Kudagala "Punchi Sigiriya" Archaeological Ruins - Dehiattakandiya

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View from the main cave — at Kudagala in Dehiaththakandiya
Photo courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Kudagala is a rock formation in the Dehiattakandiya area, located close to another massive rocky outcrop that bears some resemblance to Sigiriya. In 1968, Professor Senarath Paranavitana explored this site and recorded cave walls adorned with frescoes that resembled the Sigiri Frescoes. Because of this, the location has become popularly known among villagers as Kuda Sigiriya or Punchi Sigiriya.

The caves on this rock have served as dwellings for meditating Buddhist monks since the pre-Christian era. Even today, the site continues to function as a forest hermitage for a few meditating bhikkhus. The site is also referred to as Kudagala Arannya and Kudagala Rajamaha Viharaya.

At the summit of the hill are the ruins of an ancient stupa. The bricks scattered around it are believed to date back to the first century CE (Medhananda Thero, 2005).

Describing the frescoes observed in 1968, Professor Paranavitana wrote that while they appeared to depict female figures, they may actually represent males. Although he dated the paintings to around the 8th century CE, some have alternatively suggested a Polonnaruva-period origin. Two layers of frescoes were once present, with the upper layer being better preserved. This layer was painted primarily in black on an off-white background, with touches of white body pigment. Among the images was a masterfully executed Bodhisattva figure adorned with a jeweled head-dress, accompanied by a finely drawn female figure. Also visible was a heavily weathered enthroned Buddha, similar in style to that found at the Maravidiya caves, surrounded by haloed deities. An especially intriguing depiction of a man mounted on a richly saddled and bridled horse was also noted (Bandaranayake, 1986, pp. 37–38).

Unfortunately, the frescoes documented by Professor Paranavitana never received preservation attention and have since vanished. Today, only faint outlines remain, providing visitors with just enough detail to imagine what the rock must have looked like centuries ago.

To access the site, one must travel 3.7 kilometers from Dehiattakandiya towards Aralaganwila and turn right at the Aluthkade Junction. A further 7 kilometers along narrow interior roads leads to the base of the archaeological site known locally as Punchi Sigiriya or Kudagala.

These ruins of Kudagala were declared as a protected archaeological monument by the Gazette issued on 10th October 2014, and describes the location as follows ;

“Rock called Kudagala with drip-ledged cave complex containing the remains of ancient painting and ancient dagoba (Kuda Sigiriya) and the hillock of ancient ruins at Kudagala Vihara premises belonging to Kudagala village situated in Grama Niladhari Division No. 142/N, Kadirapura in the Divisional Secretary’s Division Dehiaththakandiya in Ampara District in Eastern Province (latitude 07º 40′ 53.2” N and longitude 081º 05′ 53.4” E).”

Kudagala Punchi Sigiriya rock — at Dehiaththakandiya

kudagala main cave — at Dehiaththakandiya

A kutiya built under another cave in Kudagala — at Dehiaththakandiya

Ruins of the ancient past — at Kudagala in Dehiaththakandiya

Nature of Kudagala Arannya — at Dehiaththakandiya

A meditating cave at Kudagala — at Dehiaththakandiya

The main cave — at Kudagala in Dehiaththakandiya

Faded frescoes similar to ones found in Sigiriya on the walls of the main cave — at Kudagala in Dehiaththakandiya

References

Bandaranayake, S. (1986). The rock and wall paintings of Sri Lanka. Lake House Book Shop.
Medhananda Thero, E. (2005). The Sinhala Buddhist heritage in the East and the North of Shri [i.e. Sri] Lanka (1st ed.). Dayawansa Jayakody & Co.

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