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Dondra Head (Sinhala:දෙවුන්දර තුඩුව/''Devi Nuwara'' - ''God's Town''/''Town of Gods'', Tamil: ''Tevan/Ten Thurai'', Corruption: ''Devundara''/''Dondra'' - ''Lord's Port''/''South Port'') is a cape on the extreme southern tip of Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean, near the small town of Dondra near Matara, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. The Dondra Head Lighthouse, ruins of several Hindu shrines of Tenawaram and a vihara (Buddhist temple) are located in the vicinity. Dondra is an anglicized version of the sinhala name ''Devundara'' and derived into ''Tevan Thurai'' (''God's Port'') and ''Ten Thurai'' (''Southern port'') Historically known as Devinuwara temple port town or Devinuwara temple town, Dondhra was until the late 16th century a historic temple port town complex. Its primary deity was the Buddhist god ''Upulwan'' and at its zenith was one of the most celebrated religious sites of the island, containing a thousand statues. It was maintained primarily by Sinhalese kings merchant guilds at the port town during its time as a popular pilgrimage destination and famed emporium, having extensive contacts with Asia, Africa, Europe and the Malabar Coast. The temple was built on vaulted arches on the promontory overlooking the Indian ocean.〔Horatio John Suckling. ''Ceylon: A General Description of the Island, Historical, Physical, Statistical'' (1994). pp.262〕 Patronized by various Sinhalese and Tamil royal dynasties and pilgrims, Tanaveram temple became one of the most important places of worship. Built to the Chera style of classical Dravidian architecture, it covered a vast area housing shrines to many Hindu deities including Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Its rediscovered statue images and ruins from the 5th-7th century CE reflect the high points of Pallava art, and the temple's splendour drew comparisons to another famous Pallava developed shrine complex in the region, Koneswaram of Trincomalee, during the medieval period. The central gopuram tower of the Vimana and the other gopura towers that dominated the town were covered with plates of gilded brass, gold and copper on their roofs, and the many shrines of the town were bordered with elaborate arches and gates, giving the entire temple complex an appearance of a city to sailors who visited the port to trade and relied on its light reflecting gopura roofs for navigational purposes.〔Henry W. Cave. (1996). ''Golden Tips''. pp. 466〕 Chroniclers, travelers and benefactors of the temple describe the entire town as the property of the temple and inhabited solely by merchants during the medieval period. The temple was destroyed in February 1587 CE by the Portuguese colonial De Souza d'Arronches, who devastated the entire southern coast. Its ruins of granite pillars that formed the shrines' mandapa can be found in the town spread over a considerable area. The temple's ancient Lingam statue and sculpture of Nandi, excavated in 1998 provide early examples of Pallava Hindu contributions to the island. There was a temple to Vishnu with a gilt copper roof, destroyed by the Portuguese, and the place still attracts pilgrims today to the ''Dondra Fair'' and ''Perahera'', held in the month of Esala (July–August). Dondra Head was once the capital of the country. People gathered every year to worship God Sri Vishnu alias God Uthpalwanna in Dondra with a festival that goes for 8 days with thousands of people, in the middle of the year. People believe God Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu once become an enlightenment Buddha. Also many miracles have happened regarding the God Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu. == Gallery == File:Modern_Vishnu_Shrine,_Dondra_0675.jpg| Modern Vishnu shrine, Dondra File:Modern_Buddha_Statue_at_Dondra,_Sri_Lanka_0673.jpg| Modern Buddha Statue, Dondra File:Ancient_Torana,_Dondra_0676.jpg| Ancient temple arch, Dondra 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Dondra Head」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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