carrying an altar in which a relic of Buddha is placed. The procession involves a hundred elephants, a multitude of monks, drummers, musicians, dancers... And a crowd that came in large numbers.
The Seema Malakaya Temple, located on the nearby Beira Lake, is attached to the Gangaramaya Temple. This one was financed by a Muslim patron. This group of temples reflects inter-religious tolerance.
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Members' reviews on GANGARAMAYA TEMPLE
- C'est l'un des rares temples uniquement dédié à Buddha (les autres temples possèdent des chapelles dédiées à des Dieux).
- Si Gangarama est basé sur une structure Theravâda, il intègre des éléments Mahayana.
- il reprend des éléments d’architectures religieuses de Thaïlande, de chine, de Birmanie et d’Indonésie.
- Il possédé une magnifique " salle d'adoration".
- Le découvrir prend plusieurs heures.
- Gangarama Pensele est l'épicentre du bouddhisme.
Boudha n'est pas un Dieu, mais un guide. Comme il n'a aucun pouvoirs surnaturel, il est inutile de lui demander quoi que ce soit; nous devons juste le remercier, si possible avec un cadeau.
-Gangarama Pensele rassemble, depuis plus d'un siècle, toutes les offrandes faites pour Bouddha à Sri Lanka. Dans les entrepôts de Gangarama il y a de l'or, des livres, du santal,des ivoires, des pierres. Il y a aussi un rouleau compresseur à vapeur, deux wagons de funiculaire, une Rolls-Roys,deux Daimlers, de la céramique de Delphe, trois pistolets, quatre sabres, des centaines de paires de lunettes.......
Insolite: la plus petite statue de Bouddha, qu'on doit observer à la loupe, dans la salle près de la sortie.