Pethangoda Bamboo Grove – Where the King Rajasinhe met his fate (පෙතන්ගොඩ උණ පඳුර)

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Pethangoda Una Pandura
Pethangoda Una Pandura Photos are copyrighted by their owners

“King Rajasinghe who had brought this beautiful Lanka under one canopy breathed his last on Thursday, the 7th day of the lunar month, under the asterism Hata”

This is the farewell tribute made in the chronicle Rajavaliya on the death of King Rajasinghe 1 of Sitawaka fame and the “King of Lions” whose death occurred in 1591 AD.

It is related that when the king suffered defeat at the hands of Konappu Bandara who later ascended the Kandyan throne as Vimala Dharmasuriya 1, the king retreated to the royal park at Pethangoda. And here a fatal bamboo splinter ran into the king’s foot.

This story however is subject to debate. And some say it was the bite of a cobra that inhabited the bamboo grove that killed the king.

Apart from the debate and mystery regarding the ill-fated bamboo groves, today we are treated to two giant bamboo groves growing close to each other and protected by barbed wire fences. The bamboo shoots are dark greenish in colour and not of the usual yellow. But more peculiar is the grove of thorns that spike from the shoots Some thorns are as much as 3 feet long and from them branch more smaller and sharper thorns The setting couldn’t be more idyllic. On one side of the bamboo groves stretches an uncultivated paddy field and a range of scenic hills. On all other sides, there seemed to be rubber estates. Take time to sit for a while and enjoy the environs. Look up at the bamboo groves and you will be treated to the sight of its exquisite leaves making lacy designs against a clear blue sky. Our next stop was to visit the burial ground of the mighty Rajasinghe. But before that an inviting little tea shop made us stop for a tea, a plantain and a vadai.

The Pethangoda Bamboo grove can be reached along the Avissavella Ruwanwella Kegalle road.

Back on route; we made our way along the Avissawella – Amithrigala road till a familiar Archaeological Department board made us stop. A few granite stones surrounded by an iron railing marked the grave of a king. This site like most of the stories related to King Rajasinghe is subject to debate. Almost overlooking the grave a huge Kamaranga tree invited us to share in its abundance. The star fruit, so rare in the cities, was strewn on the ground, ripe gold and tempting.

by Kishanie S. Fernando
Daily Mirror

Unfortunately few years ago this grove completely died and according to villagers, this was due to a parasite infection. However, two small bamboo groves are now growing at the site with the same thorny spikes.

Also See

Map of The Pethangoda Bamboo Grove – Where the King Rajasinhe met his fate

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)
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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

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Travel Directions to Pethangoda Bamboo Grove – Where the King Rajasinhe met his fate

Route from Colombo to Pethangoda Bamboo Grove Route from Avissawella to Pethangoda Bamboo Grove
Through : Gampaha – Ruwanwella
Distance : 76 km
Travel time : 2 hours
Driving directions : see on google map
Through : Ruwanwella
Distance : 24 km
Travel time : 35 minutes
Driving directions : see on google map

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