Archaeological Ruins of Lunuatugalge in Yala National Park (යාල ලුණුඅටුගල්ගේ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)

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A cave of Hulan Nuge Tharulengala Rajamaha Viharaya Image curtsy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Yala National Park, including 5 blocks and the adjoining Kumana National Park consists of one of the largest land areas of Sri Lanka where wildlife roam free. Although a wildlife park now, many centuries ago, This area was covered in thriving cities of the Ruhuna Magama kingdom.

Lunuatugalge (Lunuatu Galge) is a massive cave 5 km south of Thalaguruhela Monastery ruins. This fabulous rock, rising 400 feet in a gentle arc shelters one of the most beautiful caves in Sri Lanka. It is approximately 200 feet long and as much as 30 feet deep in places and had evidently housed many families in ancient times.

The cave had been partitioned with brick walls to form about a dozen rooms. The carving of the drip ledge of the cave must have been a stupendous task, for it is at the upper end of the arc at a height of some 100 feet above ground.

Now this cave is inhabited by wasps and bambara bees and bears appear to occupy some of the rooms. Going through the cave and climbing its roof, you came upon two reasonably flat rock plateaus.

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

Pieris, K. (2010) “Settlements in ancient Sri Lanka,” Daily News, 7 October.

Also See

Map of Archaeological Ruins of Lunuatugalge (Lunuatu Galge) 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 Archaeological Ruins of Lunuatugalge (Lunuatu Galge) 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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