Heritage

Kebithigollewa Sinhaya Ulpotha – කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව සිංහයා උල්පත

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Sinhaya Ulpotha
Photo source : silumina.lk

Springs are classified as natural, thermal and mineral, according to the chemical composition of its waters. Some of these natural springs are large in size which is referred to as “Bubula” in rural areas. They are mainly distributed in areas underlying the quartzitic rock in the Dry Zone and maintain water flow throughout the year (Perennial). The small sized natural springs are referred to as “Ulpotha” and most of them maintain a steady flow of water during the wet season and reduce water flow during the dry season.

According to folklore, the Rajarata has been rich with 672 natural water springs in the ancient times where most of the reservoirs built by the kings have been constructed to make use of these springs. Kunchuttu Mountain range in Kebithigollawa area has been identified as the origination of number of fresh water springs in the area.

In addition to the cluster of springs in Kunchuttu, Sinhaya Ulpotha, Gonamariyawa Ulpotha, Weramediyawa Ulpotha, Kalawedi Ulpotha, Garilla Ulpotha, Dunukeya Ulpotha, Kurulu Ulpotha, Welimuwa Pothana Ulpotha, Nuwarahinna Ulpotha, Halmillawetiya are some of the springs in Kebithigollawa area which is fed by underground water streams originating from this mountain range.

The Sinhaya Ulpotha is one of the better known freshwater springs in the region which also has a historical value. This spring has been used by the people around Kebithigollewa for thousands of years. Until the start of the Tamil Terrorists activities in the 1980’s there has been a lions face carved in stone and the water has been flowing through the mouth of the lion. The mouth has been caved similar to a crocodiles mouth. Unfortunately with the LTTE Terrorists attacking Sinhalese villagers in Kebithigollewa, the villagers had to evacuate the land which they had occupied for thousands of years. The spring was deserted thereafter and treasure hunters had broken the granite mouth of the ancient sculpture in search of treasures during this period.

With the introduction of glyphosate (a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant) to Sri Lanka for agriculture from 1980’s the North Central Province is today gripped with Chronic Kidney Disease. Residues of heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead and mercury are now present in virtually all wells, reservoirs, soil in this region making consumption of water from these sources life threatening.

But the water from the above springs originating from the Kunchuttu Mountain range has been found to be free of any poisonous substance and suitable for consumption. Therefore these springs has become one of the few sources of clean water for poor villagers in the surrounding villagers.

In 2016, the destroyed outlet of the historic Sinhaya Ulpotha was reconstructed with a tank to store the water. This spring was reportedly outputting 45,000-50,000 liters per day. Although dried up now, in the older times the water from Sinhaya Ulpotha and Gonamariyawa Ulpotha had flowed in a single stream over the Gonamariyawa Rajamaha Viharaya and has been collected in a tank.

To reach the spring take the Vavuniya road from Kebithigollewa for 2 km and take the road which lead to Halmillawetiya. Travel past the historic Kalagam Vehera Ruins, Halmillawetiya and Kanugahawewa. The spring lies in the forest passing the Kanugahawewa village.

It is said that there are ruins of an ancient temple in the jungle close to this water sprout.

Alternate names : Sinhaya Ulpatha

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නිධානයක ලකුණු කියන සිංහයා උල්පත

Map of Kebithigollewa Sinhaya Ulpotha

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Traveling directions to Kebithigollewa Sinhaya Ulpotha

Travel directions from Kebithigollewa to Sinhaya Ulpotha

Distance : 18 km
Travel time : 30 hour
Time to spend : 30 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Kanugala Sri Pushparama Purana Tampita Viharaya (කණුගල ශ්‍රී පුෂ්පාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya is built on a wooden platform on six large granite stumps. A wooden ladder with 5 steps leads to the verandah of the vihara-ge. the walls of the inner chamber is adorned with clay figures of deities by the entrance. […]
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya (අත්තනගල්ල රජමහා විහාරය)
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya is one of the most famous ancient royal temples in Sri Lanka lying close to Gampaha, 48 km away from Colombo. […]
Detiyamulla Sri Jettatissa Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Ruins (දෙටියමුල්ල ශ්‍රී ජෙට්ඨතිස්ස රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා නටඹුන්)
A large temple complex now reduced to granite pillar stumps and foundations has been preserved at this temple. Number of such buildings and few artifacts of the by gone era can be seen at this temple. […]
Lankagama Sangili Palama / Hanging Bridge (ලංකාගම සංගිලි පාලම)
Lankagama is a remote village on the boarder of Sinharaja Rain Forest which is considered the last village before Sinharaja.This village is bordered by the Sinharaja Rain Forest from north and Nilwala River from the south. Beyond the Nilwala River lies the Nilwaligama and the Dellawa Forest Reserve. A Sangili Palama (hanging bridge) connects Lankagama and the Nilwaligama across the Nilwala Ganga. […]
Ulapane Fool’s Bridge / Upside Down Bridge (උලපනේ මෝඩයාගේ පාලම / උඩ යට පාලම)
Built in 1904 by the British, the uniqueness of this steel bridge is the side arches generically found on steel bridges are built at the bottom of the bridge giving it a look of a bridge built upside down. […]
Ruwanwella Sangili Palama (රුවන්වැල්ල එල්ලෙන පාලම / සංගිලි පාලම)
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Mahakumbukgollewa Sri Dalada Tampita Viharaya (මහකුඹුක්ගොල්ලෑව ශ්‍රී දළදා ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Mahakumbukgollewa is an ancient village between Medawachchiya and Vavuniya in the Anuradhapura district. The Sri Dalada Viharaya at Mahakumbukgollewa hides a ancient Tampita Viharaya from the Kandyan Era. […]
Korasagalla Koranaka Sandagala Rajamaha Viharaya (කොරසගල්ල කොරණක සඳගල රජමහා විහාරය)
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Korasagalla Wewa Biso Kotuwa Ruins (කොරසගල්ල වැව බිසෝ කොටුව)
Korasagalla is an ancient village on the Thalawa road few kilometers away from Kakirawa. History of the Koranaka Sandagala Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya in Korasagalla is believed to go back as far as the reign of king Kawanthissa. […]
Namalpura Sri Vishuddharama Tampita Viharaya / Madawala Tampita Viharaya (නාමල්පුර ශ්‍රී විශුද්ධාරාම ටැම්පිට විහාරය / මඩවල ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya of the Sri Vishuddharama Tampita Viharaya (Madawala Tampita Viharaya) lies in the remote village of Namalpura 17 kms away from Habarana. […]
Mahadivulwewa Ancient Tampita Viharaya
Mahadivulwewa Tampita Viharaya lies close to the desolated Mahadivulwewa reservoir, lying about 8 km inwards from the Ritigala - Galenbindunuwewa road. Deserted and neglected, this ancient complex also consist of a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. […]

Also See

Map of Kebithigollewa Sinhaya Ulpotha

Traveling directions to Kebithigollewa Sinhaya Ulpotha

Travel directions from Kebithigollewa to Sinhaya Ulpotha

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