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To reach this ancient site, you can travel from Saraswathi Vidyalaya on the Trincomalee-Kappalthurai road towards Ashroff Street. From there, pass the Jummah Mosque, cross the railway line, turn right, and travel about 500 meters to the first culvert. Turn left at the culvert, head towards the paddy fields for about one kilometer, cross the canal, and enter the Muthunagar area. From there, you’ll need to travel another kilometer through unauthorized lands and jungle to reach the ruins.
Six different locations within the scattered ruins, including the stupa, have been dug up by treasure hunters. Around 10 acres of jungle surrounding the ruins have been cleared for land grabbing, with makeshift huts built on the site. This is the third archaeological site I have observed on land belonging to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
The stupa’s original builder and date of construction are unknown. However, based on the bricks scattered by the treasure hunters, it is likely from the Early Anuradhapura period. The stupa mound is about 12 feet high with a circumference of approximately 150 feet. It has been excavated in two places: an 8-foot-wide and 10-foot-deep trench that runs for about 16 feet through the center of the mound. This excavation has scattered a large number of bricks, along with molding fragments and other brick remnants.
About 15 meters south of the stupa, there is a large, deep excavation about 30 feet deep with an opening of four to four and a half feet. At the base of this pit, there are two foundation stones. About 20 meters from there, two fallen stone pillars, each about five feet tall, are visible. Nearby, there is another excavation, about four feet wide and six to eight feet deep. Below that, two more foundation stones can be seen in two separate locations. Another 15 meters away, there are about 20 well-placed stone pillars. One pillar, about six or seven feet tall, is leaning but not broken. The remaining pillars are only remnants, standing about two feet high. Broken pillar pieces are scattered nearby, where another unauthorized excavation, about eight to ten feet deep, has been made.
About 30 meters northwest of the stupa, there’s a simple sandakada pahana (moonstone) made of crystalline limestone, about four or five feet wide. The right corner is broken, and a molding stone is nearby. A layer of bricks below has been dug up by another unauthorized excavation, scattering a large number of bricks. This could have been a stupa mound or the foundation of another building. Among the scattered bricks, another molding stone was found. A short distance away, two foundation stones are visible in a small pit, one of which has been destroyed. Several tile fragments, possibly roof tiles, were also seen among the brick piles.
The ruins are spread across more than an acre of land. Non-Buddhists have cleared the jungle up to the site and built a hut nearby. The person living there uses bricks, including one with the Brahmi letter “අ,” to build a hearth and cook food.
After inspecting the site, the Secretary of the Tri-Nikaya Monastic Council and Chief Sanghanayaka of the Eastern Tamankaduwa Province, the Ven. Aluth Oya Saddhatissa Nayaka Thero, named this archaeological site Muthugama Rajamaha Vihara and is exploring the necessary steps for its development and conservation.
Also See
Map of Muththunagar Muthugama Buddhist Ruins in Trincomalee
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
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Traveling Directions to Muththunagar Muthugama Buddhist Ruins in Trincomalee
| From Trincomalee to Muththunagar Muthugama Buddhist Ruins |
| Total distance: 12 km Travel Time: 30 hours + time for walking in the forest Time to spend: About 30-45 minutes Driving directions: See on Google Maps |
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