THE INTERESTING HISTORY OF UPCOUNTRY ARCHITECTS

Pattirippuwa or the Octagonal Pavilion in Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa is a masterpiece of architecture that stands to the credit of the traditional upcountry architects.

- By Shantha Chandrasiri

It is used as the symbol of Sri Dalada Maligawa, the place which houses the sacred tooth relic of Gauthama Buddha.

History has it recorded that the Pattirippuwa was built in 1811 during the reign of Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe (1798-1815) who was the last king of Sri Lanka. It is said that the king had summoned to court several traditional architects and explained to them of the design in his mind. They had made a host of designs, but the king's attention had been captured by the magnificent architectural design made by Devendra Mulachari alias Dingittha Appu; this design was the one that the king had visualised. The king who was pleased with Dingittha Appu's dummy run during which he used banana trunks to erect the pavilion. He had completed this undertaking to the utter satisfaction of the king. The year was 1812.