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Yala National Park, including 5 blocks and the adjoining Kumana National Park consist of one of the largest land areas of Sri Lanka which wildlife roam free. Although a wildlife park now, many centauries ago, This area was covered in thriving cities of the Ruhuna Magama kingdom.

Kottadamuhela is one of the many rocky outcrops in Yala with ruins of the ancient Rununu kingdom in the pre christian era. This rock lies inside Yala Block 2 which a Strict Nature Reserve where no visitors are allowed. This site consists of two ruined stupas on the peaks and number of caves with dripledges with Brahmi inscriptions. These inscriptions have been dated to 2^nd century BCE (Punchihewa, 2004).

Dhatuvamsa mentions about a dynasty of Dasaba kings (දසබෑ රජ පරපුර) who ruled the southern part of Sri Lanka from around the 3^rd century BCE. Mahavamsa those kings are mentions these kings as Kataragama Kshatriyas (කතරගම ක්‍ෂත්‍රියවරුන්). It is also mentioned in Dhatuvamsa that Gotabhaya of Rohana, who killed the ten kings of Kataragama, built a thousand temples on both sides of the river Mahaweli as punishment.

The Kataragama dynasty was crucial in the evolution of the politics and expansion of Buddhism in the southern part of Sri Lanka in the 3^rd and 2^nd centuries BCE. This family used the fish as the royal emblem and inscriptions of donations by the members of this dynasty are scattered all over the south eastern part of Sri Lanka.

In studying the members of this mysterious dynasty, Kottadamuhela early Brahmi cave inscriptions plays a part of identifying some of the members of this family. A lady who belonged to this lineage has donated seventeen caves between Bowattegala and Kottadamuhela. One inscription at Kottadamuhela records the donation of a cave to the Buddhist community. Her name is mentioned as Abi Savera, the daughter of Maha Siva, granddaughter of Dama Raja and consort of Aya Tissa, son of Aya Abaya.

With the inscriptions in Bowattegala, Kottadamuhela, Henannegala, Kal-Udupotana and Kusalankanda, parts of this dynasty has been re created as below;

Yala National Park, including 5 blocks and the adjoining Kumana National Park consist of one of the largest land areas of Sri Lanka which wildlife roam free. Although a wildlife park now, many centauries ago, This area was covered in thriving cities of the Ruhuna Magama kingdom.

Mandagala is one of the many rocky outcrops in Yala with ruins of the ancient Rununu kingdom in the pre christian era. This rock lies inside Yala Block 2 which a Strict Nature Reserve where no visitors are allowed. Very few from relevant authorities have visited these rocky hill-tops packed with caves with ancient ledge inscriptions. These inscriptions have been dated from 2nd century BCE to 4th century CE.

Altogether about 24 inscriptions have been discovered so far at this site. According to one inscription, A Mandavapi or Pandavapi Viharaya was founded by king Mahaculi Mahatissa (76-62 BCE). If this is the same present Mandagala ruins, which are froom an earlier in date, Mahaculi Mahatissa was not the founder but a later benefactor of the Vihara. The village Mandagama was granted to the Sangha by Aggabodhi (circa 600), ruler of Rohana (Nicholas, 1963).

Mandagala Range consist of multiple peaks (see above sketch). The peak 1, which is the tallest, was a Trigonometrical Station of the British. On rock number 3, there is a flight of steps hewn on the rock surface on the western side. Beneath this is a very large cave, or rather tunnel, formed by two mighty boulders leaning one against the other. It is 50 feet long, 28 feet broad, and 30 feet high. On entering this cave from the west you find on the left-hand rock, about 20 feet off the ground with an inscription beneath the man made drip ledge (katarama).

Few hundred meters to the west, on a small rocky hill, ruins of a stupa was reported by Brohier. The diameter of the stupa was 21 feet (6.5 meters). On the western face of the rock, leading to the said dagoba, is a flight of steps, 52 in number, cut into the rock, about half a foot apart.

About forty meters off and opposite this is nother small rock and cave with a drip-ledge ; the cave has been walled up with mud and bricks ; its dimensions are 27 feet long, 8 feet broad and 8 feet high. Over the entrance and below the drip-ledge is a inscription on the donation of this cave to Sangha by the lay devotee Sumana, the wife of Saga.

Adjoining this on the west is another rock and a cave with a drip-lege. The building here, similar to that just before mentioned, is in utter ruin. Its dimensions are the same as those of the adjoining one given before. Here too an inscription records the donation of this cave by Rohaka, an accountant to the Sangha. One item of interest in this cave is a piece of movable rock 1 foot by 1½ feet, cut in the shape of an elephant’s foot, intended, probably a stool.

No. 4 is a very high and prominent rock. almost as high as No. 1. About 100 feet below the summit, and on the ridge, a number of drip ledge caves are found.

