Kothduwa temple
| Kothduwa Raja Maha Vihara | |
|---|---|
| කොත්දූව රජ මහා විහාරය | |
 |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Kothduwa, Madu Ganga |
| Geographic coordinates | 06°18′26.7″N 80°03′06.9″E / 6.307417°N 80.051917°ECoordinates: 06°18′26.7″N 80°03′06.9″E / 6.307417°N 80.051917°E |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| District | Galle |
| Province | Southern Province |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Buddhist Temple |
| Founder | Samson Rajapakse |
| Completed | 1860s |
The Kothduwa temple, or Koth Duwa Raja Maha Viharaya, is a Buddhist temple located on Kothduwa Island on the Madu Ganga in southern Sri Lanka. The island is located in Galle District of the Southern Province approximately 35 km (22 mi) north of Galle and 88 km (55 mi) south of Colombo.
The temple is believed to have once sheltered the sacred relic of the tooth of the Buddha, circa 340 CE. The Bodhi tree on the island was planted from a bud of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi by Deva Pathiraja, minister to King Parakramabahu IV.
The temple and the island on which it is located both lie within the Maduganga Estuary. Kothduwa is one of 15 islands within the estuary. The biodiversity of the wetlands surrounding the temple is exceptional and 111 species of birds and 248 species of vertebrates have been recorded in the area. In 2006, the Department of Wildlife Conservation declared 2,600 hectares of the estuary a wildlife sanctuary. In 2003, 915 hectares of the Maduganga Estuary was declared a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The estuary and the 15 islands within, including Kothduwa became Ramsar Site 1372.
Access to the temple is by boat from Balapitiya, the nearest large town. The temple also operates its own boat for the purposes of running the temple, although it is sometimes used to pick up visitors. Those wishing to be collected by the temple boat should sound the horn and flash the headlights of their vehicle, from the access road on the mainland shore nearest the island.
As of 2006, Kothduwa temple was the residence of five priests, though several young novice monks also study at the temple and greet visitors. Ven. Omanthai Pugngnasara (also known as Ven. Omaththe Punnyasara) is the fourth incumbent of the temple, and has lived there for over 30 years.
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