The darkness days of Nagadeepa Vihaaraya

The Buddhist temple of Nagadeepa stood on the island of Nayanative eight miles from kayts. According to hoary legend, Nagadeepa has direct connections with the life of Gautama Buddha. In the olden days only a shrine existed. but by dint of devoutness the temple had grown to sizable proportions, isolated as it was, and lacking financial support from a steady flow of pilgrims, the temple had still managed to survive and preserve its atmosphere of quite holiness. 

In commemoration of Buddha Jayanthi Celebration the Burmese Government had given to the Nagadepa vihara magnificant bronze-alley statue.This image had been taken round in various centers in south so that as many people as possible could see it before enshrinement in Nayanative.

One afternoon a gang of "Goondas" suspected to be among those who had earlier destroyed the boats at kyts( presumably with a view to preventing any chance of being pursued by the police)   set out on the eight mile trip to Nayanative.

There they acted swiftly and skillfully.This act of desecration was , without doubt, premeditate and planned.With  vicious zeal they set about destroying the temple. they dynamited the Dagaba, snapping off the capering top section. They burnt every building except one, an outhouse. A small detachment of the gang wreaked their anger on the Buddha image from Burma.They hauled it off the pedestal and carried it a way with them,perhaps it proved too heavy for them to carry across to the mainland for display as the trophy, because it never reached kytes. With what surely must have been dimonical purpose, the goondas sawed thorough the neck, one arm and some fingers of the image. Their intent was to damage it beyond repair in case it should recovered later. Then they tossed the truncated body and its smaller parts in to the sea at various point.

The news of this dangerous delivery reached Colombo two days later. It was an act of such gross Vandalism with such huge potentialities for the Governor- General and Army Command were loathe to believe their ears. As each hour passed they expected the story to spread through the Buddhist population, sparking a massacre. But the strict sececy which had to be maintained until the military had really dug in and established themselves as a formidable force throughout the island was somehow kept unbroken.The minister of transport and works was sent to Nayanathive to investigate. He confirmed the earlier reports destruction almost complete.

The incumbent Bhikku of Nagadeepa was invited to Colombo and told the temple would be restored to better shape than it was before the"Goonda" attack. The Bhikku maintained a dignified and discreet silence the public works department was instructed to start restoration work at once. By the end of July a brand new temple and risen from the debris of the old edifice. The navy undertook the a lost task of salvaging the image. They had no clue as to where was dumped but miraculously, they found the spot, as expected the damage was irreparable. 

With the assistance of Burmese ambassador the Governor General  was able to secure a replica of the destroyed image from Burma.It was brought to Ceylon in the early August as a gift "relic" from the Burmese navy to the Ceylon Navy. 

The story of the destruction of Nagadeepa and the way it was rebuilt in eight weeks will weave itself in to Buddhist legend in the years to come. But when the dies, people who relate the story will forget its most significant aspect.

Source: Nagadeepa Kaawya; Emergency 58 by Trazie Vittachi

Photographs : By Dilan Sampath kumara 10/10/2011.