Gangaramaya Temple

The 120-year-old Gangaramaya is not the typical Sri Lankan temple. Situated in the bustling inner-city Colombo, nearby the scenic Beira Lake, this intriguing temple complex is simultaneously a hugely popular tourist attraction, a place of worship and a learning and vocational training center.
Rather than huge, open spaces and tranquility, expect huge collections of fascinating artifacts and crowds at Gangaramaya. The temple is mostly celebrated for its lavish architecture and statues showcasing Sri Lankan, Chinese, Thai, Burmese and many other artistic styles. The exterior of the temple is boldly decorated in elaborate designs and golden adornments. The temple grounds are black slate tiled, with various statues—Buddha, lion, nymph—and china vases placed randomly.
Two medium-height golden Buddha statues stand like sentinels at the door leading to the main sanctuary of the temple. The door itself is an impressive work of craftsmanship, with intricate wood carvings of elephants and swans reminiscent of the island’s ancient artisanship. (The door to the exit is similarly engraved.) The temple’s main sanctuary is a soothing room decorated in soft yellowish hues, housing a massive Buddha statue in meditation pose flanked by statuettes of heavenly creatures. The ceilings are enchantingly decorated with vibrant pastel paintings depicting Buddhist stories. The columns of the sanctuary are breathtakingly festooned with traditional Sri Lankan art. Many white-clad devotees go through the main sanctuary to offer colorful lotuses to the Buddha and exit out into the courtyard to light oil lamps and burn incense. There is a distinguishable stepped wall out here with many stone statues of the Buddha and stupas. The Bodhi tree and the courtyard of the coral-white stupa are excellent places to bask in serenity.
The temple’s most distinguishing feature is its treasure-trove museum that holds an innumerable number of Buddha statues from all over the world along with statues of Hindu gods, old watches, Dutch coins and many other antique collectibles. The temple museum proudly houses the smallest Buddha statue on the island, carefully encased in a glass box, which visitors can view with a magnifying class. Most of the bejeweled and shiny trinkets here are gifts from devotees to the temple’s head monk, Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Thero, one of the island’s most recognizable religious figures, who assumed administration of the Gangaramaya as a 16-year-old novice monk. An ardent traveler, the temple is overrun by outlandish souvenirs Gnanissara Thero has gathered from places he’s been to, such as a “hip” Buddha statuette sporting a pair of sunglasses. The venerable monk is also an antique car lover and visitors can marvel at his collection of old Rolls-Royces and Mercedes, including Sri Lanka’s very first Mercedes.
The stunning Gangaramaya temple is open to everyone, regardless of faith, for an entrance fee of Rs. 100 per adult.

History Of The Temple
What was once a swamp adjoining the famous Beira Lake, a landmark in the capital city, is today a vibrant complex comprising the Gangaramaya temple, the ‘seema malaka’ – an assembly hall for monks – in the picturesque Beira Lake and a vocational training institute. The temple has been in existence for over 120 years having being established by one of the most famous scholar monks, Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumanagala Nayaka Thera, founder of the Vidyodaya Pirivena, originally an institute of oriental learning for monks, now a State University – Sri Jayewardenapura University.
He appointed his chief pupil, Devundera Sri Jinaratana Nayake Thera to administer the temple. He laid the foundation to convert the small temple to what it is today – an institution of international reckoning. He made Buddhist texts available to the masses, collected Buddhist artifacts, in addition to the normal facilities for devotees to worship.
When Devundera Vacissara Nayaka Thera succeeded him, further expansion of the temple’s activities was undertaken including the establishment of the Sri Jinaratana Vocational Centre in memory of his teacher monk.

Annual Pageant
The Navam Perahera, held annually in February, displays the rich religious and cultural tradition of Sri Lanka. Hundreds of monks clad in colourful robes solemnly walking in the procession are a unique sight. Youth clad in white carrying Buddhist flags march in front. Sacred relics housed in a casket are carried by a majestic elephant on its back. Dancers display the different types of dances prevalent in different parts of the country. So do the drummers who exhibit their skill in handling numerous forms of drums. Many elephants also participate.

Training The Youth
Over 50 technical courses including electronics, motor mechanism, tinkering, painting, blacksmithy work, welding and electric wiring are conducted at the Sri Jinaratana Training Institute. Over 7,000 attend classes daily.
No fees are charged.
Secretarial courses and English classes are a big draw.
At least 40 training centres have been established in the outstations.
At the end of the training, they are given a helping hand.
Tel: (+94) 11 2386638

Social Services
The Proposed Development Project planned to be launched under the Gangaramaya Monastery for the benefit and well-being of the people of the Hambantota District
The main segments that will be focused upon by this project are –
1. Spiritual Development
2. Health Development
3. Educational Development
4. Economic Development

Spiritual Development
Under this segment, we plan to establish an International Meditation Centre and a Centre for Mental Well-being. This Centre will be constructed, complete with facilities conducive to the development of physical and mental well-being of people, both local and foreign. The Centre will be adapted to its locale.
To maintain this institution a Board of Advisers will be appointed:

This Board will be made up of Monks who are engaged in meditation and of Guides of Mental Development.
The following are the constructions that are proposed for this Project.

1. An office to maintain the buildings of this institution and a home from which various service operations are conducted.
2. Thirty cells, equipped with modern facilities, constructed mainly in wood, conducting to physical and mental health.
3. A Meditation Hall, with accommodation for a large group to mediate together.
4. A building with state-of-the-art equipment, that could be utilised to achieve mental well-being.
5. Promenades.

Health Development
We intend to set up a Centre of Indigenous Medicine that gives pride of place to indigenous therapy that is getting faded from our society in our health development schemes and a Garden of Medicinal Herbs, needed for that therapy. We intend to maintain this Centre, fully equipped with the material and human resources, along with a Medical Team, that could meet the requirements of both local and foreign patients. The following are the proposed constructions for the activities of this Centre.

1. An office for construction work and maintenance and a house for service operations.
2. Constructions needed for the Ayurvedic Residential Medical Centre.

Educational Development
In this segment our special attention is focused upon the youth groups who drop out of the formal school education.
We intend to set up a Vocational Training Centre, calculated to develop their language efficiency and information technology awareness, along with the training of motor car driving and the development of skill in mechanics. For this purpose an experienced Board of Advisers and an Administration Office will be established. The following are the proposed construction:

1. An office for construction work and maintenance and a House for Service Operations.
2. Vocational School Building (Computer Unit, Driving School, Motor-Mechanics etc., will be included in the curriculum).

Economic Development
The primary aim of this segment is the economic empowerment of the poor and underprivileged people of this region.
To achieve this purpose, we intend to establish a fully-equipped Diary Farm. This Diary Farm will consist of vegetable cultivation, growing fruit-trees, cultivation of paddy etc. For the activities of this Dairy Farm, the labour of the poor people in this region will be utilised. We plan to take steps to pay them a wage that will enable them to improve their standard of living.

Environment
At a time when deforestation has become a serious problem, Podi Hamuduruwo has taken the initiative in a massive reforestation project. A ‘Tree Bank’ with a wide variety including teak, mahogany, jak and herbal plants has been established in a 740-acre property at Urumutta Estate, Akuressa. Plants from these nurseries are regularly distributed among those interested.
A block of land with rare species of trees adorns the site of the rest rooms at Kataragama.