Ganesha ornament, Kelaniya Temple, near Colombo
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Morgan, Kenneth W.
Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
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This detail from the side of the Kelaniya temple shows the Ceylonese use of figures in rows as architectural ornamentation -- note especially the dwarfs, such as were used on ancient buildings at Polonnaruva -- and the use of Hindu gods in Buddhist temples. Ganesha, the Elephant deity, is here enshrined on the walls of the temple. Other Hindu gods are placed on the walls of Kelaniya temple, and nearby in the temple compound there is a shrine for Vibhishana, the brother of Ravanna in the Hindu epic Ramayana. For a discussion of the Buddhist attitude toward the Hindu deities, see THE PATH OF THE BUDDHA.
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This image is provided for research purposes only and must not be reproduced without the prior permission of the Archives Program, Australian National University.
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