Heritage

Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage (වෑවල ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනයේ ගල්වත්තහේන නටබුන්)

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Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage - වෑවල ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනයේ ගල්වත්තහේන නටබුන් — Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage – වෑවල ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනයේ ගල්වත්තහේන නටබුන්

Wewalawawa, so named due to the Wewala Reservoir lies 14 kilometers east of Dambulla. Wewala Forest Hermitage lies on the edge of this village on the site of an ancient cave temple complex. Some caves of the ancient temple have been converted for the use of the meditating monks.

This site had been quite a large forest hermitage in the ancient past based on the number of drip-ledge caves found at the site. This a large low-lying rock formation dotted with cave shelters. Roughly 8 areas of caves are found at the site. Every cave has been carved with a drip ledge and some have been inscribed with the donation details of the cave.

One inscription was made during the reign of King Sirimeghavanna (Kithsiri Mevan) during 303-331 AD. This inscription states that the reservoir belonging to Karachudaka Sumana of the village Dakapeni and the rock cave of chief Sonadeva was donated to the monastery on the second day of the ascending moon in the month of Nikini in the 10th regnal year (313 AD) of king Sirimeghavanna. The reservoir and the paddy fields of the scriber Naga, wetlands and Paddy fields of elder Siva and the reservoir of Buti have been donated for the maintenance of Vihara. It is mentioned in the inscription that the merit acquired is invoked on all beings.

Wewala can be reached from Inamaluwa through Sigiriya (B162) or from Dambulla on the Kandalama Road (B615). The motorable road ends after about 2.5 km passing the the Wewala Reservoir.

A detailed report written in Japanese language of of this archaeological site has been published by an Japanese Archaeology team who had visited these sites in 2013. The photos and the sketches of the caves below is from this report.

References

Okamura, T., 2015. RUINS IN CENTRAL EASTERN AREA OF SRI LANKA — at the jungle of Amban Ganga Basin and the outskirts —. Tokyo: South Asian

Also See

Map of Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage

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Travel Directions to Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage

Route from Dambulla to Wewala Forest Hermitage

Distance : 20 km
Travel time : 40 minutes
Driving directions : see on Google map

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Panda wewa, lying close to the ancient kingdom of Panduwasnuwara is believed to be the oldest man made reservior in the world built by King Panduwasdeva (504-474 BC) in 450 BC for irrigation as well as for daily use by the citizens of Panduwasnuwara. […]
Yoda Wewa at Tissamaharama (තිස්සමහාරාම යෝධ වැව)
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Tissamaharama Tissa Wewa: The First Oblique Dam in the World (තිස්සමහාරාම තිස්ස වැව)
The Tissa Wewa is one of the largest ancient irrigation tanks constructed the 3rd Century is considered the first Oblique Dam in the world […]

References

Also See

Map of Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage

Travel Directions to Galwattahena Ruins at Wewala Forest Hermitage

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