Beddagane Veherakanda ruins
Beddagane Veherakanda ruins
Among the few remaining structures built using laterite during the Kotte Kingdom, one is located in Baddegana, named Vehera Kanda ruins. The place is about 4km from Pitakotte Junction, and can be reached traveling through a labyrinth of by roads.
Remaining Structures
An elevated rectangular shaped platform about 5.5 feet high holds two stupas surrounded by gigantic Na trees. The platform is 97 feet in length and 58 feet in width. There are two flights of steps made of laterite; leading up to the platform and one can go straight up to the stupas. One of the stupas is large in scale, about 30 feet in diameter and the smaller one is 24 feet in diameter. On the left of the structure one can see a foundation of a small shrine where possibly a statue of the Buddha may have been kept. Today no such statue can be seen. The land around the platform shows that there had been few other structures around this. However, one is only able to see the scattered stones; remnants of what once would have been part of a much larger temple complex.
History
Looking into the reasons this structure was built, the word ‘Vehera’ in Vehera Kanda meaning stupa, suggests that this indeed was a temple, where people came to worship. The remnants of the shrine itself are proof of that. However Professor Senerath Paranavithana had a different notion contradicting the theory that it is simply a temple. According to his theory, the stupas are the mausoleums of King Parakramabahu VI and his Queen Ranmenika. If that is true maybe the stupas later became a place of worship and was named Vehera Kanda. Some scholars believe that this is in fact a Kovil named Mahasen-Devarajapaya dedicated to God Kataragama.
