Pokkaravanni Archaeological Site in Mannar

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Pokkaravanni Archaeological Site in Mannar District

Hidden deep within the forests of Mannar lies the forgotten Pokkaravanni Archaeological Site — a vast monastic complex from the Anuradhapura era. Scattered across a rocky plateau are the remains of a stupa, ponds carved into stone, and the ruins of ancient image houses and halls, whispering stories of a once-thriving Sangharama now lost to time and overgrown wilderness.

Archaeological explorations in the Mannar District resumed about a decade ago, following the end of three decades of war. Since then, several excavations have revealed important historical remains, with the Pokkaravanni area standing out as one of the most remarkable sites.

Pokkaravanni Archaeological Site

Located in Mullikulam village within the Madhu Divisional Secretariat of Mannar District, the Pokkaravanni ruins lie hidden in a forested area on a rocky plateau. This site, identified as a vast Sangharama complex of the Anuradhapura period, features a stupa mound, ancient ponds, and building foundations.

The Stupa and Surroundings

The most significant structure at the site is the stupa, 15 meters in diameter and rising to a height of 3 meters. Sadly, treasure hunters have dug into its summit, leaving a large cavity, while thorny undergrowth now covers much of its surface. The stupa was built of brick, with fragments still scattered around the mound.

Close by, just 11 meters from the stupa, lies an oval-shaped rock-cut pond measuring 13 x 8.7 meters and about 50 cm deep.

Other Ruins

Another building ruin, found 26 meters from the stupa mound, measures 11 x 11 meters. Built with both bricks and stone blocks, its remains rise about a meter high today. Nearby, two unusual conical holes, 16 cm and 11 cm deep, have been identified, along with another small rock-cut pond.

Adjacent to these, another mound—likely the remains of a building—has been uncovered, also showing evidence of brick construction. Not far away lies a square-shaped mound measuring 9 meters on each side, surrounded by scattered brick fragments and roof tiles. Additional mounds with similar debris suggest further ancient buildings once stood here.

A portion of an old wall and a stone foundation have also been identified, extending about 80 meters in length and 40 meters in width. At its center lies a circular hole cut into the rock, about 10 cm deep.

The Ponds

The site contains several significant ponds. One circular pond, about 22 meters in diameter and 1 meter deep, once had a stone wall surrounding it. Another circular pond nearby, 20 meters across and of similar depth, lies close to these ruins.

The Image House

Perhaps the most notable find apart from the stupa is the ruined image house. Believed to have measured 15 x 15 meters, its remaining walls rise to about 2 meters in height. Excavations unearthed fragments of statues near the site, including the torso and base of a figure dated to the Anuradhapura period. Scattered bricks—some whole, measuring approximately 38 x 15 x 5 cm—were also found here.

Near the image house stand a pair of foundation pillars, while another large ruined building, 13 x 9 meters in size, lies close by. Beside it rests yet another circular pond, about half a meter deep.

Archaeological Value

Across the plateau, numerous remnants of bricks, roof tiles, worked stones, and foundation features reveal the scale and importance of this monastery complex.

Getting There

To reach Pokkaravanni Archaeological Site, travel along Mallawi Road from the Puwarasankulam junction on the Mannar–Vavuniya road. At the Iranaiiluupaikulam junction, turn left onto the Mullikulam–Palampiddi road. From Mullikulam School, proceed 2 km until you reach paddy fields. Continue towards the Talayankulam tank, follow the bund to its left end, then travel 300 meters north through the forest to arrive at the site.

References

Asanga, M.V.P.K. and Nishantha, I.P.S. (2018) in මන්නාරම දිස්ත්‍රික්කය. Colombo , Sri Lanka: Department of Archaeology, pp 130-134.
The Green Movement of Sri Lanka (no date) Guide to Archaeological Values for Tourism in Mannar District. The Green Movement of Sri Lanka.
Ratiyala, P.M. (2022) පොක්කරවන්නි බිමේ මැකී නොගිය නටබුන්, දිනමිණ . Available at: https://archives1.dinamina.lk/2022/11/11/විශේෂාංග/158825/පොක්කරවන්නි-බිමේ-මැකී-නොගිය-නටබුන් (Accessed: 28 January 2024).

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