KALUTARA
Kalutara is a coastal town some 35 km south of Colombo. Most visitors will approach it from the north, and will behold first not the town but the sight of the imposing white dagoba of the Gangatilake Vihara as they traverse the bridge across the Kalu-ganga - literally the Black River. Visitors will note that having crossed the bridge, many vehicles pull over and stop alongside this dagoba. Drivers can be seen quickly alighting and walking towards a small Buddhist shrine with a pin-kate, or till, into which they place offerings to ensure the success of their journeys. Why not stop, too, and check out the dagoba, which, unusually, is hollow and has a beautifully painted interior.
The Gangatilake Vihara is on the very edge of the modern bustling Kalutara, with its wide highway and endless rows of brightly- advertised shops. It is difficult to imagine today that the town's history goes back to the 11th century, when a South Indian Prince called Vickramapandya made it his seat of government. It didn't last long, though, for a year later he was murdered. About 200 years after that, the maritime stretch between Kalutara and Bentota was planted with coconut on the orders of King Parakramabahu II. |