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Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir in Mannar (නීරාවිකුලම් වැව අසල නටබුන් අංක 2)

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Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir in Mannar

Niravikulam Reservoir is an ancient reservoir in the village of Keeriduddan in Keerisuddan GS division in Madhu Divisional Secretariat. Today this reservoir lies abandoned in the middle of the jungle totally consumed by the jungle.

Then Archaeological Commissioner HCP Bell reported about the status of the reservoir as well as Buddhist ruins found around it. Based on this description and the ruins currently found inside this jungle, there may have been a Monastery spread over a large area in the ancient past.

Bell writes;

Got a guide and went to Niravi-kulam. There is a great breach and the bed of the tank is nearly all forest, but the bund is a large one, and there must at one time have been a considerable sheet of water.
On the bund, at the eastern end, there are a few wedged pillars which may have been almost anything. There is not enough left to judge. Half a mile from this, below the bund, there is a well preserved ruin which originally had 24 stone pillars. Portions of the brick walls are standing, and are in style somewhat anterior to the majority of the buildings at Polonnaruwa, being laid with a little mortar. In the neighbourhood bricks and clusters of pillars testify to the existence of a somewhat extensive monastery.
Archaeological Survey of Ceylon. North-Central, Northern, and Central Provinces. Annual Report, 1907

The location referred to as “Ruined Site 2” is accessible by taking a right turn at Madhu Junction on the Medawachchiya-Mannar Road and continuing towards Palampiddi village through Madhu town. Follow the Palampiddi-Iluppukulam Road until you reach Keerisuddan junction. Take a left turn at Keeriduddan Junction and travel a distance of 3 km. Turn left after passing the bridge and proceeding 20 m and then proceed 400 m to the forest (towards the east) to reach this site.

Ruins of an ancient stupa, 1.3 meters high and 30 meters in diameter belonging to the Anuradhapura period are found at this site. It has been dug up by treasure hunters and the diameter of the hole dug at the middle is about 3m and has a depth of 2 m. The dimensions of a brick used to construct the stupa are 28 cm x 16 cm x 5 cm.

A bunker had been constructed by the LTTE terrorists before they were destroyed adjoining and parallel to the stupa. There is a stone pillar and a stone slab close to the stupa site.

Ruins of a building which could be an image house are found 25m southwest to the stupa. The length and width of the building is 8m and 5.75m respectively. There are 10 stone pillars in the building. In the middle of the image house is the doorstep of a doorframe. This is 170 cm in length and 87 cm in width. Six of the stone pillars are 1.8 m in height and 26 cm in length and width. Other pillars are shorter. There are fragments of bricks, a stone slab, parts of stone pillars and a well-carved balustrade in the surrounding ground. The balustrade is 67 cm in height and 105 cm in width.

References

Bell, H.C.P. (1911) Archaeological Survey of Ceylon. North-Central, Northern, and Central Provinces. Annual Report, 1907. Colombo, Ceylon: H. C. Cottle.
Asanga, M.V.P.K. and Nishantha, I.P.S. (2018) in මන්නාරම දිස්ත්‍රික්කය. Colombo , Sri Lanka: Department of Archaeology, pp 124-126.

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Map of Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir in Mannar

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Driving Directions to Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir in Mannar

From Vavuniya to Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir

Via : Palampiddi Road
Total Distance : 37 km
Travel Time: 60 Minutes
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References

Also See

Map of Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir in Mannar

Driving Directions to Ruined Site 2 near Ancient Niravikulam Reservoir in Mannar

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