Mythical motifs of Embekke

By Aysha Maryam Cassim

Kandy is famed for its sacred Temple of the Tooth, the Dalada Maligawa. Nestled on the outskirts of this ancient kingdom are some of the undiscovered treasures like Embekke Devalaya – a temple of wooden wonders. 

I found that many tourists enjoy the drive to Dawulagala from Kandy. If you are coming from Colombo, you could turn right from Pilimatalawa Junction and proceed along the picturesque roads of Dawulagala for a historical excursion of Gadaladeniya, Lankathilake and Embekke Devalaya. 

The woodcarvings of Embekke are a tangible reminder of the Kandyan era’s craftsmanship and artistry. When you look at the intricate designs on the pillars and doors of the temple, one could imagine the substantial skill and the patience that the deft artisans possessed to carve out masterpieces from a piece of lumber. 

Wood is a material that is prone to decay, damage and insect infestation due to changes in the atmosphere. The texture of timber often proves challenging to the expression of architectural features. 

In ancient Sri Lanka, temples were adorned with teak doors, columns, ceilings and statues carved with patterns of extreme richness and meticulous details. Centuries later, the magnificence of these well-preserved antiques of woodcarving are highly valued and recognised as sacred specimens. 

The art and craft of woodcarving continue to survive in Sri Lanka. Today, you would come across many woodcarvers in handcraft stalls who have been carrying on or their tradition for generations in honour of their artistic heritage.

The origins of Embekke Temple

Many are the legends that tell the origins of Embekke and how this village got its name. There is an ancient game known as “Ankeliya” performed for the Goddess of Paththini. This was held annually in the village ground. In Sinhala, “Ann” or “Anga” means horn. “Bakka” means big. It is said that people used to call this village “Anbakka” which later became Ambakka, as we know it today. 

Embekke Varnanawa 

Embekke Varnanawa is an epic poetical work composed by Delgahagoda Mudiyanse. He then presented it to King Wickrema Bahu II (1371 AD) who reigned during the Gampola Era. This archaic evidence mentions a drummer who suffered from a terrible skin disease and was duly cured after he prayed for the wellness from God Kataragama. 

In his later years, this drummer went back to his village in Rangama, close to Embekke and used to play the drum as an homage to the God. There he was told in a miraculous dream to build a Devale dedicated to God Kataragama. Originally, Embekke Devalaya used to be a three-storeyed building that had been through many renovations. 

Before reaching Embekke Devalaya, you might notice the remnants of an Ambalama (ancient resting place for the traveller) on a flat rock. An image of this Amabalama appeared in Henry Cave’s “Book of Ceylon” (1908). Some of the carvings found on these pillars are akin to the ones at Embekke Devalaya. 

At present, the temple of Embekke premises consists of the Digge/Hevisi Mandapaya (Drummer’s pavilion), Garbha (Sanctum), Vahalkada, Buddha Image House, Palle Devalaya and Vee Bissa (Paddy Storage.) Next to the Vee Atuwa, you will find the seven-foot high wooden doorframe of Embekke Devalaya. This doorframe has been assigned to the 16th century. 

In Embekke, every carving has a story

The hall of the Devalaya (Digge or Hevisi Mandapaya) is where you can witness SriLankan wooden architecture at its best. 

There are a total of 514 wood carvings fixed on stone bases at the Hevisi Mandapaya. 

•     128 design carvings on the four sides of 32 wooden pillars. 
•     256 floral design (Liyapath) carvings at the bottom section of 32 pillars 
•     64 lotus design carvings on Pekada (brackets)
•     30 carvings on beams and 36 on cross bars

Mythical motifs of Kandyan art 

According to folklore, during King Wickramabahu III’s reign, a craftsman called Delmada was in charge of building this Devalaya. A range of native timbers such as Pihimbiya and Gammalu have been used for the structures of the temple. 

Madol Kurupawa in Embekke Devalaya is a kingpin where 26 wooden beams are joined together. It’s a unique piece of woodcarving that is worth your attention. You may also notice the octagonal bottom square of the wooden capital pillars is moulded with carvings, while its top terminates in a lotus emanating from a square. 

Every carving in Embekke has a story. The level of depth to the narrative is mind-blowing. Designs that are characteristically Kandyan like flowering creepers (Liya Wal), single-line bead motif (Arimbuwa), a reticular pattern (Panawa), the third band of beads and a lotus petal designs were constantly adapted to a scheme of decoration. 

Sinhala wood carvers are known to work often with mythological motifs, characters and events that depict the life at that time. As an art student, I have learnt so much about Embekke Katayam during my high school years. Mythical creatures like Berunda Pakshiya, Sarapendiya, Ath Kanda Lihiniya, Vrushabha Kuncharaya and Narilatha were familiar to me. But don’t hesitate to seek help from a guide who is willing to explain the interesting symbolism behind these figures with much pride and enthusiasm.