Kushtaraja Gala
The Kushtaraja Gala statue is located in Weligama, Sri Lanka, on the old main road which runs through the town. The statue is part of the Kushtarajagala Viharaya, and it is one of the best statues of Mahayanist Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The relief is carved in solid rock and is thought to belong to the 7th to 9th centuries.
There are many theories and folklore about the origin of the statue. One story suggests that a foreign king suffering from severe skin disease landed in Weligama Bay and was treated by a local doctor. Another version of the story suggests that the sick king made an offering to a certain god when he was ill and, once he was cured, made a statue of the same god he worshipped as a gift. Experts believe that the statue represents the "Awalokitha" or "Avaloktheeshvara" Bodhisattva of Mahayana Buddhism.
The Kushtaraja Gala statue is the only remaining preserved statue in the wet zone. People still come to worship it and request relief from diseases. A similar relief ca...
There are many theories and folklore about the origin of the statue. One story suggests that a foreign king suffering from severe skin disease landed in Weligama Bay and was treated by a local doctor. Another version of the story suggests that the sick king made an offering to a certain god when he was ill and, once he was cured, made a statue of the same god he worshipped as a gift. Experts believe that the statue represents the "Awalokitha" or "Avaloktheeshvara" Bodhisattva of Mahayana Buddhism.
The Kushtaraja Gala statue is the only remaining preserved statue in the wet zone. People still come to worship it and request relief from diseases. A similar relief ca...
