Korossa Raja Maha Vihara is in the Korossa village, Dodangaslanda in the Rideegama Divisional Secretariat division. The temple is believed to have been built during the Kandyan period by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe.
Director (Exploration and Documentation) of the Department of Archaeology Senarath Bandara Dissanayake who had examined the artefacts in the temple site, said that the history of the site goes back to the prehistoric period and the artefacts are over 20,000 years old.
 Ancient coins |
According to Chief Incumbent of the Temple Ven. Galboda Siddhaththa Thera, a large number of artefacts were found when excavations were carried out in the temple premises. Some of them are 18 stone inscriptions, stone tools, ancient moonstones, stone beds, pieces of ancient pots and bricks, ancient coins and tiles.
The figures of dogs, crows and rat snakes are engraved on the Vaharala inscriptions. According to Senarath Bandara Dissanayake, it is believed that any attempts to encroach on temple lands would carry serious consequences and animal forms are engraved to warn those who violate its sanctity would be reborn as animals.
Director of Epigraphy and Numismatics of the Department of Archaeology Dr. Malini Dias, who had examined the stone inscriptions said that there was evidence to suggest that this was a site where prisoners and slaves had been freed in ancient times. Dr. Senarath Paranavithana too had stated this in his book titled “Inscriptions of Ceylon” (Volume (Vol.I-1970)
The Chief Incumbent of the temple said that one of the Vaharala inscriptions dated back to the second century A.D. when Buddhism was new to Sri Lanka. The stone inscriptions include nine of the 2nd and 6th centuries A.D., six from the 4th and 5th Centuries A.D., two from the 11th century A.D.Polonnaruwa period and another from the 18th century , the Kandyan period, he said.
The cave temple shows architectural features of the Kandyan period. It is said that it was constructed in 1762 A.D. by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1782 A.D.) as a tribute to Biso Bandara Swami.
According to the Archaeological Department, Vaharala inscriptions are often found close to the boundaries of the temples as a sign that the lands are temple property.
Chief Incumbent Ven. Siddhaththa Thera said that the late D.S.Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake and Sir John Kothalawala and their relatives had often visited the temple.
A Samadhi statue has been constructed recently at the highest point of the temple.
Ven. Siddhaththa Thera said that more treasures of the historic place still remain underground waiting to be dug up.
Prime Minister D.S.Senanayake and others in a photograph taken in 1948
