![Modaragala in Yala National Park](https://i0.wp.com/amazinglanka.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/modaragala-01.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
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.
With the arrival of Buddhism to the country in 250 BC, Rohana sub kingdom too experienced a massive rising of large monastic complexes which could support thousands of bhikkhus. According to ancient text (Sammoha Vinodani Atuwawa) Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya is said to have had 12,000 Arhaths during the great famine of Beminitiyasaya in the 1st century BC.
The golden era of this region, however, came to an end due to wars among petty kings, drought, famine, disease and the destruction of irrigation infrastructure due to non-maintenance. The Jungles had crept over this once populous area by the time Europeans arrived in Sri Lanka. However, remnants of this forgotten kingdom is still found on almost every rock outcrop inside Yala and Kumana.
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Archaeological Ruins of Dematagala in Yala National Park (යාල දෙමටගල පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
Dematagala is the highest rock of the Yala Strict Nature Reserve (Block 2) and much of the surround country. During early 20th century 51 drip ledged caves and a remains of a large stupa was recorded at peak of Dematagala. The inscriptions at the…
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Archaeological Ruins of Kottadamuhela in Yala National Park (යාල කොටාදැමූහෙළ පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
Kottadamuhela is one of the many rocky outcrops in Yala with ruins of the ancient Rununu kingdom in the pre christian era. This site consists of two ruined stupas on the peaks and number of caves with dripledges with Brahmi inscriptions. These inscriptions have…
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Archaeological Ruins of Lunuatugalge in Yala National Park (යාල ලුණුඅටුගල්ගේ පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
Lunuatugalge is a massive cave 5 km south of Thalaguruhela Monastery ruins. This fabulous rock, rising 400 feet in a gentle arc sheltering one of the most beautiful caves in Sri Lanka. It is approximately 200 feet long and as much as 30 feet…
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Archaeological Ruins of Mandagala in Yala National Park (යාල මණ්ඩාගල පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
Mandagala is one of the many rocky outcrops in Yala with ruins of the ancient Rununu kingdom in the pre christian era. Very few from relevant authorities have visited these rocky hill-tops packed with caves with ancient ledge inscriptions. These inscriptions have been dated…
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Archaeological Ruins of Silavakanda in Yala National Park (යාල සීලවකන්ද පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
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.…
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Bambaragasthalawa Naga Pabbata Monastery Ruins in Kumana (බඹරගස්තලාව නාග පබ්බත විහාරය)
The extensive ruins at Bambaragasthalawa consist of several caves with drip ledges hewn on the brow of the entrance. According to a pre-christian cave inscription on one of the caves, its original name has been Nakapavatha. Therefore Nicholas has been concluded that this monastery…
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Bembawa Archaeological Site at Yala (යාල බැඹව පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
As you travel on the Sithulpawwa Road in Kirinda towards the ancient Sithulpawwa Temple inside the Yala National Park for about 10 km, the Wildlife Department Gate at the Yala Border is located in Bembawa.
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Bowattegala Monastery Ruins in Kumana (බෝවත්තේගල ආරාම සංකීර්ණයේ නටඹුන්)
Bowattegala, a rock strewn mountain in the midst of Kumana, had been first fashioned a monastery in the third-second century BC ten noble Kshathriya brothers of Kataragama
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Hidden Ruins of Ethgalpawwa Akasa Chethiya inside Yala National Park
Akasa Chethiya js a a stupa belonging to an monastic complex belonging to 2-3 century BC on top of the massive Elephant Rock inside Yala National Park (Block 1)
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Historical Significance of the Hidden Gonagala Ruins of the Yala and its Inscriptions
Gonagala is a rocky outcrop in the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary lying off the the route to Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya with 11 cave inscriptions and ruins of a temple from the 2nd century BC.
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Indigolla Ruins inside Lunugamvehera National Park (ලුනුගම්වෙහෙර තුල සැඟවුණු ඉඳිගොල්ල බොදු ණටබුන්)
Indigolla ruins are of a 2 buildings with large number of stone pillars surrounded by an square outer wall measuring about 35 meters on one side. Its not clear that if this was a outer wall or a retaining wall of a platform.
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Iriyapola Ruins hidden in the Jungles off Monaragala (මොණරාගල වන තුල සැඟවුණු ඊරියපොළ නටබුන්)
Iriyapola ruins are located about 20 km southeast of the village of Maligawila in Monaragala district, in the dense forest on the slightly upstream and left bank of the point where the Gonam ala Ara, a right bank tributary, joins the Kumbukkan Oya.
