Heritage

Buddhist Monastic Ruins in Ominiyamadu Jungle (ඕමිනියාමඩු වනය තුළ බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන්)

57 years ago1 month ago02 mins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(2 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5)

Buddhist Monastic Ruins in Ominiyamadu Jungle

The Ominiyamadu Jungle ruins in Vakarai preserve a small Anuradhapura-era structure defined by a four-pillar rectangular layout. Although treasure hunters have heavily disturbed the central foundation, the lower portions of the stone pillars remain intact. These surviving architectural elements and displaced pillar fragments provide clear evidence of an early monastery deep within the Madurankulama forest.

The Ominiyamadu Jungle Archaeological Ruins, located in Madurankulama within the Madurankenikulama 211-B Grama Niladhari Division of Korale Pattu North (Vakare) Divisional Secretariat, preserve the remains of a small ancient structure believed to date to the Anuradhapura period. Although only a limited number of architectural elements survive today, the structural characteristics of the foundations indicate connections with construction traditions of that era.

Access Route

Travel approximately 10 km (6.2 miles) along Ridithenna Road, which branches from the Welikanda–Batticaloa (A11) road, to reach Ominiyamadu village. From the village, continue along the road running beside the ZE irrigation canal, pass the Madurankulama junction, and travel a further 2.3 km (1.4 miles). From there, enter the forest from the eastern side and walk approximately 500 m (0.3 miles) to reach the site.

Historical Background

At present, the visible archaeological remains at the site consist mainly of several stone pillars. However, the architectural characteristics of the surviving foundations suggest that the structure belongs to the Anuradhapura period.

Location and Archaeological Evidence

The site preserves the remains of a small building identified by four stone pillars arranged in a rectangular layout. The upper sections of these pillars have been destroyed, although the remaining lower portions still indicate the original form of the structure.

The central area of the building has been heavily disturbed by treasure hunters, yet the surviving pillars themselves remain largely undamaged. Within the mounds of soil displaced during these excavations, several broken fragments of stone pillars can also be observed.

Geographical Coordinates

The exact location of the site is as follows:

North Latitude: 8°02′34.7″ N
East Longitude: 81°21′20.9″ E

References

Exploration and Documentation Division (Ed.). (2017). පුරාවිද්යා ස්ථාන හඳුනා ගැනීමේ ගවේෂණ වාර්තාව, මඩකලපුව දිස්ත්රික්කය. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.

Also See

Traveling Directions to Buddhist Monastic Ruins in Ominiyamadu Jungle

Route from Polonnaruwa to Buddhist Monastic Ruins in Ominiyamadu Jungle

Through: Manampitiya – Welikanda
Distance: 53 km
Travel time: 1.30 hours
Driving directions : see on Google Maps

Map of the Buddhist Monastic Ruins in Ominiyamadu Jungle

Click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map

Show Location on Google Maps

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.

