Kethsirigama Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya in Damana – දමන කෙත්සිරිගම මිහිඳු ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනය

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Kethsirigama Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya in Uhana, Ampara is built on a site of an ancient aramic complex which is believed to be going as far as 1st century BC.  The temple lies on a rocky plateau close to a small reservoir on the Koknahara Road few kilometers away from Wadinagala.

At the foot of the rock lies the temple complex and a new stupa built on a rock. This stupa is probably built on top of a ancient stupa site since today you will use the same steps cut in to the rock thousands of years ago to reach this stupa. Another ancient dilapidated  stupa now lies covered with weed resembling a mound of earth.

the site is scattered with broken parts of rock pillars of ancient buildings. In additon there are ruins of buildings, granite steps, guard stones, Nidan Gal (A granite block with 3×3, 4×4 or 5×5 holes filled with valuables or relics and placed underneath Buddha statues),  moonstones  and a large headless statue of what apparently seems to be a Bodhisattva. Further in to the aranya and on to the hill lies some drip ledge caves used by the current meditating bikkus.

The ancient ruins at the Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya  including ancient stupa, plight of steps and ruins of ancient buildings were declared as  a protected archaeological site under the antiquities ordinance act by the government on the Gazette issued on 26th December 2014, and describes the location as follows ;

“Arama complex with ruins of ancient buildings, plight of steps, Chaithya at the premises of Mihindu Aranya Senasana belonging to Kethsirigama village situated in Grama Niladhari Division No. W/26/A, Kethsirigama in the Divisional Secretary’s Division, Damana in Ampara District in Eastern Province. (Latitude 71º66´ 85´´ N and longitude 81º58´ 195´´ E).”

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Map of Kethsirigama Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya

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The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

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Travel Directions to Kethsirigama Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya

Route from Ampara to Kethsirigama Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya

Through : Damana
Distance : 40 km
Travel time : 1 hour
Time to spend : 1 – 1.5  hours
Driving directions : see on google map

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