HISTORY OF

ARCHITECTURE

SRI LANKAN STUDIES - I

ASSIGNMENT 2

NAME: P. M. S. SEGERA
INDEX NO: D/BAC/23/0001
INTAKE 40

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DEVELOPMENT OF IMAGE HOUSES
THROUGHOUT SRI LANKAN HISTORY

INTRODUCTION:

In the environment of organic Buddhist monasteries in ancient Sri Lanka, the image house, also known
as the Pilimage, was the most straightforward and reliable functional design. In the course of its
historical growth, an image home exhibits a wide variety of design shapes.
Based on its floor layouts, which were distributed throughout the country up until the 13th century and
divided into four primary image house traditions in ancient architecture, as follows,

 Square and rectangular ground plan.

 Sanctum or garbhagara and frontier vestibule or mandapa type ground
plan.
 Gedige or Ginjakavasata plan.
 The image house which was established within the cave or rock shelter
called Len Viharaya.
 The Tem Pita pilimage or an image shrine was constructed on stone
columns (stumps).

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Within the Bodhigara premises, three image homes were constructed during the reign of King Mahasen.
These image houses were situated next to the famous stone Buddhist rail of the Jetavana main Bodhi,
which surrounded the site. Another placement pattern involves certain image houses being in the Stupa
maluva and others being next to the Vatadage area.

The other most appealing spatial organization plan for the image houses could be described as free-
standing image houses positioned within a separate malaka that is connected to the surrounding monks'
housing units. The Abhayagiriya, Jetavana, and Mihintale monasteries in Anuradhapura are examples
of the Mahavihara form of organization, which have been identified and understood as Panchayatana
Pirivena complex while being relatively specific and pre-planned. These building units' spatial
organization layout features a center quincunx that was used as an image shrine.

1. Single roof type Kutagara- Cella

a. A Square ground plan for seated and standing images and oblong shape ground plan
for the recumbent and composite images.

Ridee Kanda image house

In terms of architecture, the eremitical or monastic cell, the kuti, is the ancestor of the image
house. The element must have been a part of the design of Buddha image houses since the time
when the first anthropomorphic statues appeared, and it may even have preserved some of the
original aesthetic of the cells or pavilions that originally housed those early statues. In actuality, it
is intended to serve as a single bedroom for a Buddha statue, which once in a while in the late

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Anuradhapura period was multiplied into three or more figures to occupy the central position
within the shrine chamber. Examples are as follows,

 Nagalakanda image house-1

 Dambegoda Bodhisattvaghara
 Kottapitiya image house at Bakamunna

The cella picture house at Rideekanda in Gomarankadawala, Trincomalee district, has reflected
a very early version of the square type ground plane. Architecturally, which depicts an early
period of construction, the pillars supporting the roof were only built to a height of 155
centimeters, and their edges are extremely rough and uneven. The door placement's orientation
pattern was quite unclear and peculiar. This single-roof form of gandhakuti was most likely built
between the second and third centuries A.C.

A standing Buddha statue with a height of 3.8 meters was

housed in the Buddha pada or costa of cella, which was
revealed to be an extremely developed and intricate
organization with a square ground plan dating to the eighth
century.

The side entryway, which was located in the middle of the

south wall and closest to the right angle of the main
entrance, is the most notable architectural element of this
image house. It was placed at the south-east corner of the

Nagalakanda left side wall. According to the criteria of this ground plan type, a traditional
vestibule or mandapa has not yet been found in front of the sanctum, making
this the only example that has been documented thus far. It was a side gateway that was fixed to
the sanctum or cella. Examples are as follows,

 image house at Mihintale hospital complex

 Ovagiriya, Kottapitiya at Bakamuna
 Medirigiriya 1 and 2 image houses

b. Central quincunx of the panchayatana pirivena.

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At least 12 shrines in Anuradhapura are connected to "Panchayatana" complexes at the
monasteries of Abhayagiri, Jetavana, and Mihintale. The central quincunx, which was frequently
utilized as a multi-story prasada image house, is the major building in this form of organic
organization. There are five building units total, four of which were positioned at each corner of
the precinct. The ground plane was created with an oblong shape in mind. In every instance when
this type of image house was discovered, a yantra gala, or relic stone, with 25 pockets and a
Padma pitha, or rounded lotus pedestal, that was set against the center point in front of the
screen wall with a standing Buddha figure fixed upon it, was discovered. All of these items are
made of stone.

Central Building of the

Panchayatana Pirivena at
Abhayagiri Vihara

c. An independent image house for recumbent Buddha figure and composite figures.

When the entire shrine was built with a rectangular ground plan and a single roof out of brick and
clay mortar, and the images were cast in brick and stucco, this style of image house was created. The
earliest free-standing image house for recumbent figures is Mihintale, which was highlighted in the
organic monastery scheme and was more intricate in that it has triple entry, was built in the 7th
century A.C. But the image buildings of oblong shape plan with the oldest possible antiquity were
located in the Kirivehera maluva at Kataragama, which was used to house composite figures. Out of

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these examples from the 11th and 12th centuries, the quadrangle at Polonnaruwa stands out as a far
more remarkable example of an artistically designed image house layout. It has an exterior verandah
formed by a circumambulation walk that around the center cella.

The third category of the oblong form ground plan style image houses for recumbent figure reached
its culmination when free-standing buildings were built around a carved-out-of-rock picture. In these
situations, the image shrine was built using masonry and had a timber roof. For these, example are as
follows,

 Thantrimale
 Atharagollava

2. Double roof type Kutagara

A floor plan combines a vestibule or sanctum with a frontier veranda, mandapa, or vestibule.
Evolution processes of the spatial organization on this type of ground plan was reflected by three
stages of development are as follows.

 Originate stage

There are no divisions between these two architectural units and the sanctum with frontier vestibule.
This design, which is still in its early stages, consists of a basic square room or cella without any
discernible interior divisional elements and a modest projecting entryway. This pronaos, also known
as a porch, was smaller than a cella. The shrine chamber, the largest spatial entity across the entire
building, is only big enough to hold the Buddha picture.

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In Polonnaruva, an image house was recently discovered beneath Siva Shrine No. 1, which had been
dismantled for conservation purposes by the architectural conservators of the Central Cultural Fund.
When this location was investigated by an archaeologist, who could confidently identify this priceless
image house and the earlier stage one of its type of construction process, only the sanctum and frontal
entryway were visible, with no additional architectural elements. Presumably that this image of a
house dates to the first century of double-roof construction,
which would be the early fourth century A.C. Maligavila No. 2
Image House ought to be included in this initial stage of
building. The organization of this temple, which was a part of
the Panchayatana Pirivena complex, was comparable to that of
the Abhayagiri Vihara complex.

Abhayagiriya – Site 30

 Second stage

The sanctum and vestibule are separated by an inner door, and the area around the sanctum has
room for an ambulatory passage or circumambulation path. which gather within the sanctum's outer
wall. In the current phase of image house development, the shrine chamber and vestibule are not
divided. Although there may have been a brief separation between the two, they were undoubtedly
designed as a single unit from an architectural standpoint.

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 Jetavana - 40 Madirigiriya

 Third stage

Establish an inner chamber for the Buddha image inside the sanctum, which also contains a
circumambulation channel. In addition, establish an Antarala between the sanctum and the frontier
vestibule, with four doors positioned on each face. A particular organization constructed a brick wall
to mark off its inner space. Three or four clusters of columns are placed in each corner of the sanctum
in accordance with a specific layout in order to support the roof of the sanctum. Although there is a
side doorway on the vestibule's right wall for pilgrims to utilize when they have finished walking from
the image house.

