Galpaya Bambaragala Aranya and Cave Inscriptions

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The Bambaragala discussed here should not be mistaken for the more widely known Bambaragala Temple in Telwatta, Kandy. This Bambaragala is located between Pallebedda and the Udawalawe Reservoir in Galpaya, within the Ratnapura District.

The Galpaya region, which spans thousands of acres, has long been one of the principal centers of Buddhist monastic asceticism—a tradition that originated in Magama during the Mahanaga period (3rd century BCE) and extended to Kuragala in the Sabaragamuwa region. Scattered ruins and inscriptions indicate that this monastery was active either continuously or intermittently from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE.

Despite its historical significance, the area has not been systematically studied for its ruins or inscriptions. Based on the distribution of these remnants, nine areas of interest have been identified: Veheragodella, Bambaragala, Kanabiso Galge Cave, Walaha Wetuna Gala, Waldehikotuwe Gala, Maligathenna, Endhagala Yaya, Kabilithigoda Yaya, and Galbokke Yaya (Gnanawimala Thero, 1967, pp. 198).

The name Bambaragala refers to the area beneath the Galpaya Rocky hill, characterized by numerous drip-ledged caves. It is believed that the name originated from the enormous giant honey bee hives found within these caves.

According to Gnanawimala Thero (1967), there are numerous drip-ledged caves used by meditation monks, although only six of them bear inscriptions. Based on the age of these drip ledges and inscriptions, he suggests that this vast monastery likely originated from Bambaragala.

Near the ancient Bodhi Tree, you can see a bow and an arrow carved on a rocky plain. A mound of rubble known as Veheragodella has been a stupa in the past.

Kanabiso Galge of Galpaya

After ascending the ledge at the end of Bambaragala Rock and walking about a mile through the forest, you will come upon a vast rock cave. The cave extends roughly 100 feet in length and is about 24 feet wide, with a ceiling reaching around 60 feet in height. However, the area where the drip ledge is carved does not exceed 24 feet in height.

The villagers believe that this mountain was once a fortress of a regional king called Mangara. Remnants of a rock wall at the top of the mountain is presented as proof of this fortress. King Maranga owned an extremely rare gem which has been locked inside a special room, where he would visit it every day. The gem has been kept away even from his queen.

One day when the king was away, the queen tried to peek at the gem through the keyhole and the brightness burned her eye, and when she tried to see with the other eye, that too burned, making her blind. Thereafter she has been known as “Kana Biso” ( the blind queen).

When the queen went blind, the king built a guiding rope from her room to her bathing pond at the top of the rock and assigned some attendants to look after her. But attendants sick of serving her had moved the guiding rope towards a precipice and the queen had fallen off the rock and killed instantly.

The king, saddened by her death, has buried her body along with the invaluable gem and two gold walking sticks near the “Kanabiso Lena”. The point is marked by 3 boulders placed to cover the tomb. One can observe how treasure looters have blasted many rocks in this area in search of the treasures buried with the queen’s body.

Over time, portions of the drip ledge have peeled away, likely destroying any inscriptions that might have been present underneath. Despite this, a few Brahmi letters—each about a foot high—can still be seen near the top of the cave.

Originally, this cave served as a dwelling for meditative monks, but it was later converted into a private residence. The interior has been divided into two parts: one is a small, terrace-like room lined with granite and sealed with clay. This section features a doorway on the left side and a small window frame measuring approximately 2 by 2½ feet on the opposite side.

In the center of the cave lies a hollow space covered by stone slabs, which is believed to be a tunnel. Some believe the treasures of the blind queen is hidden inside this tunnel.

While there is not enough documentary evidence to determine exactly when this blind queen lived, the architectural features such as the walls, doors, and windows suggest that the conversion of the cave into a dwelling likely occurred after the Kotte period. (Gnanawimala Thero,1967)

Wehi Wassana Gal Pokuna

“Wehi Wassana Gal Pokuna” translates to “the pond that brings rain.” This small, rain-fed pond is situated at the center of a stone plateau near Kanabiso Cave and is only a few feet deep. In the past, the builders of this pond carved two channels from the top of the rock to channel water into it.

During periods of drought, the villagers come together to empty the pond’s water, believing that this act will prompt rainfall and ensure the pond never runs dry. This belief is reflected in the name Wehi “Wassana Gal Pokuna.”

The area around Bambaragala Aranya is dotted with ruins including sites like Walaha Watuna Gala, Maligathenna, Andagala Yaya, Kebilithigoda Yaya, Galbokka Yaya, and Nika Damana Medagodella. Remnants of ancient structures—such as stone ponds, stone slabs, scattered bricks, statues, and flower altars—are prevalent, and most of these sites have not been examined through archaeological investigations. (Gnanawimala Thero,1967)

Legend of Mangara Deviyo

When King Mangara (of the Blind Queen) passed away at a later time, the villagers deitified him as the “Mangara Deviyo” (Deity Mangara), the deity who looked after the cattle. Even today, the villagers receive protection from cattle diseases by making offerings to the Mangara Deviyo.

Close to the Bambaragala mountain lies a waterway called Kudawa Oya. Two embankments across this river called “Gal Amuna” and “Thal Amuna” have been used to divert water to a paddy field called Galpaya long ago. According to the folklore, when the crop was ready to be harvested, the farmers would bathe, clean themselves in Kudawa Oya, and visit a Bambaragala Cave in clean white cloths. There they would keep a bundle of beetle leaves equivalent to the number of sickles they need for harvesting. The next morning they would find the exact number of golden sickles in the cave. At the end of harvesting, they would return the sickles and they would disappear again.

