This temple was built by King Wickramabahu III of Gampola in the 14 th Century. It was Dedicated to the worship of Mahasen, popularly known as Katharagama Deviyo. A local deity called Devatha Bandara is also worshiped at this site. There are three sections in this temple, Sanctum of Garagha”, the “Digge” or “Dancing Hall” and the “Hevisi Mandapaya” or the “Drummers’ Hall”.
The drummer’s Hall has a very high roof and beautiful intricate wood carvings. It is believed that some of the wood carvings in Embekka Devalaya has come from an abandoned “Royal Audience Hall’ in Gampola which had been abandoned.
Wood carvings
One of the unique features of this temple is that there are 128 wood carvings on the pillars each depicting a different image. At the top of the pillar is a lotus motif with stylized leaves from which the slating wooden rafters are held. Even the eaves and the beams connecting the pillars have all been carved with flower and leaf designs typical of the period.
From the top to the bottom of the pillars there are carvings. The images in the wood carvings in this Embakka Devale are unique as it is not used anywhere else in the country and each image is different and not replicated. UNESCO has identified the unique nature of this carvings of this temple. Local timber such as “Gammalu” has been used which has been well preserved despite it being open to the elements and is only protected by the roof.
There are 26 slanting rafters held up in the middle with a large catch-pin made of wood. It was known as the “Madol Kurupawa”. This is the only one of its kind in the Island.
There is a Perehara (festive procession) held by this temple each year and it is said that the King would use one of the buildings (“Sin asana Mandiraya” ) to watch the ‘Perehara’.
The story of the Embekke Devalaya
A drummer in this village had an incurable skin disease and had gone to the famour Kataragama Devale in the South of the country to pray for a cure. He had prayed there and had been cured. He wowed that he would visit this temple each year to worship the Gods. When he was old, he couldn’t visit the Kataragama Devale and prayed asking God what to do. God had asked him to perfom rituals in a nice place and he would perform a miracle there.
At this time in Queen Henakanda Bisobandara’s flower garden, a tree was being cut by the Gardner and blood had floored out of it. The Drummer then started performing rituals there. He then built a small temple here which is now known as the Embekka Devale.
Later, King Vickramabahu had renovated the temple. He had donated wooden frames from his palace which was used to build this temple. He had also gifted land, jewelry and elephants to this temple. The doors of this temple had no hingers but were made in such a manner as to open like normal door. It is an open-air building and it portrays the unique architecture of this era. Since then, thousands of pilgrims visit this temple to worship.