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Kanabiso Galge Archaeological Ruins in Yala (යාළ කනබිසෝ ගල්ගේ නටබුන්)
Knabiso 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…
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Kiripokunahela Monastic Ruins inside the Kumana National Park
A jeep track exists upto Kiripokuna and rest of the path to Kiripokunahela is a 1.5 km trek through the elephant infested jungle. Kiripokuna is a canoe shaped natural pond about 4 meters long along a rock surface.
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Kongala Ruins in Kumana (කුමණ කෝන්ගල නටබුන්)
The Kongala rock where ruins are found is 285 ft. in height. Four dilapidated stupas are seen on the four rocky hillocks. All the ruins in this complex are vandalised and destroyed by treasure hunters.
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Malwariyakema Monastic Ruins and Vedda Paintings inside the Yala (යාල තුල සැඟවුණු මල්වාරියකෙම නටබුන් හා ආදිවාසී චිත්ර)
Malwariyakema lies inside Yala Block III, an area which is rarely visited by general public. Here you will find prehistoric megalithic tombs, remains of a ancient buddhist temple as well as vedda paintings on caves
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Modaragala Ruins in Yala National Park (යාල මෝදරගල නටබුන්)
Almost all the rocky outcrops in this jungle are dotted with ruins of Buddhist monasteries. Moderagala is a prominent, pointed rock 228 feet high, visible from certain points on the Yala-Katagamuwa Road. Around it are four or five other high rocks and numerous boulders…
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Nelumpath Pokuna Ruins in Kumana (කුමණ නෙළුම්පත් පොකුණ නටඹුන්)
On the rocky outcrops close to pond knowns as Nelumpath Pokuna inside the Kumana National Park are a few stupas, now vandalised and destroyed by treasure hunters and some other ruins such as stone pillars, foundations and brick walls.
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Padikema Pathanangala Ruins in Yala National Park (යාල පඩිකෙම පතනන්ගල නටබුන්)
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…
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Pilimagala Monastic Ruins inside the Yala National Park (යාල තුල සැඟවුණු පිළිමගල නටබුන්)
Pilimagala lies inside Yala Block III, an area which is rarely visited by general public. Although the existence of Pilimagala was known for a long time, no proper study of these ruins has been recorded in till 2021
List of Archaeological Sites inside Yala and Kumana National Parks
- Akasa Chethiya
- Athurumithurugala (see map below)
- Athurumituruwewa
- Bambaragastalawa
- Bembawa
- Bowattegala
- Brahmanatota
- Dematagala
- Dikkandanegala
- Divulanagoda (Veheradivulana)
- Gonagala
- Goyankola Mayagala
- Handuneruwa
- Iriyapola
- Kanabiso Galge
- Katupila (see map below)
- Katupila Mankada (see map below)
- Kiripokunahela
- Mahakiriwedumagala
- Kongala
- Kottadamuhela
- Lunuatugalge (Lunuatu Galge)
- Sithulpawwa Magul Maha Viharaya
- Malwariyakema
- Mandagala
- Mandagala Wewa
- Mayagala (Wadambuwa)
- Minihagalkanda
- Modaragala
- Nelumpath Pokuna
- Padikema Patanangala
- Pilimagala
- Pillinnawa Stone Pillars
- Pimbyramakanda
- Silavakanda
- Sithulpawwa Viharaya
- Thalaguruhela
- Uda Pothana
- Veeragala
Also See
Travel Directions to Yala National Park
The park can be reached through Southern Highway. It is 275 kilometres away (the shortest path through Ratnapura avoiding the Highway but travel time is longer) from Colombo.
Route from Colombo to Yala National Park (Ruhuna) Entrance | Route from Kataragama to Yala National Park (Ruhuna) Entrance |
Through : Southern Highway – Mattala – Tissamaharama – Kirinda Distance : 275 km Travel time : 4.30 hours Driving directions : see on Google map | Through Tissamaharama – Kirinda Distance : 40 km Travel time : 45 minutes. Driving directions : see on Google map |
Travel Directions to Kumana National Park
Entrance to Kumana is from Okanda. Although the fastest route is through the Southern Expressway, The route through Balangoda – Beragala is very scenic.
Route I from Colombo to Kumana Park Entrance at Okanda | Route II from Colombo to Kumana Park Entrance at Okanda |
Through : Southern Highway – Mattala – Thanamalwila – Wellawaya – Monaragala – Potuvil – Panama – Okanda Distance :420 km Travel time : 7.30 hours. Driving directions : see on Google map | Through : Balangoda – Beragala – Wellawaya – Monaragala – Potuvil – Panama – Okanda Distance :345 km Travel time : 9.30 hours. Driving directions : see on Google map |
Route from Potuvil to Kumana Park Entrance at Okanda | |
Through : Potuvil – Panama – Okanda Distance :32 km Travel time : 1 hours. Driving directions : see on Google map |
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