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The Poththewelagala Ruins are located in a scrub jungle, 2 kilometers southeast of Tissamaharama. The site can be reached from a gravel road 3.3 km down the Kirinda-Sithulpawwa Road. A black archaeology board by the roadside marks the direction of this gravel road. After driving 1 kilometre along this road and passing a model village, you will arrive at the ruins. Today, a forest-dwelling has been constructed at the site for meditating bhikkhus. This dwelling, named Poththewelagala Aranya Senanaya, operates in connection with the nearby Nimalawa Aranya Senasanaya.
With the new Aranaya of the site, some of these caves have been modified with one cave being completely transformed into a modern temple. Surface artefacts are scarce.
According to prof. Raj Somadeva, this site might have been used as a Buddhist temple cum residential abode of the monks towards the end of the first millennium BCE. Except for the footpaths linking the caves, the entire surrounding area of the site was reported to be covered by thick scrub jungle in 2006.
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References
- Somadeva, R. (2006). Urban Origins in Southern Sri Lanka (Doctoral thesis in archaeology at Uppsala University). Studies in Global Archaeology, Uppsala.
Also See
Map of Poththewelagala Aranya Senasanaya
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Travel Directions to Poththewelagala Aranya Senasanaya
| From Tissamaharama to Poththewelagala Aranya Senasanaya |
| Via : Kirinda Road Distance : 8 km Travel time : 10 mins Time to Spend : about 30-60 minutes Driving directions : see on Google Map |
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