Heritage

Perillaveli Buddhist Archaeological Ruins in Kiran (කිරාන් පෙරිල්ලාවේලි පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)

Located near Perillaveli off Kiran Junction, this forested hillock holds ruins of an Anuradhapura-period Buddhist monastery. The site features a stupa damaged by treasure hunters, building sites with in-situ stone pillars, an ancient staircase, a stone pond, and marked stone slabs.

The Perillaveli Buddhist Archaeological Ruins 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, travel through Pulipanchakal up to the 5th Post, and then continue for approximately 2 kilometers along the Perillaveli Road. From there, the archaeological site is located about 1 kilometer inside the jungle on the left.

Historical Background

The site contains archaeological evidence of a small Buddhist monastery, including a stupa displaying architectural characteristics associated with the Anuradhapura period.

Location and Nature of Archaeological Evidence

The archaeological site is situated on a small hillock within a forested area and contains the remains of a Buddhist sanctuary, including a stupa, building sites, and a stone pond. The stupa has been extensively damaged by treasure hunters, who dug into its center in an attempt to reach the relic chamber in search of valuables. Bricks forming the dome of the stupa were removed and discarded during this activity.

Stone slabs belonging to an ancient stone staircase can be seen on the northwest of the rock. At the nearby building site, archaeological remains, including stone pillars, pillar bases, and bricks, remain in situ. A stone slab bearing oval hole markings is also found at the site.

Geographical Coordinates

The exact location of the site is as follows:

North Latitude: 7° 50′ 17.4″ N
East Longitude: 81°27’43.6″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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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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