The two image homes that were the earliest examples of image houses with side entrances were
discovered on the grounds of the Jetavana Bodighara temple, where they were located next to the
north and south east corners of the stone rail that surrounded the Bodighara. When discussing the
orientation and side door placement in the vestibule of these two cases, an architecturally significant
difference was highlighted when compared with more later developed 8th to 10th century image house

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plans. This difference is that the subsidiary doorway
has been placed on the vestibule's left wall rather than
the correct right hand side wall. After the necessary
excavation work was completed on the property, it was
possible to compare the stratified layer details and
determine that the two picture houses date to the very
first decade of the third century A.D. to the fourth
century A.D. These two patimagharas served as a
reflection for other architectural elements that were
extremely likely to have been constructed around this
time.
Viharahinna

Anuradhapura's image house, which was built on the

grounds of a vatadage, has more recent extensions, but
the original design can still be seen as a typical inner
cella or sanctum with a vestibule that is smaller than
the sanctuary. The addition of a second doorway,
positioned axially in the middle, and the enclosure of the porch or vestibule represented a further
evolution in the design.
The Panchavasa Pirivena or so-called moated sites or Pabbatha vihara, which are located in the
periphery of Anuradhapura, far from the central monasteries of three major sects, namely the
Mahavihara, the Abhayagiri vihara, and the Jetavana vihara, are another meticulously planned and
perennial form of development on the double roof type image house ground plan.

One can make a number of generalizations when looking at the Pancavasa monasteries' planning
philosophy as it is described in the treatise known as the vastuvidya Sastreya by Manjusri. When
thinking about pitha and upa pitha plans, one can divide these structures into three major types. The
first of these three needs to be mentioned in this discussion of the growth of image houses. According
to the pertinent codas, this monastery form, which consists of five religious edifice units, was known as
Pancavasa, and the Manjusri Silpa book enacted its placing scheme within the sacred quadrangle. The
series of generalizations comprised of these five units.

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1. Sabha (Assembly Hall) Tholuvila
2. Bimbalaya(Image House)
3. Caitya(Stupa)
4. Rajavrksa(Bodhi)
5. Prasada(Uposatha Hall)

The Bimbalaya or Patimaghara was expressed the most

specifically elaborated design in this pre-planned vihara
complexes. The inner sanctuary's floor is often paved with
stone slabs, and its architectural design is nearly square.
Illustration of the Buddha is positioned in the room's center,
behind the worshippers, on a pedestal with enough space for
them to round the statue. The pedestal, which is frequently
put over a Yanthregala relic container, is typically made of
stone. The sanctum is rectangular, and the outer bay is
oblong with a narrower width. The only function of this outer
bay is that of a lobby because the worshipper enters the shrine room by the outer bay's main door and
continues through this into the inner sanctuary. The way out is distinct in that the worshiper uses a
side exit to the right rather than the main entrance to leave through this outer bay. Together, the
inner sanctum and the outside bay are set on a raised platform, or plinth, whose shape is comparable
to that of the two components. Originally, both units had roofs and tiles, but the superstructure,
including the walls, has vanished entirely.

The ancient Sri Lanken master architects and engineers who worked after the 10th century in the
Polonnaruva period completed the pinnacle of the double roof type of home construction using brick
and timber techniques. The two Dhatugharas (Relic Houses) Atadage and Hetadage in Polonnaruva
were the best examples because they featured exhibition layouts that integrated the sanctum and
vestibule into one unit while retaining the traditional side entrance. In these two Dhatugharas, the
images were arranged so that there was room for a complete circumambulation at the back. Palle
Male, or ground flour, was the name given to these Dhatugharas' image shrines. The masters' relics
were kept in the upper levels of both of these Dhatugharas. The design of the building appears to have
been more sophisticated when compared to double roof type picture house plans that were available in
the 8th and 9th centuries. Examples are as follows,
 Atadage built by king Vijayabahu the great in 11th century.
 Hatadage built by king Nissanka Malla in 12th century.

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 The last proofs of this type of picture house plan were created at
Paduvasnuvara during the 12th century by architects and builders
who worked for King Parakramabahu the Great. The brick wall and
doorway that separated the vestibule and sanctuary from one another
served as two discrete architectural elements.

Atadage

3. Gedige image house pattern

The architectural units that make up the "GEDIGE" construction method, which is based on a
ground plan, are the vestibule, the sanctum, and the frontier mandapa. Its monuments, which can be
seen today at Anuradhapura and Polannaruwa, have vaulted roofs made completely of brick.
Therefore, it applied to vaulted structures made of brick. Except for the door and window frames,
which are made of stone, the building is totally made of brick; wood was not used in the design of the
building, not even for the roof. The portions of buildings like the Gedige shrine in Anuradhapura,
Thuparama, and Lankatilake in Polonnaruva that have been preserved still show the dome's
springing.

