Wewurukannala the giant seated Buddha near Dickwella in the south worth a visit and what is the experience
I am drawn to monumental statues and I read about Wewurukannala Vihara near Dickwella in the deep south with a huge seated Buddha (said to be the tallest in the country) plus an unusual tunnel of graphic depictions of heaven and hell Is it worth a visit what is the experience like can you climb up inside the statue and what is the heaven and hell tunnel about and how does it fit a south coast trip People who visited Wewurukannala please tell me about this giant Buddha
3 Answers from travellers
Southern heritage guide so the Wewurukannala picture What it is WEWURUKANNALA VIHARA near Dickwella (between Matara and Tangalle on the south coast) is famous for its COLOSSAL seated BUDDHA statue an enormous figure among the tallest Buddha statues in the country (towering many storeys high) it genuinely impresses by sheer scale Climbing inside YES the building behind and supporting the statue has STAIRS you can climb UP through the structure to different levels for views and a close up of the giant figure the climb up the floors is part of the experience The heaven and hell tunnel the unusual part there is a covered TUNNEL or hall lined with vivid and frankly GRAPHIC life sized models and paintings depicting the Buddhist conception of the consequences of sin the tortures of hell (naraka) and scenes of karma it is lurid and didactic (sinners being punished in various gruesome ways each labelled with the misdeed) intended as a moral teaching it is bizarre memorable and very different from a serene temple (it can be intense or disturbing in its graphic depictions so be prepared and mind young children) Worth a visit YES for the monumental Buddha and the curious heaven and hell tunnel a memorable distinctive stop (more a modern devotional and didactic site than ancient ruins) the scale and the strange tunnel make it stand out Fitting a south coast trip EASY it sits right on the SOUTH COAST near Dickwella (close to Tangalle Matara Mirissa) so it slots perfectly into a south coast journey a quick characterful stop between beaches (the blowhole at Hummanaya is also near) June note the south coast is in its WET monsoon season now but the temple is an all weather indoor and structure visit so rain is no problem So yes visit Wewurukannala for its colossal seated Buddha (among the tallest in the land climb up through the structure behind it) and the strange vivid heaven and hell tunnel of karmic teachings a memorable distinctive south coast stop near Dickwella that fits easily into a southern trip and works fine even in the June rain
The heaven and hell tunnel is genuinely surreal rows of graphic models showing the punishments for each sin it is unlike any temple I have seen part moral lesson part funhouse of horrors fascinating but be ready for how graphic it is and maybe skip it with sensitive kids
A colossal seated Buddha among the tallest in the land that you climb up behind plus the strange vivid heaven and hell tunnel a memorable south coast stop near Dickwella that works even in the June rain this is exactly the monumental experience I wanted thank you
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