Galgodiyana Island and its Buddhist Ruins

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Galgodiyana is a rocky island off Matara, lying less than 200 meters from the mainland and about 500 meters from the popular Polhengoda beach. The uninhabited island covers approximately 290 square meters (around 1 acre).

The ruins on this jungle-covered island date back about 120 years and are linked to the building of a small Buddhist shrine. The most notable remains are a stupa built in the Thai architectural tradition and a mysterious stone arch whose purpose still remains uncertain.

The Story of Prince Prisdang of Siam

The island’s history is closely tied to Prince Prisdang of Siam (modern-day Thailand), a royal who had studied in England and served as an ambassador to several European countries. Following political disagreements with the Siamese monarch, he fled during a visit to Japan in 1890 and eventually arrived in Sri Lanka in 1896.

That November, he entered the Buddhist priesthood under Waskaduwe Sri Subuthi Thero, taking the name Jinawansa Thero. Drawn to the island’s serenity and isolation, he made Galgodiyana his residence and meditation retreat. Local accounts mention a rock on the island, Ethagala (Elephant Rock), which once bore the carving of an elephant figure alongside the date 1894.06.26.

Life on the Island

Jinawansa Thero was supported by two laymen from nearby Paramulla village: Odiris De Silva Gajaweera, said to be 6 feet 3 inches tall, and Hewagalamulage Babun Appu. It is said that Odiris was often seen carrying the monk on his shoulders across the shallow sea whenever Jinawansa Thero wished to come ashore.

The villagers of Paramulla, who fondly called him Kumara Hamuduruwa (Prince Monk), regularly provided him with meals. They even attempted to build a stone pathway across the sea connecting the island to the mainland. Though parts of it remain visible today, much of it has been washed away and is no longer usable.

Later Years of Jinawansa Thero

Jinawansa Thero lived on Galgodiyana until 1905, after which he moved to Colombo and became the chief monk of Kotahena Deepaduptharamaya Temple, continuing his work of spreading the Dhamma.

In 1911, he returned to Siam to attend the funeral of King Rama V. However, he was compelled to disrobe, as royal protocol required monks of princely origin to return to lay status before viewing the king’s remains. He was not permitted to reordain under the Thai Sangha system thereafter.

For a time, a German monk named Vappa, a student of Ghanaloka Thero of Kotahena, also lived with Jinawansa Thero on Galgodiyana, adding to the island’s short but unique role in international Buddhist history.

The Stupa and Ruins

The stupa and associated structures are believed to have been designed by Jinawansa Thero himself in the Siamese style. The stupa was built with entrances facing all four directions.

Two stone inscriptions can still be found, though they are now too weathered to read. Another intriguing feature is a mystical stone arch, constructed from boulders balanced together without any obvious structural purpose, which adds to the aura of mystery surrounding the site.

References

Supannika. (1997, January 4). The Life and Time of Prince Prisdang. geocities.ws. Retrieved February 03, 2019, from https://www.geocities.ws/RainForest/Vines/8769/Prisdang.htm
Gunasinghe, H. C. (2018, May 8). සිරිලක පැවිදි වූ සියම් රජ කුමරු. Divaina. Retrieved February 03, 2019, from http://www.divaina.com/daily/index.php/visheshanga3/11271-2018-05-08-13-22-65

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Map of Ruins on the Matara Galgodiyana Island

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