Even while they don't fundamentally depart from the traditional cella (Sanctum) - cum- vestibule
plan, the double roof type Kutagara plan goes through some variations in its conventional
design. When examining the ground plans, it is also clear that the double roof type ground plan and
the Gedige plan are closely related. The image home at Jethavana (Gedige) may be the best example of
this.

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The Kiribathvehera in Anuradhapura, built in the 7th
century A.C., is the first example of a Gedige type picture
house layout. Although it has what looks to be a double
roof, its thick walls and tight spaces suggest that it may
have formerly had a vaulted roof and therefore been an
early example of the Gedige. Thus, the term's use was
expanded to include vaulted buildings made of brick as
well as stone, such as Nalanda in the ninth century A.C.
and Gadaladeniya and Natha Devalaya in the fourteenth
century A.C.
The roofs of the gedige image shrines from the 12th
century in Polonnaruva, such as Thuparama,
Lankathilake, and Thivanke, contained pavilions that were a Gedige Jetavana vihara

hodgepodge of forms and shapes meticulously crafted to resemble

minuscule vimanas. There are three basic categories in this kind of image house.

 Squre type ground plan

 Mandapa type ground plan
 Double storied type ground plan

Tooth Relic Temple cum image Gedige- Citadel Anuradhapura

house at citadel Anuradhapura

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 4. Cave image shrines or len vihara Gandhakuti tradition

According to evidence found in the cave inscriptions located beneath dripledge Cave 1 in Rasvehera,
the origin period dates back to the second century B.C. There is proof that the stupa inside the
Gandakuti Cave known as Kandake, which was likewise given that name by the Brahmi inscription,
exists. This is the earliest instance that may be used to demonstrate an occurrence in which ancient
monarchs and elites attempted to build Gandhakuti shrines inside of natural caverns. Antiquities
dating from the second century BC to the first century AD that were related to the adoration of the
master's emblems included miniature stupas, foot prints engraved on stones, and stone seats. Up to the
18th century, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruva, and other cities made significant improvements to this
building based on the cave image house tradition. The oldest example of this style of construction in
Sri Lanka is the image from the Kandegamakanda cave and its shrine.

5. Tampita vihara

This particular kind of picture house construction dates back to the 12th century. After the 12th
century, stone and brick structures were rare, with the exception being Tampita pilimages, or timber
image houses on stone columns. Three criteria can be used to roughly classify these image houses.

 Square type ground plan without frontier mandapa.

This design consists of a timber shrine supported by a few short pillars, but it lacks a mandapa like the
Madawala example.

 Single storied tampita vihara

Significance of this forms as the timber pilimage was supported by short stone columns with the mandapa
positioned in front. Seen at Suriyagoda, Nakkawattha and Pinnawale. Most oldest square design can
clearly visible now only short pillars in the hospital complex at Pollonnaruwa which including to 13 th
Century AC, when the restoration works carried out by the Dambadeni princers. Now there is no signs
about the frontal mandapa. Other two examples can visible Magulmahavihara at lahugala and Baragama
vihara at Ambalantota. There are including to square ground plan type tampita viharas.

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  Double- storied tampita vihara

This form represented the most advanced level, with two floors occupied and a mandapa placed in front,
similar to Dambadeni. This particular pilimage was made up of two building units. the front porch and
raised shrine. Most reminiscent of the original image house plan is the mandapa that is situated in front of
the shrine at ground level.

EVOLUTION OF IMAGE HOUSES THROUGH SRI LANKAN KINGDOMS

The architectural monuments of Anuradhapura are primarily Buddhist in nature. The majority of the
remaining structures have some connection to Buddhism. The two most typical types of Anuradhapura-
era architectural monuments are viharas and chethiyas. The location of these viharas in relation to the
city's administrative center was carefully planned from the beginning of the town planning process. The
Mahawiharaya, Abayagiriya, Mirisawatiya, Jethawanaya, and Dakkina Viharas are the five principal
viharas of Anuradhapura. The art of stupa construction also played a crucial role in the Anuradhapura
period and reached its pinnacle at this time. The Abhayagiriya, Jethawanaya, and Ruwanweliseya
continue to rank among the most extraordinary structures made completely of bricks by masons.

