Sri Lanka: Fresco depicting everyday life, Medawala Rajamaha Viharaya (Tempitiya Vihara), north of Kandy

The Medawala Rajamaha Viharaya or Tempitiya Vihara, north of Kandy is a typical tempath vihara, a small wooden image house or shrine, placed on stilts or piles. The tempath vihara can be regarded as Kandy’s most significant contribution to Buddhist architecture, but there are not many specimen of its kind left. Some of the frescoes in the Rajamaha Viharaya depict the king and the royal family; but they also depict the everyday life of the commoners, such as a farmer tilling his field with the help of a white bull. One enigmatic painting shows a recumbent Buddha, sleeping safely tucked away behind a mosquito net. Though the frescoes exhibit all the hallmarks of the 18th century, the original construction of the Raja Mahavihara is said to go back to much earlier times. Despite the artistic merit of the frescoes, the most remarkable single feature in the image house is the small ivory figure of a Buddha. The figure is surrounded by an intricately carved wooden shrine.