Kadadora Viharaya
Kadadora Viharaya is an abandoned Buddhist temple situated in Kadadora in the Nuwara Eliya district, Sri Lanka. The temple is submerged in water due to the construction of the Kotmale Dam in 1979 under the project of Mahaweli Development. Moreover, more than 14 tea estates, 57 villages, and about 54 ancient temples were inundated when the Kotmale reservoir was constructed. The ruins of this abandoned Buddhist temple can still be seen when the water level of the Kotmale Reservoir goes down, although it is a very rare sight. This is a major historic site in Kotmale throughout the early 1900s and is an important tributary of the Mahaweli River.
When the ruins appear, travelers as well as long-awaited Buddhists from all around the world visits and offer flowers and get blessings. It has now become a popular backdrop for selfies. The villagers of the submerged village have not lost their ties with the temple. In March and April, when the water level is low and the stone-built collapsing temple is visible, they gather around gazing at the majestic remains of the decaying statue of the Buddha, harking back to a time when the temple called the faithful to prayer.
To repay the loss of these religious shrines that were submerged in the reservoir, the Mahaweli authorities started the construction of bubble-shaped Stupa, Mahaweli Maha Seya which is only second to the great Ruwanwelisaya of Anuradhapura in height.
Credits: .tripadvisor.com
Credits: .tripadvisor.com
Credits:exploreslk.com
Buddha Point, Bali
Buddha Point is a group of underwater Buddhist temple statues near Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan in Bali. The statues are only about 15-20 feet (5 m) deep and can easily be reached by snorkeling without any scuba gear. There’s an 8 foot tall Buddha statue surrounded by some big bell-shaped stupas that look like ruins, similar to the ones at Borobudur Temple in central Java. The value of art and religion combined with the marvelous beauty of the sea is an incredible and rare religious site. The submerged garden is part of an art project built-in 2005. This is not a sacred place that has been around for generations and would be known to inhabitants of Lembongan or Ceningan. This is created to highlight the environmental threat to marine life, this temple garden of statues is allowing new life to develop under the sea that is as beautiful as it is effective.
As of 2019, some rumors are going around from people (including locals) saying that these statues have been removed. According to residents, the same company has also removed the statues and relocated now, hopefully this isn’t correct.
Diving in Nusa Lembongan is renowned by scuba divers and snorkelers and you’ll certainly see some wonderments when you explore what’s down below. Many types of colorful fish and corals can be seen. You have to be careful when you dive there because the water current is fast. The Buddha statues in the underwater temple garden allow for fresh, new life to sprout up from its ruins. It’s a wonderful sight that you won’t want to miss!
Credits: medium.com
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