Though Weligama is a drowsy small sea town today, in the colonial period, it was a highly prosperous centre for foreign trade. The 16th century lace-making craft which was introduced by the Portuguese still remains in some parts of the coastal area of Weligama. We spotted a few old buildings here and there with columns with lattice work as the only remnants of the colonial period in Weligama.
The magnificent ancient Kustarajagala archaeological site is within the hustle and bustle of the Weligama town. Urbanisation has engulfed the surroundings of Kustarajagala which is confined to a cramped small plot of land today. The elaborately carved ornamental design across the waist of the statue The Kushtarajagala statue at Weligama can be found on the old main road, which goes through the Weligama town and is about 12 kms away from the Matara town.
To reach the site coming from Galle, you should take the old road before you reach Ahangama across the railway track. This turnoff is adjoining the Weligala Bay Rest House. You will see the sculpture on your right just before the second railway crossing.
This statue is part of the Kushtarajagala Aggrabodhi Vihara. Statue of Bodhisattva The Kustarajagala rock cut statue about 15 feet in height stands on an isolated rock. An intricately carved and elaborately dressed splendid statue of Bodhisattva is set deep into the rock.
It lies in the shade of an overhanging Bo-tree. When we stepped in to the site, the morning rays of the sunlight were flickering through the branches of the Bo-tree. Perhaps, a huge rock boulder has been sliced in two to create this work.
The other half lies just the opposite side, wrapped within the roots of an ancient Bo-tree. Since the statue was carved out into the rock at a higher elevation, we can view it above the eye level about eight feet from the ground. After climbing the opposite rock, we came up to eye level with the statue.
From this point, the whole statue seems different and every detail becomes clear. Then, we realised the massive scale of the statue. Known as Kustaraja, the statue was created between the 7th-8th centuries according to the noticeboard erected by the Department of Archaeology.
There are various legends associated with the name and the construction of the statue. An ancient chronicle records that King Aggrabodhi IV (667-683 AD) suffered from an incurable skin disease and had got this sculpture made under his patronage. Since Aggrabodhi IV lived in Ruhuna for a long time, he may have constructed this statue.
Folklore on the statue The head-dress of the statue The origin of this sculpture is not known, but many theories and folklore exist on the creation of the statue. Once a foreign king suffering from a severe skin disease (‘kushta’ in Singhala) landed in the Weligama bay and was treated by a local doctor. This king was restored to his original strength and to remember him (the ‘kushtaraja’ or the ‘Kushta King’, an image of him was carved and this was known to be ‘Kushta Raja Gala’ or the rock of the Kushta King.
It is argued that if the story is true then, the King should have carved the statue of the doctor as a respect to him and not vice versa. Another version of the same story talks about how the sick king made an offering to a certain god when he was sick and once he was cured made a statue of this god he worshipped as a gift. There could be some truth in the above stories as Weligama was a highly prosperous city in ancient times and a centre of foreign trade as Weligama was used as a harbour by foreign trading ships.
Looking closely at the details of this rock-hewn statue, we came across several features. The statue is heavily draped in elaborate ornaments and cloths. The headdress too is elaborately designed with four figures of the Buddha carved on three sides of it.
Many necklaces adorn the neck. Parts of the headdress touch the shoulders. Perhaps this, one of the most beautiful and intricately carved statues in Sri Lanka suggests the influence of Mahayana Buddhism in the country in the 7th-8th centuries.
Ornamental design A tomb erected near the statue believed to be of an English person Tragically, someone has attempted to dig out an area between the chest and the waist of the statue removing a piece of rock which contained an elaborately carved ornamental design across the statue. However, experts believe this statue is probably a Bodhisattva Figure (a person who is destined to become a Buddha in a future life) or of a god. Several similar marks are found in the head-dress of the Kustarajagala statue which is also believed to represent a Bodhosattva.
Avalokitesvara is assigned a higher status than Maitreya by the Mahayanists. He is identified as Natha Deviyao and is said to represent the influence of Hindu pantheism in Sri Lanka. The ring finger and the middle finger of the left hand of the statue are bent to touch the palm of the hand.
This Mudra (pose) is believed to signify a beckoning to devotees for a blessing. Nearby, the Aggrabodhi Rajamaha Vihara is the place where one of the first 32 saplings of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura was planted. It is also speculated that this Vihara was called Aggrabodhi since it was constructed under the patronage of King Aggrabodhi IV.
Irrespective of any belief, this statue is the only remaining preserved statue in the wet zone and still people come to worship this statue to seek relief from diseases. If you find some extra time on your hands on a trip to Weligama in the South, do not forget to visit the statue..
