Mannakandal Kanniyar Kovil Archaeological Site in Mulativu

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මුලතිවු මන්නකණ්ඩාල් කන්නියාර් කෝවිල් බෞද්ධ පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථානය - Mannakandal Kanniyar Kovil Archaeological Site in Mulativu — Mannakandal Kanniyar Kovil Archaeological Site in Mulativu
ජයාරුපය : පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක – මුලතිව් දිස්ත්‍රික්කය – පුරාවිද්‍යා දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව

The ruins of this ancient Buddhist monastic complex are located in the village of Keridamadu, within the Mannakandal Grama Niladhari Division of the Oddusuddan Divisional Secretariat in the Mullaitivu District.

Lewis’s Report on the Site

Among the ancient monasteries found in the Mullaitivu District, this one stands out as one of the largest and most architecturally significant. In a publication on Vanni by J. P. Lewis (1895, p. 309), seven temples are mentioned, and local folklore speaks of seven Vanniyan virgin chieftainesses (kanyā-pradhāni) who once ruled the Vanni region. According to this narrative, these women were the daughters of regional rulers who governed the area. Therefore, it is assumed that this site came to be known as Kanniyār Kovil due to its association with these female leaders.

J. P. Lewis (1895, pp. 308-309) also describes the site in detail;

There are extensive ruins at Mannakandal, off the minor road between the 8th and the 9th mileposts. The The bund of a large abandoned tank abuts the road at right angles to it. The ruins are situated on some rising ground, which is quite flat at the top, and appear to have been enclosed by a wall. Close together there are the ruins of seven temples of the usual type, parallel rows of rectangular pillars, and of different sizes. The largest was built on a platform faced with brick, the outline of which is still remaining. The space enclosed within the pillars is, as in the case of all the others, heaped up with debris, bricks, tiles, and earth, and very likely, if this were cleared, the usual images of Buddha would be found lying underneath in the pilima-ge. I determined to see whether I could find the entrance steps to this larger temple. Taking the side facing east (the building was of rectangular shape, with the long sides on the east and west), I noticed the top of a stone appearing above the surface. Getting the earth cleared away, I found it was one of the balustrades of the steps, of the usual elephant-trunk shape. At the foot there was another stone just appearing above the surface of the ground, and digging in front of this, I found that it had on it the usual figure of a guardian goddess very deeply carved into the stone. The top of the stone, including the head of the figure, was broken off, but I found it close by, though mutilated. I found the other balustrade and stone in their proper position (the latter also broken), and, between the two balustrades, the steps.

There are also the ruins of a dagoba close by. In front of another temple there are three stone steps, diminishing in size from the topmost one. This was probably the main entrance to the whole set of buildings. There are many bricks and tiles scattered all about the place. One tile was found indented at one end with the marks of the five fingers pulled along it when it was wet, like those found lately at Irisentirankulam and Nochchiknlam. Not far from these ruins there is a large square pokuna, all four sides built up with cabook-like stone. On measurement it was found to be 90 yards square, but originally I think it may have been 100, as the sides have fallen in. Near it was a rectangular stone, 3 ft. by 2 ft., with raised borders, such as are used to place flowers on before an image of Buddha or a bo tree.

The Site Under the LTTE Terrorists and the Sri Lankan Army

Though locally referred to as Kanniyār Kovil, the presence of Buddhist architectural features clearly reveals that this is a ruined Buddhist monastery rather than a Hindu temple. There are no remains of a kovil at the site. Locals recall that during the LTTE terrorism period, the location was used as a training school and camp by the militants.

After the defeat of the LTTE terrorists, the area containing the ruins, including the surrounding zone including Kanniyār Kovil Kulama Wewa Reservoir, was taken over by the Sri Lankan Army and turned into a military base. As such, the ruins currently lie within a military camp.

Ruins of the Site

The most prominent visible ruins include eight identifiable structures, forming a monastic complex enclosed by a boundary wall. At the entrance to the site is a structure with stone pillars, situated on slightly elevated ground. This square building measures approximately 4.65 by 4.65 meters and contains six well-shaped stone pillars. Each pillar is about 25 by 25 cm in cross-section and roughly 2 meters in height. Toward the southern end of the structure, several collapsed pillars and scattered ancient bricks can be seen.

To the west of this structure lies a partially collapsed stupa. Treasure hunters have dug a large pit at its center. The stupa mound is currently about 15 meters in diameter and 3 meters in height. At its southern edge, a stone foundation is still visible.

About 15 meters south of this stupa lies another set of ruins. At this location, soldiers from the military camp have constructed a modern image house (Budu Medura). Excavations during this construction revealed the ancient entrance to the original structure. Two korawak gal (wing stones), a sandakada pahana (moonstone), and muragal (guard stones) from the Anuradhapura period were uncovered here. Although the moonstone and guard stones are damaged, a new flight of stairs has been built in place of the original ones.

Except for two of the identified structures, all the buildings are enclosed within an ancient brick boundary wall. Based on the characteristics of the stone pillar bases, the stylistic features align with those typical of the Anuradhapura period. Near one of the ruined structures, there is also a plain stone toilet slab, which further supports the monastic nature of the site.

These ruins were officially declared a protected archaeological monument on March 24, 1916, under the Antiquities Ordinance.

How to get there

Traveling about 23 kilometers along the Oddusuddan–Puthukudiyiruppu Road, one reaches the Mannakandal junction. Here, a public welfare center of the Sri Lanka Army’s 641 Brigade is situated. From this point, turning south and traveling approximately 750 meters along a gravel road leads to the Kanniyār Kovil Kulama Wewa Reservior near Kanniyār Kovil. At the end of the dam, the entrance gate of the 14th Battalion Army Camp is found. Near the military camp’s signboard, another signboard marks the location of the ruins, which lie within the camp premises.

References

Asanga, M. V. P. K., & Nishantha, I. P. S. (2018). පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක – මුලතිව් දිස්ත්‍රික්කය (1st ed.). Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.
Archaeologysl.maps.arcgis.com. 2020. Web GIS Portal – Web GIS Unit. [online] Available at: <https://archaeologysl.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html> [Accessed 30 September 2020].
Lewis, J. P. (1895). Manual of the Vanni Districts: Vavun̤iya and Mullaittivu of the Northern Province, Ceylon (1st ed.). H.C. Cottle.

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Traveling Directions to Mannakandal Kanniyar Kovil Archaeological Site in Mulativu

From Oddusuddan to Mannakandal Kanniyar Kovil Archaeological Site in Mulativu

Via: Puthukkudiyiruppu Road
Total Distance: 13 km
Time to travel: 20 minutes
Time to spend: Approximately 20-30 minutes
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