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Photo courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage
The villages of Kumana and Panama, once part of a ancient flourishing civilization, today is a think jungle teeming with wildlife. Kumana National Park as known today is home to a large number of sites of ruins scattered on various rocky outcrops throughout the jungle.
In the upper valleys of Kumbukkan Oya and inside the thick jungle belonging to the Ampara District, stands a one of these rocky outcrops close to pond knowns as Nelumpath Pokuna. On the rock are a few stupas, now vandalised and destroyed by treasure hunters and some other ruins such as stone pillars, foundations and brick walls.
The two natural stone ponds, supply water to the wild animals throughout the year, even in the drought seasons. An inscription of Kanittha Tissa (167—186) at Nelumpath Pokuna, gives the ancient name of the site as Gosagala Mahavihara and grants to it shares in water-revenues at Mahanakaraka, presumably Anuradhapura.
This site lies about 3 km passing Bambaragasthalawa Ruins over a rough four wheel trail.
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
- Ellāvala Medhānanda, 2005. The Sinhala Buddhist heritage in the East and the North of Shri [i.e. Sri] Lanka. 1st ed. Colombo: Dayawansa Jayakody & Co. , p.23
- C. W. Nicholas, 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
- Handbook for the Ceylon traveller : A Studio Times Publication (1974). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Studio Times.
Also See
Map of Nelumpath Pokuna Ruins in Kumana
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 Nelumpath Pokuna Ruins in Kumana
Entrance to Kumana is from Okanda. Although the fastest route is through the Southern Expressway, The route through Balangoda – Beragala is very scenic.
| Route I from Colombo to Kumana Park Entrance at Okanda | Route II from Colombo to Kumana Park Entrance at Okanda |
| Through : Southern Highway – Mattala – Thanamalwila – Wellawaya – Monaragala – Potuvil – Panama – Okanda Distance :420 km Travel time : 7.30 hours. Driving directions : see on google map | Through : Balangoda – Beragala – Wellawaya – Monaragala – Potuvil – Panama – Okanda Distance :345 km Travel time : 9.30 hours. Driving directions : see on google map |
| Route from Potuvil to Kumana Park Entrance at Okanda | |
| Through : Potuvil – Panama – Okanda Distance :32 km Travel time : 1 hours. Driving directions : see on google map |