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Yala National Park, including 5 blocks and the adjoining Kumana National Park consist of one of the largest land areas of Sri Lanka which wildlife roam free. Although a wildlife park now, many centauries ago, This area was covered in thriving cities of the Ruhuna Magama kingdom.
Almost all the rocky outcrops in this jungle are dotted with ruins of Buddhist monasteries. Moderagala is a prominent, pointed rock 228 feet high, visible from certain points on the Yala-Katagamuwa Road. Around it are four or five other high rocks and numerous boulders and outcrops. One of these higher rocks lies a stupa ruined by time and treasure hunters. At the lower levels are about a dozen drip-ledged caves, three of which bear inscriptions (Nicholas,1952).
Moderagala may be the Accha or Acchagalla Viharaya ascribed to Gothabhaya and Valasgalu Viharaya ascribed to king Kavantissa, both the rulers from 2nd century BC mentioned in the Chronicles as being close to Akasa Chethiya (Nicholas,1963).
The inscriptions read at the site is as below
- Bata-Kanagutasa Mahasudasane lene sangha
The cave named Mahasudassana of lord Kanhagutta [is given] to the Sangha. - Gamika-Kana-puta gamika-Sadanasa lenani sagasa dinani
The caves of the village-councillor Sadana, son of the village-councillor Kanha, are given to the Sangha. - Fragment only the word sagasa. legible.
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
- Kottadamuhela
- Lunuatugalge (Lunuatu Galge)
- Sithulpawwa Magul Maha Viharaya
- Malwariyakema
- Mandagala
- Mandagala Wewa
- Mayagala (Wadambuwa)
- Minihagalkanda
- Modaragala
- Nelumpath Pokuna
- Padikema Patanangala
- Pilimagala
- Pillinnawa Stone Pillars
- Pimbyramakanda
- Silavakanda
- Sithulpawwa Viharaya
- Thalaguruhela
- Uda pothana
- Veeragala
References
- Nicholas, C. W. (1963). Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VI Special Number, p.61
- Nicholas, C.W. (1952) “Text of the Brahmi Inscriptions in the Ruhuna National Park,” Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, II(2), pp. 126–140.
- Handbook for the Ceylon traveller : A Studio Times Publication (1974). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Studio Times, p.172
- Paranavithana, S. (1970) The Inscriptions of Ceylon Volume I – Early Brāhmī Inscriptions. Colombo, Ceylon: Department of Archaeology of Ceylon.
- Somadeva, R., (2006). URBAN ORIGINS IN SOUTHERN SRI LANKA. Doctoral Thesis in Archaeology. Uppsala University.
Also See
Map of Modaragala Ruins in Yala
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 Modaragala Ruins in Yala
The park can be reached through Southern Highway. It is 275 kilometers away (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 |
