Question 1

What is the Asgiri Viharaya in Kandy?

Accepted Answer

The Asgiri Viharaya is one of Sri Lanka's two principal Buddhist monastic chapters, located in Kandy. Its Chief Prelate shares custodianship of the sacred Tooth Relic and plays a leading role in major national ceremonies including the Esala Perahera. The complex includes a historic shrine hall, a chapter library, and the royal burial courtyard known as the Adahana Maluwa.

Question 2

What is a Gedige in Sri Lankan temple architecture?

Accepted Answer

A Gedige is a style of Buddhist shrine built using solid masonry in a manner reminiscent of South Indian Hindu temples, combining a robust stone or brick exterior with Sinhala Buddhist iconography inside. Examples are relatively rare in Sri Lanka, making the Gedige at the Adahana Maluwa precinct a notable architectural specimen of the Kandyan period.

Question 3

Is the Asgiri Viharaya open to tourists?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Asgiri Viharaya welcomes respectful visitors. Entry to the outer grounds and main shrine areas is generally open, though certain monastic zones are restricted. Visitors must remove footwear, dress modestly with covered shoulders and knees, and behave quietly throughout.

Question 4

What is the Adahana Maluwa at Asgiri Viharaya?

Accepted Answer

The Adahana Maluwa is a sacred courtyard within the Asgiri complex that served as the burial and cremation ground for Kandyan royalty and senior clergy. Stone markers and inscriptions within the space document figures from the Kandyan period. It is one of the few such royal funerary grounds in Sri Lanka that remains intact and accessible.

Question 5

How do I get to Asgiri Viharaya from Colombo?

Accepted Answer

Kandy is typically two and a half to three hours from Colombo by road or by the scenic hill-country train. Within Kandy, the Asgiri Viharaya is a short tuk-tuk or taxi ride from the city centre and the Temple of the Tooth. Lakpura can arrange private transfers and guided visits from Colombo or elsewhere in Sri Lanka.

Question 6

What is the role of Asgiri Viharaya in the Esala Perahera?

Accepted Answer

The Asgiri Mahanayaka Thero (Chief Prelate) presides over key Perahera ceremonies, and the Asgiri chapter fields its own procession of elephants, drummers, and torch bearers that forms a distinct section of the grand Randoli Perahera. The two chapters — Asgiri and Malwatte — alternate in leading the religious rites associated with the Tooth Relic.

Question 7

Is there an entry fee for Asgiri Viharaya?

Accepted Answer

There is generally no fixed admission fee for the main temple precinct. Donations to the shrine are customary and go toward the upkeep of the monastic community and buildings. Separate charges may apply for specific guided experiences arranged through tour operators.

Question 8

What other temples can I combine with a visit to Asgiri Viharaya?

Accepted Answer

The Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) is the most logical companion visit, as Asgiri's religious identity is closely tied to the Tooth Relic. The Degaldoruwa Rajamaha Viharaya, a short drive from central Kandy, is worth including for its outstanding Kandyan-period murals. Combining these sites makes for a comprehensive day of Buddhist heritage in the hill capital.

Asgiri Viharaya - Adahana Maluwa Gedige Viharaya

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Degaldoruwa Rajamaha Viharaya

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