Nalanda Gedige

What?
This is an ancient stone temple blending Buddhist and Hindu architectural styles, believed to be the geographical center of Sri Lanka.

Where?
It is located in Matale District, Central Province, Sri Lanka, near Nalanda and approximately 146 km from Colombo.

When?
It can be visited all year long, but it is best visited during dry months (December to April) for easier exploration.

Nalanda Gedige is located 20 kilometers south of the Dambulla Temple, about 1 kilometer east of the A9. Nalanda is the name of the town in India where the great Buddhist university is, and Gedige is an image house. This unusual house was rebuilt when the Bowatenna Tank, which is part of the Mahaweli Ganga Program, was built.

The small building is designed like a Hindu temple with a mandapam (wall of waiting), an entrance hall (originally roofed), a short passage to a bare cell, and an ambulatory round the holy center. It is a curious hybrid of Buddhist and Hindu architecture. There is no sign of Hindu gods, but the temple is said to have been used by Buddhists. This is one of the earliest stone buildings constructed in Sri Lanka.

The richly decorated facade sections are predominantly in the 7th-century South Indian style. Kuvera (the god of wealth) appears on the south side of the tympanum over the sanctuary, a feature found only in Sri Lanka. The temple, nestled in a marvelous setting, is hard to tear yourself away from.