Image title: Image of Avalokiteshvara

English text:

Image of Avalokiteshvara — This is an iconographic representation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara which is known as Veligama Kushtaraja. One objective of venerating Avalokiteshvara in Sri Lanka was to pray for cure from skin diseases. The 12 feet high relief of Kushtarajagala is said to be venera ted by sea farers. It is said that they worshipped praying for blessing seeking protection from various unexpected disasters possible in long voyages as well for cure from diseases like Leprosy. According to the iconographic style this image could date back to the period between the 9th and the 10th centuries.

Image: Iban Batuta (AD 1325-1354)

Sinhala text (not proofread):

අවලෝකිතේශ්වර ප්‍රතිමාව — වැලිගම කුෂ්ඨ රාජගල ප්‍රතිමාව නමින් හැඳින් වෙන මෙම මූර්තිය අවලෝකිතේශ්වර බෝධි සත්ත්වයාගේ මුර්තිමය නිරූපණයකි. අවලෝකිතේෂ්වර පුරාණ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ වන්දනයට ලක් වීමට එක් අරමුණක් වූයේ නීරෝගී සුවය ප්‍රාර්ථනා කිරීමයි. අඩි 12 ක් උසැති කුෂ්ඨ රාජගල ප්‍රතිමාව වන්දනයට ප්‍රාත්‍ර වූයේ මුහුදු යාත්‍රිකයන් අතරය. දිගු මුහුදු ගමන්වල දී ඇති වන නොයෙකුත් ආපදා වලින් ආරක්ෂා වීමටත්, විශේෂයෙන්ම කුෂ්ඨ රෝග වලින් වැලකීම සඳහාත් මෙම බෝධි සත්ත්ව ප්‍රතිමාවට වන්දනාමාන කරන ලදැයි කියවේ. ශෛලීය ලක්ෂණ අනුව මෙම ප්‍රතිමාව ක්‍රිස්තු වර්ෂයෙන් 9 වන සහ 10 වන සියවස් අතර කාලයේ නිමවන ලද්දක් ලෙස සැලකේ.

Transcription:

avalōkitēśvara pratimāva — væligama kuṣṭha rājagala pratimāva namin hændin vena mema mūrtiya avalōkitēśvara bōdhi sattvayāgē murtimaya nirūpaṇayaki. avalōkitēṣvara purāṇa śrī laṅkāvē vandanayaṭa lak vīmaṭa ek aramuṇak vūyē nīrōgī suvaya prārthanā kirīmayi. aḍi 12 k usæti kuṣṭha rājagala pratimāva vandanayaṭa prātra vūyē muhudu yātrikayan ataraya. digu muhudu gamanvala dī æti vana noyekut āpadā valin ārakṣā vīmaṭat, viśēṣayenma kuṣṭha rōga valin vælakīma sandahāt mema bōdhi sattva pratimāvaṭa vandanāmāna karana ladæyi kiyavē. śaĩlīya lakṣaṇa anuva mema pratimāva kristu varṣayen 9 vana saha 10 vana siyavas atara kālayē nimavana laddak lesa sælakē.

Transcription:

avalokiteshvara pratimava — valigama kushtha rajagala pratimava namin handin vena mema murtiya avalokiteshvara bodhi sattvayage murtimaya nirupanayaki. avalokiteshvara purana shri lankave vandanayata lak vimata ek aramunak vuye nirogi suvaya prarthana kirimayi. adi 12 k usati kushtha rajagala pratimava vandanayata pratra vuye muhudu yatrikayan ataraya. digu muhudu gamanvala di ati vana noyekut apada valin araksha vimatat, visheshayenma kushtha roga valin valakima sandahat mema bodhi sattva pratimavata vandanamana karana ladayi kiyave. shailiya lakshana anuva mema pratimava kristu varshayen 9 vana saha 10 vana siyavas atara kalaye nimavana laddak lesa salake.

