Heritage

Buddhist Archaeological Ruins near Adikandukulam Reservoir (ආදිකාඩුකුලම් වැව අසළ බෞද්ධ නටබුන්)

Situated in a forest reserve west of Toppigala (Kudumbimalai) Rock, this Anuradhapura-period Buddhist shrine features a 4-meter stupa mound severely damaged by illicit digging. Artifacts include scattered bricks, tiles, pottery, pillar fragments, a broken yantragala, and foundation stones from an adjacent building.

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The archaeological site, identified as building evidence with a stupa at Kudumbimalai, is located in Kudumbimalai village within the Kudumbimalai (209-D) Grama Niladhari Division of the Koralai Pattu South (Kiran) Divisional Secretariat Division.

Access Route

To reach the site from Kiran Junction, travel through Pulipanchakal along Kulawadi Road, passing the 5th Post Junction. From Kudumbimalai Junction, take the road to the right to reach Kudumbimalai. From there, continue for approximately 1 km along the left side of the Adikandukulama Reservoir bund. The archaeological remains are located within the forest behind the reservoir.

Historical Background

The archaeological evidence indicates that a small Buddhist shrine, dating to the Anuradhapura period, once existed at this location.

Site Location and Nature of Archaeological Evidence

The archaeological site lies within a forest reserve, approximately 1 km west of Toppigala (Kudumbimalai) Rock. The stupa is a mound measuring nearly 4 m in diameter. Its central portion has been excavated by treasure hunters, resulting in the destruction of the inner relic chamber, or garbha.

The excavation extends to a depth of approximately 9 m, and the internal brick structures of the stupa have been destroyed, with the displaced bricks and excavated soil discarded alongside the mound. Tiles, fragments of earthenware pottery, pillar fragments, and broken pieces of a yantra stone or yantragala are scattered around the stupa.

Approximately 50 m southwest of the stupa is evidence of another building site. Three pillars and a foundation base stone remain at this location, together with a substantial quantity of tile fragments and pottery fragments.

Geographical Coordinates (See the Google Map Below)

The exact location of the site is as follows:

Latitude: 7° 49′ 53.1″ N
Longitude: 81° 22′ 45.4″ E

References

Exploration and Documentation Division (Ed.). (2017). පුරාවිද්යා ස්ථාන හඳුනා ගැනීමේ ගවේෂණ වාර්තාව, මඩකලපුව දිස්ත්රික්කය. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka, p. 362

Also See

Map of the Buddhist Archaeological Ruins near Adikandukulam Reservoir

Click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map

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

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Traveling to the Buddhist Archaeological Ruins near Adikandukulam Reservoir.

Route from Batticaloa to Buddhist Archaeological Ruins near Adikandukulam Reservoir

Through: Chenkaladi – Kiran
Distance: 48 km
Travel time: 1.20 hours
Driving directions: see on Google Maps

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Buddhist Archaeological Ruins near Adikandukulam Reservoir (ආදිකාඩුකුලම් වැව අසළ බෞද්ධ නටබුන්)
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