Highest carved Buddha statue in Sri Lanka

Compared to many other countries Sri Lanka has a great and long history. We have a 2500 years old Buddhist Civilisation. Still those ruins stand as witness to a rich cultural heritage specially in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. These ruins also prove that architecture too was of an incomparable standard in ancient times.

Archaeologists could not still determine how ancient Artists carved these magnificent works on massive rocks.

After the destruction by the Taliban vandals of the world's largest standing Buddha carved in the rock at the Bamiyan valley of Afghanistan located 230 km northwest of Kabul, the next largest Samadhi Buddha statue, carved into a granite cliff at a height of 67.5 feet has commenced construction at Vidyasagara Piriven Viharaya, Monaragala Rambadagalla, Rideegama.

On a suggestion the veteran Indian sculptor Padmasiri Silpakalamani M. Muththiah Sthapathi was requested to raise the highest carved statue in Sri Lanka.

The Granite Statue Community has already commenced activities on this venture from the year 2002.

This is another wonderful work of art and this breathtaking work was initiated by a few youth from an impoverished village called Rambadagalla in the outskirts of Kurunegala.

"Some villages and these few youths at Rambadagalla were saddened when they came to know of the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha by the Taliban in Afghanistan and wanted to retaliate but I impressed upon them that Buddhism was based on compassion and non-violence and not on reprisals," said Chief Priest, Ven. Egodamulle Amaramoli Thera.

Assistance to this project could be made by contacting Ven. Egodamulle Amaramoli Thera on 0372252018. The Thera meanwhile cautioned against dubious persons collecting funds for this project. (GP)