Sri Lanka - Rolf Gross

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Nalanda Gedige3rd cent - 11th cent ADNalanda Gedige in Sri Lanka appears to be a Theravada, Mahayana and Tantric sanctuaryof the 3rd cent - 10th century AD in Sri Lanka. It was brought to my attention by JanakaBandara. New photos by Radek Scibior (private communication 2008) allow a betterguess at the date and origin of the structuresVery little is known about this site. An inspection of the GE map shows two structures: acircular stupa and a rectangular temple.The circular building turns out to be an early Buddhist brick stupaof the 2 nd or 3rd cent AD,The rectangular structure is a temple, named after Nalanda ,India, (9 th cent). It is made of locallime stone and appears to date from the 9th or 10th cent (also related to Chola temples). It's
external sculpture, heavily weathered, is decidely Tantric. It may well be late MahayanaBuddhist but might also be Shaivite Tantric temple.A Buddha,and a Tantric sculptureon the outside of the temple, 10-11 th centuryThe intriguing question is that this site lies in Shri Lanka which originally (2nd cent BC -5th cent AD) was Theravada Buddhist. Sri Lanka was partially converted to the Mahayanaby the Chola in the 5th cent AD and in the 13th cent it was reconverted to the Theravadaby missionaries from Southeast Asia. - If Buddhist this would be one of the rare Tantricsites known on the subcontinent and their most southern one.My thanks go to Radek Scibior, who contributed the photos. I would appreciate anycomments from knowledgable archeologists.
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Sri Lanka - Rolf Gross

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