References

• Brohier, R.L., 2000. Seeing Ceylon,  4th ed., Colombo 10: Sooriya Publishers.
• Brohier, R.L., 1980. Ancient irrigation works in Ceylon (1934). Colombo: Ministry of Mahaweli Development , part III:pp.29-32.
• C. W. Nicholas, 1963. Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VI Special Number, p.65

Map of Archaeological Ruins of Mandagala in Yala

Travel Directions to Archaeological Ruins of Mandagala in Yala

Yala National Park, including 5 blocks and the adjoining Kumana National Park consist of one of the largest land areas of Sri Lanka which wildlife roam free. Although a wildlife park now, many centauries ago, This area was covered in thriving cities of the Ruhuna Magama kingdom.

Dematagala is the highest rock of the Yala Strict Nature Reserve (Block 2) and much of the surround country. Brohier describes these as; It is represented by twin peaks, pictures to the imagination a dusky woman of Amazonian girth reclining with bared breasts: from these peaks flows a streamlet appositely named, and to this day called Tambara Ara -meaning “stream from the breasts”.

These twin peaks were possibly last climbed by the surveyor who did the topographical mapping of the surrounding country in 1921 .The summit of the higher of the two peaks is 265 meters, the other 15 meters less. They are described as affording a magnificent vantage point, extending on the north to the blued outline of the Haputale hills in the.background, and the dull purple blob of Monaragala against it; on the south, to an embayed coastline marked by a white line of foamy surf and the Little Basses lighthouse poised between shore and horizon. Dematagala is best reached from the northern boundary of the reserve via Lunuatu Galge; the climb to its 265 meter peak is a task for only the brave.

Many thousands of years ago even before the birth of the Christ, a massive stupa stood on this 265 meter high rock. Chanting of Pirith by the Buddhist priests at this top of this rock would have been heard for kilometers.

C. W. Nicholas, Warden of the Department of Wildlife between 1950-57, reports that on the summit of Dematagala, that they found a ruined dagoba and, at the foot of the southern face, the remains of a large monastery founded in pre-Christian times. They counted fifty-one drip caves, an unbreached dagoba nearly fifty feet high, the remains of four stone pillared buildings and two limestone images of the Buddha. The inscriptions were of the second century B.C. (Crowe, 1956).

Two of these inscriptions were published on the Archaeology Commissioners Report of 1934 and republished by Parnavithana in “Inscriptions of Ceylon”

Inscription 1

Bata-Tisaha sagasa.
[The cave of] lord Tissa, [is given] to the Sangha.

Inscription 2

Si[!*] Amataya Ba-
-rayaha upa.saka
Nakayaha mataya Laci-
-ya lene catudisika saga-
-hataye niyate

Hail ! The cave of Laci, the mother of the minister Baraya 5 and the lay-devotee Nakaya, has been dedicated to the Sangha of the four quarters.

Thereafter no report has been published about this site after Nicholas’s report. Being located in a Strict Nature Reserve, visitors cannot enter this section of the Yala National Park without a proper permit. Unfortunately this does not apply for treasure hunters. Not much information is available on the current status of these ruins.

References

• Crowe, P.K. (1956) Diversion of a Diplomat in Ceylon. Great Britain: D Van Nostrand Company Inc.
• Brohier, R.L., (2000). Seeing Ceylon,  4th ed., Colombo 10: Sooriya Publishers.
• Paranavitana, S., 1970. Inscriptions of Ceylon :Volume 1 : Early Brahmi Inscriptions. 1st ed. Colombo: Department of Archaeology.

Map of Archaeological Ruins of Dematagala in Yala

Travel Directions to Archaeological Ruins of Dematagala in Yala

Yala National Park was initially started as a Game Sanctuary by the British in 1894 and was established as the Yala National Park in 1938. Yala covers more than 100,000 hectares of wildlife with Kirinda to west, Kataragama to North, Panama to east and the Indian ocean to the south. 

Yala National Park and the Kumana National Park are covered with rocky outcrops with the remains of ancient Buddhist monasteries when this area was flourishing under the Ruhunu kingdom in the pre-christian era. Inside Yala National Park stands a one of these rocky outcrops knowns as Kanabiso Galge (Blind Queen’s Cave). This outcrop covers an extensive area. There are a number of caves with drip-ledges indicating this was part of a large Buddhist monastic complex of the bygone era.

Kanabiso Galge, also called Kanabisunge Galge, was reported to be in a remarkable state of preservation in 1974. The white lime-washed walls of this cave that nestles under a crag 200 feet above the plains, were still intact. So are its two little windows and its door through which bear and leopard now stalk seeking shelter (Studio Times Limited, 1974).

According to legends spoken by the villages of Kumana, yakshani Princess Kuveni lived there. How she came there is unknown. She married King Gajabahu (of Gajabahu Eliya in the Strict Natural Reserve). She blinded herself. She is the Queen of the Blind Queen’s Fortress now known as Kanabiso Galge (Rambukwella, 1963)

References

1. Rambukwella, A.T. (1963) “The Nittaewo – The Legendry Pygmies of Ceylon,” Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VIII (Part 2), pp. 265–290.
2. Handbook for the Ceylon traveller : A Studio Times Publication (1974). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Studio Times, p.172

Map of Kanabiso Galge Archaeological Ruins in Yala

Travel Directions to Kanabiso Galge Archaeological Ruins in Yala

Padikema Pathanangala is a large rock with a mild slope on one side inside the Yala Ruhuna National Park quite popular for spotting leopards and bears. Pathanangala beach is one of the few places that the visitors are allowed to alight from their vehicles inside the park and the trail to the beach lies close to this massive rock giving a good view.

Above the rock water-hole called Padikema has on its sloping, upper western face an artificial arrangement of boulders and stone blocks, now much displaced, forming three sides of a rectangle, the fourth side being formed by the natural row of summit boulders beneath which were constructed, in pre-Christian times, several caves. This structure has the appearance of a fortification and these hills were probably the fortress called Palutthagiri where two important actions, were fought in the 11th century.

The first of these took place in 1017 after the capture Mahinda IV by the Colas. The minister, Buddha, and a court official named Kitti continued the struggle against the invaders. ‘At a place called Palutthagiri they took up fortified positions, carried on war for six months and killed a great number of Damilas. The Co[as who had survived the slaughter in this fight, seized with fear, fled and took up their abode as before at Pulatthinagara (Polonnaruwa).

The second battle was fought in 1041. Vijayabahu I put upan entrenchment for the conquest of the Colas on the Paluttha mountain and took up his adobe there. The Cola army surrounded the rocks on all sides and a terrible fight between the two armies took place. The King’s soldiers annihilated the Damila army. The Chronicle makes it clear that in both instances the position taken up by the Sinhalese forces was essentially defensive, where they could withstand siege and trap their enemies, as well as make offensive forays.

Hocart has proposed the identification of Palutthagiri with Palatupana, and in the identity of the two names he is doubtless right. The nearest rocky hills to Palatupana of any considerable height or extent which could have served as a fortress, with water-supplies and cave shelters for a large body of men, are those at Magul Maha Viharaya.

References

1. Nicholas, C. W. (1963). Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VI Special Number, p.61
2. Nicholas, C.W. (1952) “Text of the Brahmi Inscriptions in the Ruhuna National Park,” Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, II(2), pp. 126–140.

Map of Modaragala Ruins in Yala

Travel Directions to Modaragala Ruins in Yala

Yala National Park, including 5 blocks and the adjoining Kumana National Park consist of one of the largest land areas of Sri Lanka which wildlife roam free. Although a wildlife park now, many centauries ago, This area was covered in thriving cities of the Ruhuna Magama kingdom.

Almost all the rocky outcrops in this jungle are dotted with ruins of Buddhist monasteries. Silavakanda is the name given to a series of rock-groups about one mile north-east of Magul Maha Viharaya. The highest point of this rocky outcrop is 354 feet high. The caves are not close together but are spaced fairly far apart and some of them are of large size.

On top of one rock existence of an ancient stupa could be barely made out. Much of the ruins have been washed away with time. No other ruins remain other than rock cut steps to the top of the rock.

Two of the caves bear pre-Christian inscriptions:–

1. Upasaka Vel[u]sa lene upasika Tisaya lene Gamini-Abayasa rajhaso sagasa dine
   The cave pf lay devotee Vel[u], the cave of female devotee Tissa is given to the Sangha in the reign of Gamini Abaya
2. Ganaka-Rakiya. upasika-Tisaya aghata-anagata-sagasa
   [The cave] of the accountant Raki, and of the female lay-devotee Tissa, [is given] to the Sangha, present and absent.

There is no other evidence to which Gamini Abaya the first inscription refers to but Paranavithana in the Annual Report of of Archaeology Department for 1930-31 states that the palaeographical evidence would however justify this to be Duttagamini Abhaya (161-137 BCE) better known as king Dutugemunu or Wattagamini Abhaya (89-77 BCE) better known as king Walagamba.

The location marked on the Google map below is approximate.

References

1. Nicholas, C. W. (1963). Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VI Special Number, p.64
2. Nicholas, C.W. (1952) “Text of the Brahmi Inscriptions in the Ruhuna National Park,” Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, II(2), pp. 126–140.
3. Handbook for the Ceylon traveller : A Studio Times Publication (1974). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Studio Times, p.172
4. Paranavithana, S. (1970) The Inscriptions of Ceylon Volume I – Early Brāhmī Inscriptions. Colombo, Ceylon: Department of Archaeology of Ceylon.

Map of Archaeological Ruins of Silavakanda in Yala

Travel Directions to Archaeological Ruins of Silavakanda in Yala