The Southern part of Sri Lanka is dotted with Buddhist temples having lengthy histories and unique features of colonial influences. Among these, a temple which has artistic works from what is termed the Southern School, is the Purwarama temple of Kataluwa famous for its marvellous frescoes.
Although, I have visited many temples with Kandyan-period paintings in the Central Province, I have rarely visited temples in the Southern Province which have works from what is termed the Southern School. One such temple is the Purwarama temple of Kataluwa.
I was keen to visit this temple at Kataluwa for a long time, as it is famous for its marvellous frescoes. I had an opportunity to visit it on my recent visit to Matara.
I reached the temple through a gravel road, having driven around two kilometres inland, passing Koggala.
I never imagined I would come across the Purwarama temple of Kataluwa on this road. The temple was deserted, the doors of the image house were open and a pack of mangy dogs greeted us when we entered.
Remarkable murals
The murals in the Purwarama temple at Kataluwa are remarkable examples of the variety,content and evolution of indigenous paintings at the height of British colonial power in 19th century Sri Lanka.
One can fully understand the Kataluwa murals only if one views them in their contemporary context.
European influences
By the time they were painted, Sri Lanka, and especially, its maritime provinces, had lived through 350 years of colonial rule by Portuguese, then Dutch, and finally the British. Inevitably, contemporary artistic styles were strongly influenced by European standards and values, a trend clearly mirrored in the Kataluwa frescoes.
The history of the Purwarama temple of Kataluwa dates from about 1840 and it was founded by the Ven. Kataluwa Gunaratana Thera.
Modest early structure
Its modest early structure, with an image house and ante-room was later enlarged with the addition of a porch and a corridor which encircles it on all four sides. The frescoes, which would have taken three or four years to complete, were added between 1884 and 1886.
Walking around the temple premises, we first spotted a dagaba and an arched-entrance with the carving of the British insignia and a few carvings of lion figures. The four corners of the foundation podium of the main dagaba has four miniature dagabas. Having entered from this entrance, we stepped into the image house, about a metre and a half above the lower terrace.
Best frescoes
At Kataluwa, the best of the frescoes are to be found on the four exterior walls of the encircling corridor of the image house, and on the wall of the anteroom, providing a colourful and evocative backdrop for the image of the Buddha which dominates the middle chamber.
The frescoes are painted along the whole length of the wall surface in horizontal friezes or panels, each about two feet wide. The walls of the corridor each have three such friezes, finished at the top with a decorative band of garlands and lotuses.
The Apaya
The lowest panel of each wall is painted with scenes of the Apaya (hell).
Observing the frescoes at Kataluwa, what we saw was clear evidence of the work of four groups of artists from four different schools of art, each portraying a distinctive style.
Jathaka stories
Most of the walls have Jathaka stories. The murals flanking the Vessanthara Jathaka, on the left and right walls of the corridor are of particular interest, in a style unique to Kataluwa.They represent an interesting stage in the evolution of painting in the island, in the last quarter of the 19th century, when Western influence was strongest.
The frescoes above the main door way are done according to British colonial grandeur. The outer chamber shows Dutch influence in architecture while the murals on the walls show British influence on society.
British insignia
The doorway to the inner chamber with the British insignia illustrated in a Makara Thorana (Dragon arch) has the word ‘Purwarama’ written in English.