A group of Buddhist monks today staged a protest at the Polonnaruwa sacred area against the damaging with nailing down the 900 year old magnificently preserved plaster floor of the ancient Kirivehera Dagoba, which is considered as a living architectural symbol of the Sinhala Buddhist heritage by a project of the Central Cultural Fund.
The Venerable Udasgiriye Samitha Thero, the President of the Artifacts Preservation Organization, and other monks said that the 900-year-old ancient mortar floor , is being foolishly attacked by so called conservators.
According to historical records, this stupa was built by Subhadra Devi a spouse of King Parakramabahu (1153-1186) and in the past it was known as Rupavathi Stupa.
Although about eighty feet in size, this dagoba is worthy of the academic world as the only stupa in Sri Lanka where the plastered floor, in its original form, has been excellently preserved for about 900 years under natural influences. It is also one of the rarest structures in the world to have such an ancient layer of plaster preserved.
That is why this plaster plate should have been preserved as a national heritage. However, it was reported that an extremely unscientific construction had taken place by destroying the plaster plate and nailing huge bolts on it.
The Maha Sangha today protested against a bunch of destructive projects being carried out using the Central Cultural Fund using a concept of the Prime Minister who is the Minister of Culture.
Udasgiriya Samitha Thero, President of the Antiquities Preservation Association, said that the Department of Archeology should explain to the nation on what scientific basis an architectural work such as the Kirivehera, which should be preserved by a nation, is being destroyed in this manner.
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