Kanabiso Galge Archaeological Ruins in Yala (යාළ කනබිසෝ ගල්ගේ නටබුන්)

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Bowattegala Monastery Ruins
Photo courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Yala National Park was initially started as a Game Sanctuary by the British in 1894 and was established as the Yala National Park in 1938. Yala covers more than 100,000 hectares of wildlife with Kirinda to the west, Kataragama to the North, Panama to the east and the Indian Ocean to the south.

Yala National Park and the Kumana National Park (Yala East) are covered with rocky outcrops with the remains of ancient Buddhist monasteries when this area was flourishing under the Ruhunu kingdom in the pre-Christian era. Inside Yala National Park stands one of these rocky outcrops known as Kanabiso Galge (Blind Queen’s Cave). This outcrop covers an extensive area. There are several caves with drip ledges indicating this was part of a large Buddhist monastic complex of the bygone era.

Kanabiso Galge, also called Kanabisunge Galge, was reported to be in a remarkable state of preservation in 1974. The white lime-washed walls of this cave nestled under a crag 200 feet above the plains, were still intact. So are its two little windows and its door through which bears and leopards stalk seeking shelter (Studio Times Limited, 1974).

According to legends spoken by the villages of Kumana, yakshani Princess Kuveni lived there. How she came there is unknown. She married a King named Gajabahu (of Gajabahu Eliya in the Strict Natural Reserve) and blinded herself. She is the Queen of the Blind Queen’s Fortress now known as Kanabiso Galge (Rambukwella, 1963)

List of Archaeological Sites inside Yala and Kumana National Parks

Akasa Chethiya
Athurumithurugala (see map below)
Athurumituruwewa
Bambaragastalawa
Bembawa
Bowattegala
Brahmanatota
Dematagala
Dikkandanegala
Divulanagoda (Veheradivulana)
Gonagala
Goyankola Mayagala
Handuneruwa
Iriyapola
Kanabiso Galge
Katupila (see map below)
Katupila Mankada (see map below)
Kiripokunahela
Mahakiriwedumagala
Kongala

References

Rambukwella, A.T. (1963) “The Nittaewo – The Legendary Pygmies of Ceylon,” Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VIII (Part 2), pp. 265–290.
Handbook for the Ceylon traveller: A Studio Times Publication (1974). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Studio Times, p.172

Also See

Map of Kanabiso Galge Archaeological Ruins in Yala

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.

Travel Directions to Kanabiso Galge Archaeological Ruins in Yala

The park can be reached through Southern Highway. It is 275 kilometres away (the shortest path through Ratnapura avoiding the Highway but travel time is longer) from Colombo.

Route from Colombo to Yala National Park (Ruhuna) Entrance	Route from Kataragama to Yala National Park (Ruhuna) Entrance
Through : Southern Highway – Mattala – Tissamaharama – Kirinda Distance : 275 km Travel time : 4.30 hours Driving directions : see on Google map	Through Tissamaharama – Kirinda Distance : 40 km Travel time : 45 minutes. Driving directions : see on Google map

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