Kathiraveli Rocky Plateau with Monastic Ruins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(2 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5)

Ruins of a Unnamed Stupa at Verugal at the rock quarry
Image courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Located near the Verugal Bridge in Vakarai, this Anuradhapura-era Buddhist complex features a 15-meter wide brick stupa and remains of several buildings. Despite severe damage from mechanical quarrying and ongoing conversion into a Hindu kovil, findings of molded stones, pillar bases, and ancient pottery confirm its historical status as a significant monastic sanctuary.

This rocky plateau is situated within the Kadiraveli 213 Grama Niladhari Division, under the Korala Pattu North (Vakarai) Divisional Secretariat in the Batticaloa District.

Travelling from Kadiraveli towards the Verugal Bridge, the site is located on a rocky plateau on the left-hand side of the road, exactly 1 km (0.62 miles) before reaching the bridge. The plateau lies immediately adjacent to the roadside and is surrounded by paddy fields, making it a clearly visible and prominent feature within the landscape.

Historical Context

The architectural characteristics of the surviving structures, together with the nature of the unearthed artifacts, correspond to construction traditions of the Anuradhapura Period.

Site Layout and Archaeological Features

The site is positioned on a rocky outcrop, bounded by the Verugal Aru to the north and the Periyakarayaveli Villu wetlands to the south. While archaeological material is most clearly identifiable on the eastern side of the rock, a substantial portion of the site has been disturbed by mechanical quarrying activities.

The highest central point of the plateau was selected for the construction of a stupa. The remaining mound measures approximately 15 m (49.2 ft) in diameter and rises to about 1 m (3.3 ft) in height. It was constructed using a combination of ancient bricks and stone fragments.

Evidence indicates that, during past episodes of looting or destruction, internal bricks and decorative molded stones were removed and discarded around the site.

Approximately 10 m (32.8 ft) to the east of the stupa, a large stone pillar base remains partially buried, suggesting the presence of an associated structure.

Additional building remains are visible to the south and east, where artifacts such as ancient bricks, roofing tiles, and pottery fragments have been recovered. These include redware, black-and-red ware, and blackware ceramics, which are characteristic of early Sri Lankan material culture.

Structures that once stood to the west and south-east of the stupa have been completely destroyed, with their debris scattered across the surrounding area.

Condition and Current Status

The site has been severely impacted by the use of heavy machinery, which has significantly altered its original layout and setting. Despite this damage, the remaining archaeological evidence clearly identifies the location as a Buddhist religious complex dating to the Anuradhapura Period.

At present, the rocky outcrop is also undergoing conversion into a Hindu temple, further affecting the integrity of the archaeological remains. Additionally, the rock itself is being actively quarried, resulting in the gradual loss of the structural foundation on which the stupa stands.

Broader Context

Situated approximately 1 km (0.62 miles) from the Verugal Aru Bridge, along the route from Serunuwara to Batticaloa, this site represents a little-documented component of the island’s archaeological heritage.

In the post-conflict period following the defeat of the LTTE and the re-establishment of civil administration in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, a number of lesser-known archaeological sites have faced neglect and degradation before they could be systematically documented. This location reflects that broader pattern, where continued disturbance and unregulated activity risk the permanent loss of historically significant remains before they are fully studied or preserved.

The precise location of the site is as follows:

Latitude: 8° 14′ 39.4″ N
Longitude: 81° 22′ 22.9″ E

References

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

Also See

Map of the Ruins of a Unnamed Stupa at Verugal

Click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map

Show Location on Google Maps

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

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.