On the night of harvesting, a white cobra would appear in the field, and it would divide the harvest for the “Mangara Deviyo” and the farmers. Then the pack bulls of the deity would arrive and carry his portion to Bambaragala mountain.

However, one day after the harvest, a farmer returned an iron sickle to the cave instead of the golden one he had received, and it is said that golden sickles have not been seen since. On another occasion, when the lead pack bull of Mangara Deviyo was laden with seedless paddy, the bulls came to claim the deity’s share, and in doing so, they destroyed the two embankments across Kudawa Oya beyond repair.

Incriptions

Inscription carved onto a sloping rock ledge at Bambaragala
source : සපරගමු දර්ශන

In front of the first drip-ledged cave, a two-line inscription in Nagara script is carved onto a sloping rock ledge. Below this inscription, there is a symbol depicting a short sword and an arrow. It is believed that this inscription was created by someone who occupied the cave after the Buddhist monks had vacated it.

Inscription 1
Transliteration: Anthenisaa
Translation: Anthenisa (mi)

Inscription 2
Transliteration: Amige Galge
Translation: Cave of Ami

Inscriptions on caves 1 to 4 in Bambaragala source : සපරගමු දර්ශන

Cave Inscription 1

Beneath the drip ledge of the adjacent cave, a single-line inscription is carved. The cave itself has been transformed into a chamber—with a surrounding wall and a ground-floor hall in front. This inscription, rendered in Brahmi script, dates back to between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE.

Transliteration: Upathishaha
Translation: cave of Upatissa
Period : 3rd – 2nd century BCE
Source : Gnanawimala Thero (1967)

Cave Inscription 2

Climbing up the hill among a cluster of caves, one drip-ledged cave bears an inscription composed of only three letters. This concise inscription indicates that the donor chose to announce his contribution using just those three characters.

Transliteration: Shagasha
Translation: Donated to the priesthood
Period : 3rd – 2nd century BCE
Source : Gnanawimala Thero (1967)

Cave Inscription 3

A short distance south of the second cave, there is a fairly large cave with a drip ledge at the entrance. The rock in which this cave is located, which used to be a single rock, has split in two places and split into three rocks. This inscription is engraved on the middle rock, two feet below the drip ledge.

Transliteration: mula devasha gamika Lankasha
Translation: cave of Muladeva and Gramika Lankasha
Period : 3rd – 2nd century BCE
Source : Gnanawimala Thero (1967)

Cave Inscription 4

A short distance from this spot, and closer to the mountain’s summit, you will come across the fourth cave. In this cave, a single-line inscription is also carved beneath the drip ledge.

Transliteration: gamika wasabasa lene sagasa
Translation: The cave of the village councillor Vasabha [is given] to the Sangha.
source : Paranavitana (1970:881a)
Period : 3rd – 2nd century BCE

Inscriptions on caves 5 and 6 in Bambaragala source : සපරගමු දර්ශන

Cave Inscription 5

This is the largest cave in the Bambaragala Monastery. The inscription is carved beneath the drip ledge with 6 inch high letters. The total length of the inscription is 13 feet 8 inches and lies 15 feet above the floor.

Transliteration: gamika sona puta digasumanasa ca damarakitasa ca lene mapadahane
Translation: The cave named Manopadoshana of Digha-Sumana son of the village councilor Sona
source : Paranavitana (1970:779)
Period : 3rd – 2nd century BCE

It is assumed that due to the size, beauty and the majestic nature, this cave had been named “Manopadoshana”.

Cave Inscription 6

A little distance from here is another cave, slightly smaller than the fifth cave. There too, under the dripledge, is a single-line inscription, 5½ feet long. The characters of this inscription are also about 6 inches high.

Transliteration: gamika shona kulasha dane shagasha
Translation: cave of clan of Gramika Sona donated to the priesthood
Period : 3rd – 2nd century BCE
Source : Gnanawimala Thero (1967)

This inscription appears to suggest that the cave, formerly owned by the Sona family, was donated to the Sangha, with the family subsequently providing alms to the Sangha.

Inscriptions of Galpaya Bambaragala Aranya

A recent rock cut Sri Patula at the Pallebedda Bambaragala Forest Monastery

Kudawa Oya which flows close to the Pallebedda Bambaragala Forest Monastery

View from the top of Pallebedda Bambaragala Forest Monastery

A giant Puswela in the Pallebedda Bambaragala Forest

Ancient ruins of the Pallebedda Bambaragala Forest Monastery

References

Abeywardana, H. a. P. (2002). Heritage of Sabaragamuwa: Major Natural, Cultural, and Historic Sites (1st ed.). Sabaragamuwa Development Bank in association with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Gnanawimala Thero, K. (1967). සපරගමු දර්ශන. Shastrodaya Printing Press.
Paranavitana, S. (1970). Inscriptions of Ceylon : Volume I Containing Cave Inscriptions From 3rd Century B.C. To 1st Century A.C. and Other Inscriptions in the Early Brahmi Script: Vol. I. Department of Archaeology Ceylon.
අපේ උරුමය. (2016, September 4). බඹරගල ආරන්‍ය සෙනසුන. facebook.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://www.facebook.com/apea.urumaya/posts/1643242799338384

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