After a long period of time, the Anuradhapura Kingdom fell due to ongoing invasions by South Indian
kingdoms and the weak leadership of successive Anuradhapura monarchs. The arts and crafts of the time
had a different quality from Anuradhapura due to the capital moving from Anuradhapura to
Polonnaruwa. Whereas in Anuradhapura, the majority of the architecture was tied to Buddhism, the
Tamil invaders' influence gave rise to a variety of architectural prospects.

The four principal architectural features of Polonnaruwa architecture were Buddhist monasteries, Hindu
shrines, royal palaces, and council chambers. The rulers who contributed the most to this architectural
rebirth following invasions were Vijayabahu I, Parakramabahu I, and Nishshankamalla. And compared to
the Anuradhapura period, the Mahayana had a stronger effect in the Buddhist monasteries of the
Polonnaruwa period. This is highlighted by the rise in image studios in this time period. Priorities changed
when the Image House tradition took over, but Anuradhapura's vihara and Chethiya remained the top
priorities. While Anuradhapura's major building material was stone, Polonnaruwa's architecture was
distinguished by its extensive use of brick.
The thick and tall brick walls in the picture homes created enormous volumes. The Thivanka Image House
and Lankathilakaya are two examples.
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The Lankathilakaya Image house is a gedige type image house and is currently the largest monument
standing among the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa Kingdom. Since the entire image house, which is
claimed to have five stories, was constructed entirely of bricks, including the roof, it is referred to as a
gedige type image house. Thuparama Pilgrimage and Thivanka Pilgrimage are two further instances of
this style of vaulted roof shrine in Polonnaruwa. The sanctuary, the vestibule, and the entrance porch
make up the bulk of this pilgrimage's ground layout. A huge statue of the standing Buddha with shattered
hands may be found in the sanctum. A short ambulatory separates it from the inner side of the image
house's rear wall, which is incorporated into a screen wall. The sanctum has two floors on the ground. In
front of the pedestal holding the image is a section that is at vestibule level, and on each side of this section,
the ground has been raised. Stone pillars in the shape of squares with ornamented capitals have been
erected on these raised fields. The pillars and beam holes on the sidewall suggest that there formerly was a
wooden upper level or gallery used for the worship of the image. The devotees had reached the roof
through the flight of steps linked to the side walls in order to perform a circumambulation. The Buddha
statue was once protected by a brick-built vaulted roof, but it is currently outside because the vault fell a
long time ago. The image house's outside walls are decorated with stucco relief sculptures of small
structures, known as Vimanal Pasadas, and religious figures. The image house had wall painting
decorations, as seen by the remaining painting fragments on the walls.

The Dambadeniya temple, whose Wijayasundarama is the component of the temple that is most easily
accessible, is all that remains of the ancient city; unlike Polonnaruwa, it is not particularly impressive. It is
the most known monument for the image house remains in Dambadeniya period.

During the Kandy era the Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Vihara is one of the more popular examples for image
house architecture. The temple is carved out of a substantial 12.3 m (40 ft) rock outcrop and consists of a
beautiful rock shelter with two roofed ante chambers in front. The first chamber is a drumming hall, and
the second is an image house; both are built outside the rock outcrop and have wooden roofs. The third
chamber, the main shrine room, is cut directly into the rock. The image house (or Budu-ge) is accessible
through a set of deteriorated wooden doors that open into an antechamber with a moonstone and a series
of paintings depicting scenes from four Jtaka tales. These paintings are supported by a carved wooden
Makara Torana (or Dragon Arch).

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References:

Gamalath. D, (2020). An Evolution Process on the Sri Lankan Image House (from the 2nd Century AC up to 13th AC)
Pages From 1 To 21

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, December 29). Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Vihara. In Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:21, April 18, 2023, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Degaldoruwa_Raja_Maha_Vihara&oldid=1130274655

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