Automated translation (not verified):

Avalokitesvara Statue — Known as the Weligama Kushta Rajagala statue, this sculpture is a sculptural representation of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. One of the purposes of worshiping Avalokiteshvara in ancient Sri Lanka was to pray for good health. The 12 feet tall statue of Kushta Rajagala was visited by seafarers. It is said that this Bodhi animal statue was worshiped to protect against various disasters during long sea voyages and especially to avoid rash diseases. According to stylistic features, this statue is considered to have been completed between the 9th and 10th centuries AD.

Tamil text (not proofread):

அவலோகிதேஸ்வரரின் சிலை — இது வெலிகம் குஸ்டராஜகல என்று அழைக்கப்படும் போதிசத்வ அவலோகிதேஸ்வரரின் சிலையின் ஓர் அமைப்பாகும்.சில நோய்களின் நிவாரணத்திற்காக அவலோகிதேஸ்வரர் வழிபாடு இலங்கையில் செய்யப்பட்டது. மாலுமிகளால் வணங்கப்படும் அவலோகிதேஸ்வரின் இந்தச் சிலை புடைப்பியல் பொறிப்பு முறையில் செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கும். இதன் உயரம் 12 அடி ஆகும். தொழுநோய் மற்றும் தூரத்துப் பயணங்களின் போது நிகழக்கூடிய ஆபத்துக்களில் இருந்து காப்பாற்றும்படி இவரை வழிபட்டதாகக் கூறப்படுகின்றது. இச்சிலையின் செய்முறைப்படி இது 9ف - 10 நூற்றாண்டு காலத்தில் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Transcription:

avalōkitēsvarariṉ cilai — itu velikam kusṭarājakala eṉṟu aḻaikkappaṭum pōticatva avalōkitēsvarariṉ cilaiyiṉ ōr amaippākum.cila nōykaḷiṉ nivāraṇattiṟkāka avalōkitēsvarar vaḻipāṭu ilaṅkaiyil ceyyappaṭṭatu. mālumikaḷāl vaṇaṅkappaṭum avalōkitēsvariṉ intac cilai puṭaippiyal poṟippu muṟaiyil ceyyappaṭṭirukkum. itaṉ uyaram 12 aṭi ākum. toḻunōy maṟṟum tūrattup payaṇaṅkaḷiṉ pōtu nikaḻakkūṭiya āpattukkaḷil iruntu kāppāṟṟumpaṭi ivarai vaḻipaṭṭatākak kūṟappaṭukiṉṟatu. iccilaiyiṉ ceymuṟaippaṭi itu 9ف - 10 nūṟṟāṇṭu kālattil nirṇayikkappaṭṭuḷḷatu.

Transcription:

avalogithesvararin silai — ithu veligam kusdarajagala enru azhaikkappadum pothisathva avalogithesvararin silaiyin or amaippagum.sila noykalin nivaranathirkaga avalogithesvarar vazhipadu ilangaiyil seyyappattathu. malumigalal vanangappadum avalogithesvarin inthas silai pudaippiyal porippu muraiyil seyyappattirukkum. ithan uyaram 12 adi agum. thozhunoy marrum thurathup payanangalin pothu nigazhakkudiya apathukkalil irunthu kapparrumbadi ivarai vazhipattathagak kurappaduginrathu. ichilaiyin seymuraippadi ithu 9ف - 10 nurrandu kalathil nirnayikkappattullathu.

Automated translation (not verified):

Statue of Avalokiteshvara — This is an arrangement of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara statue known as Velikam Kustarajagala. Avalokiteshvara was worshiped in Sri Lanka for the cure of certain diseases. This idol of Avalokitesvara, worshiped by sailors, is made in relief engraving style. Its height is 12 feet. He is said to have been worshiped to protect him from leprosy and dangers that may occur during long journeys. It is dated to 9th - 10th century according to the style of the sculpture.

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Maritime Museum in Galle (Sri Lanka) which include objects recovered from the 2nd century B.C. Godawaya shipwreck. The Maritime Museum is housed in Galle's historic Dutch warehouse (built in 1671) and opened its doors on May 9, 1992. The Maritime Archaeology Museum is serving as a centre of education for various groups of visitors and researchers of Southern region of Sri Lanka.