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Muruthtthanai Buddhist Monastic Archaeological Ruins 3 (මුරුත්තනෙයි පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන් 3)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Monastic Site 3 in Kiran features a small structure with seven stone pillars in a 3×4 arrangement. A Padowanada Gala (foot-washing basin) remains nearby, while an associated Siripatul Gala sits at Mariamman Kovil. […]
Kanandanai Archaeological Ruins at in Muruthtthanai (මුරුත්තනෙයි කානන්දනෛ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period Kanandanai ruins in Kiran are located in a paddy field near the Maduru Oya. The site features five displaced 2-meter-tall stone pillars from an ancient building, along with scattered fragments of ancient bricks, indicating the former presence of a substantial structure. […]
Archaeological Ruins at Mariamman Kovil in Muruthtthanai (මුරුත්තානෛ මාරිඅම්මාන් කෝවිල් භූමියේ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period ruins at Mariamman Kovil in Muruthtthanai (Kiran) are situated 50 meters east of a Maduru Oya tributary. The site features the remains of a small building, including four broken, 30-centimeter-tall stone pillars currently intertwined within the roots of a tamarind tree. […]
Archaeological Ruins Behind Amman Kovil in Muruthtthanai (මුරුත්තනෙයි අම්මාන් කෝවිල පිටුපස පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
Located in Muruthtthanai (Kiran), these small ancient ruins sit within a paddy field directly behind the Amman Kovil. The site features stone pillars and slabs scattered across a circular 10-square-meter area, representing a structure of uncertain historical date, origin, and original function due to limited evidence. […]
Archaeological Ruins on the Land of Vairamuttu Nagendran in Muruthtthanai (වෛරමුත්තු නාගේන්ද්‍රන්ගේ ඉඩමේ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
The Muruthtthanai ruins on Vairamuttu Nagendran’s land in Kiran are situated within private property. The site contains a small ancient structure of unknown date and origin, constructed from roughly worked stone blocks and including at least four stone pillars that still stand in their original positions. […]
Muruthtthanai Werama Archaeological Site in Kiran (මුරුත්තානෛ වේරම පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Werama site in Kiran features a monastic complex identified by a Siri Pathul Gala (Buddha footprint stone), ancient pottery, roof tiles, and bricks. Architectural characteristics at the location also suggest the site may have previously served as a prehistoric burial ground. […]
Palakkadu Road Archaeological Site in Kiran (පාලක්කාඩු මාර්ගයේ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Anurādhapura-period Palakkadu Road site in Kiran is split in two by a modern gravel road. It features nineteen surviving 1-meter-tall, roughly dressed stone pillars, which likely formed a 4×7 grid structure before being partially destroyed. […]
Miniminiththaweli Archaeological Site 1 in Kiran (මිනිමිණිත්තවේලි පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Anurādhapura-era Miniminiththāweli site 1 in Kiran features a historic building complex heavily damaged by forest gravel road construction. This development destroyed the site's archaeological context and displaced ancient artifacts, including a stone-carved flower altar bulldozed to the roadside. […]
Miniminiththaweli Archaeological Site 2 in Kiran (මිනිමිණිත්තවේලි පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය 2)
The Maduru Oya Valley site in Miniminiththāweli features an Anurādhapura-period building complex with stone pillars and brick foundations. Unfortunately, illegal excavations by treasure hunters have severely damaged these structures, though they have also exposed various ancient artifacts and pottery. […]
Akkuranai Buddhist Monastic Ruins 1 in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන් 1)
The Anurādhapura-period Akkuraṇai Monastic Ruins in Kiran feature a central circular stupa surrounded by terraces, multi-sized pillared structures, and drip-ledged caves. Severely damaged by treasure hunters, the site retains a 2-meter carved flower altar, brick foundations with mortised stone doorframes, and shattered sacred chatra fragments. […]
Muruthtthanai Buddhist Stupa Ruins in Kiran (මුරුත්තානෛ බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Stupa in Kiran is a 5-meter-high brick monument hidden on a wooded hillock. Plundered by treasure hunters who dug a deep summit pit, the site also includes an ancient rock quarry used for shaping stone architectural elements. […]
Muruthtthanai Cave with Indigenous Art (මුරුත්තානෛ ආදිවාසී චිත්‍ර සහිත ලෙණ)
Deep in the Kiran jungle, this cave features a Brahmi inscription documenting its donation to the Maha Sangha. It also houses well-preserved animal rock art from a later period, believed to have been created by the region’s indigenous Vedda community. […]
Akkuranai Buddhist Monastic Ruins 2 in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන් 2)
The Buddhist Monastic Ruins Site 2 at Akkuraṇai are located in the village of Akkuraṇai, within the Grāma Niladhāri Division of Muruthtthanai 209-A, in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kōrale Pattu South (Kiran) of Batticaloa District. […]
Akkuranai Archaeological Ruins Site 3 in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන් 3)
An Anurādhapura-period site near Akkuranai sits on a Maduru Oya tributary bank. It features six stone pillars—five upright and one fallen—showing ancient oval quarry marks. The original structure's exact function remains unknown due to insufficient evidence. […]
Akkuranai Megalithic Burial Site in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි මෙගාලිතික සුසාන භූමිය)
The Akkuranai Megalithic Burial Site in Kiran is a 1.2-hectare area surrounded by paddy fields. Though plundered by treasure hunters, it features at least six visible graves constructed from irregular stone slabs and numerous ancient pottery fragments. […]
Muruthtthanai Buddhist Archaeological Site in Kiran (මුරුත්තානෛ බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Buddhist site in Kiran features a rock-summit stupa and northern-slope buildings. Plundered by treasure hunters who breached the relic chamber, the ruins still preserve brick paving, stone wall foundations, and scattered pillar bases. […]