Nalanda Gedige / Matale

Is an old stone building believed to be located in the center of Sri Lanka? What most people don’t know is that it was removed from its original place and relocated about 80 feet further from its original location. This was because the original location was flooded because of the Bowatenna tank. Everything was reconstructed using the original material and it is considered one of the best examples of restoration archaeology. It’s hard to call Nalanda Gedige as a temple because it was used as a place of worship both by the Buddhist and the Hindu’s. There are statues of Lord Buddha and there are also statues of Hindu gods. Because Sri Lankan kings used to marry Indian princesses they needed a place to worship together, hence statues and items related to both the religions. Although the place is rich with history it is not a tourist hotspot, most probably because it’s located in less traveled path.

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