Heritage

Perillaveli Dripledged Cave and Inscriptions in Kiran (කිරාන් පෙරිල්ලාවේලි කටාරම් කෙටූ ලෙන සහ ශිලාලේඛන)

Located near Gal Pokuna Wewa in Perillaveli, this site features a drip-ledged cave with Early Brahmi inscriptions, confirming Anuradhapura-era use. Situated on a small hillock, a recent construction has somewhat destroyed the ancient floor of the cave.

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The Perillaveli Dripledged Cave and Inscriptions are located in the village of Perillaveli, within the Grāma Niladhāri Division of Perillaveli (209), in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kōrale Pattu South (Kiran), in the Batticaloa District.

Access Route

From Kiran Junction, proceed through Siruvattavan via 5th Post Junction for approximately 2.5 km. Then turn right into the jungle along the tank bund and continue for approximately 500 meters along the path.

Historical Background

The drip-ledge cave at the site, together with the cave inscription written in Early Brahmi script, confirms that the site witnessed human activity during the Anuradhapura period.

Location and Nature of Archaeological Evidence

A drip-ledge cave is located on a small hillock approximately 500 meters north of the Gal Pokuna Wewa Reservoir. Situated on the southern slope of the rock, the cave opens towards both the north and south. Beneath the drip-ledge is a cave inscription consisting of two lines written in Brahmi script.

The cave has a height of approximately 3 meters from the drip-ledge, an opening approximately 7 meters wide, and a depth of about 4 meters. A kutiya was recently constructed inside the cave, causing damage to the ancient floor.

Geographical Coordinates

The exact location of the site is as follows:

North Latitude: 7° 50′ 9.0″ N
East Longitude: 81°26’54.3″E

References

Exploration and Documentation Division (Ed.). (2017). පුරාවිද්යා ස්ථාන හඳුනා ගැනීමේ ගවේෂණ වාර්තාව, මඩකලපුව දිස්ත්රික්කය. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka, pp. 319-320

Also See

Map of the Perillaveli Buddhist Archaeological Ruins in Kiran

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The map above also shows other places of interest within approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information on these sites

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Traveling to the Perillaveli Buddhist Archaeological Ruins in Kiran

Route from Batticaloa to Perillaveli Buddhist Archaeological Ruins in Kiran

Through: Chenkaladi – Kiran
Distance: 41 km
Travel time: 1.15 hours
Driving directions: see on Google Maps

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