Attractions

Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna – යාපනය පෙරිය මන්ඩපම් හුනුගල් ගුහා සංකීර්ණය

54 years ago2 years ago03 mins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(5 votes, average: 3.40 out of 5)

Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna

Very few visitors Jaffna know that there is lot more to this land than the Nagadeepa, Kadurugoda Viharaya, Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil and Point Pedro. Most of the Jaffna Peninsula is covered in coral rock and limestone. With granite almost non existent, all building constructions are carried out using these materiel.

There are number of limestone caves in Jaffna which is unknown to may travelers. Although not the most attractive, the Limestone Caves in Mayakkai are the most significant of these. Even with no formal excavation, three prehistoric hand axes and other tools have been discovered at this site. If the observations of the archaeologists are proved true, These axes belongs to Acheulean type tools which were used from about 1.76 million years ago till about about 160,000 years ago.

The limestone caves at Periya Mandapam is a true wonder of nature. A large open pit exposes a circle of caverns spreading in all directions. A large Tamarind (Siyambala) Tree stands at the center of the pit providing a natural roof for the caves.

Another smaller limestone cave can be found in Keeramale just before the Nakuleswaram Kovil near the freshwater spring. The cave lies in a bare land covered in scrub jungle just before the kovil. This is rather unknown and best obtain a villager to explore this site.

Entrance to the Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna

Also See

Map of Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

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

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Traveling Directions to Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna

Route 01 from Colombo to Jaffna	Route 02 from Colombo to Jaffna
Though : Kurunegala – Dambulla – Anuradhapura – Vavunia Distance :400 km Travel time : 7-8 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Through : Puttlam – Anuradhapura – Vavunia Distance : 400 km Travel time : 7-8 hours Driving Directions : see on google maps
Route from Jaffna Town to Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in
Though : KKS Road Distance :19 km Travel time : 45 mins Time to spent : 45 min – 60 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. […]
Vessagiriya Aramic Complex at Anuradhapura (වෙස්සගිරිය)
Vessagiriya is located few hundred meters left to the current Isurumuniya on the old Anuradhapura-Kurunegala road. This temple complex is located in and around 3 beautiful bolder formations spread across a large area in front of the Tissa Weva. On one these is a remains of a dagaba. […]
Inguruwaththa Purana Tampita Viharaya (ඉඟුරුවත්ත පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya at the Inguruwaththa Purana Viharaya is built on 2 feet 4 inches high 8 granite stumps during the era of king Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747 – 1781). . A circumambulating path is built around the image house protected by a half height wall. […]
Hiripathwella Mayurawathi Sri Bodhirajarama Purana Tampita Viharaya (හිරිපත්වැල්ල මයුරාවතී ශ්‍රී බෝධිරාජාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Hiripathwella Mayurawathi Sri Bodhirajarama Purana Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple with a Tampita Viharaya belonging to the Kandyan era. […]
Hindhawa Sri Wijesundararamaya Purana Tampita Viharaya (හිඳව ශ්‍රී විජේසුන්දරාරාමය පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Hindhawa Sri Wijesundararamaya Purana Viharaya is an ancient viharaya with a Tampita Viharaya belonging to the Kandyan era. The temple lies 7 km off Wariyapola in the Bamunakotuwa area. […]
Eethanawatta Meddegoda Purana Tampita Viharaya – ඊතණවත්ත මැද්දේගොඩ පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය
The Tampita Viharaya at the Eethanawatta Purana Viharaya is built upon 12 granite pillars. A narrow circumambulating path around the main chamber can be seen. The outer wall of the inner chamber is covered in paintings. Entrance to the chamber is through a finely decorated Makara Throrana (Dragon Arch). […]
Buttala Gonaganara Walagamba Purana Viharaya – බුත්තල ගෝනගංආර වලගම්බා පුරාණ විහාරය
Walagamba Purana Viharaya in Gonaganara in Buttala is an ancient temple scatted with ruins of the ancient civilization in Rohana area. The temple is hidden deep inside Buttala on the Sella Kataragama road. […]
Buttala Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya – බුත්තල යටියල්ලාතොට කුටුම්බාල රජමහා විහාරය
Buttala Yatiyallathota Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya is believed to be during the reign of Mahanaga, brother of king Devanampiatissa (250-210 BC). One of the two large stupa still remains as mound of earth while a new stupa has been built on top of the other. […]
Mullegama Mulgirigala Rajamaha Viharaya – මුල්ලේගම මුල්ගිරිගල රජමහා විහාරය
Mullegama Mulgirigala Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient cave temple with inscriptions recording donations to maha sanga which has been dated to 1st - 3rd centuries BC. […]
Buttala Katugahagalge Rajamaha Viharaya (බුත්තල කටුගහගල්ගේ රජමහා විහාරය)
Katugahagalge Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient cave temple with its origin going back to pre christian era with some unique features including a Nissanka Gau Inscription pillar, […]
Dimbulagala Namal Pokuna Monastic Complex at (දිඹුලාගල නාමල් පොකුණ ආරන්‍යය)
Dimbulagala Namal Pokuna is an ancient armaic complex lying on a peaceful undisturbed rocky outcrop close to the Popular Dimbulagala Temple. Probably part of the same complex in the ancient times […]
Unambuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya (උණම්බුව පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
At the ancient temple at Unambuwa, you will find a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on number of stone stumps usually 3-4 feet tall. […]
Ranwala Purana Tampita Viharaya – රංවල පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය
Ranwala Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya hidden just few hundred meters away from the Colombo Kandy road just before the Kegalle town. […]

Also See

Map of Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna

Traveling Directions to Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna

Share this:

Like this: