Archaeological Ruins at Sembumale in Kuchchaveli

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Archaeological Ruins at the Sembumale in the Kuchchaveli Jungles

What we now know as Trincomalee was once the ancient city of Ramagona (රාමගෝණ) Nuwara, founded by Prince Ramagona (රාමගෝණ), a descendant of the Shakya Aryan lineage. In ancient times, this region was home to numerous Buddhist monasteries. However, as Sri Lanka’s administrative capital moved away from Rajarata due to repeated invasions from India, Trincomalee gradually slipped from Buddhist influence and came under Hindu control. The clearest evidence of this transformation is the Koneswaram Kovil, which now stands atop the former site of the historic Gokanna Viharaya.

Surrounding sites such as Seruwila, Velgam Vehera, Thiriyaya, and Kuchchaveli were once thriving monastic complexes. Over time, however, many of these monasteries were abandoned and reclaimed by the forest. Their continued existence owes much to the commitment of a few devoted monks. When Tamil militancy surged in the 1980s, these regions became inaccessible to Buddhists for nearly thirty years. During this period, only Velgam Vehera and Seruwila maintained resident monks, who risked their lives to protect these sacred places amidst brutal LTTE terrorist attacks.

Kuchchaveli lies approximately 30 kilometers north of Trincomalee. The Kuchchaveli Viharaya is built on a rocky outcrop that juts into the sea from the beachfront. The scattered ruins suggest that the area once hosted an expansive monastery or a network of monastic institutions. Much of this heritage, however, has been lost to time and armed conflict. Today, several of these ruins have been taken over by non-Buddhist groups and repurposed as Hindu temples, an effort seemingly aimed at erasing the region’s Buddhist roots. This trend is less a reflection of the local Tamil population and more the result of racially motivated manipulation by Tamil politicians for their own survival.

Sembumale: The Forgotten Monastic Plateau

Further inland from Kuchchaveli lies a vast forested area dotted with ancient monastery ruins. One such site is Sembumale, a site located on a gently elevated rocky plateau covering nearly 50 acres. This entire plateau is strewn with remnants of monastic life, indicating the presence of a once-flourishing monastery.

In the distant past, the region likely supported agriculture through irrigation systems fed by rivers like the Yan Oya. Today, the plateau is surrounded by dense jungle and wild animals. Occasional evidence of shifting cultivation (chena) can also be seen in the area.

From the heights of Sembumale, several other ancient sites are visible, including the Bambaragala Forest Hermitage to the east, the Debaragala Forest Hermitage to the north, and the Vasanwewa archaeological site to the west. One can also clearly view the vast Indian Ocean to the east and the Trincomalee–Pulmoddai main road cutting through the landscape.

The Ruins of Sembumale

At the heart of the site lies a large open courtyard, at the center of which is a massive stupa mound. Treasure hunters have dug a pit nearly 15 feet deep into its core, plundering the relics once enshrined there. Stone columns and fragments from plain structures believed to be flower altar houses (malasun geval) are scattered around the site.

Stone steps carved into the rock indicate that the main entrance to the stupa courtyard faced west. Near the entrance, three stone seats can be seen—one of which is broken. Roughly 60 feet from the stupa, the foundation of another structure is visible, along with an additional stone seat nearby. Two natural ponds filled with water lie close to this area, with three more perennial ponds scattered across the site.

To the northeast of the stupa lies another structure, evidenced by six pillar bases and six upright stone columns. Nearby is a courtyard measuring 54 by 40 feet, containing the remains of a large building supported by nine stone pillars, each around 8 feet tall.

Vandalism and Encroachment

Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero has recorded that a headless, standing limestone statue once stood in the debris field east of the stupa. The torso measured about 6 feet in height, with shoulders 2 feet wide. It was the only statue identified at the site. However, a 1978 newspaper report described how the statue had been thrown down from the rock, lodged in a tree, and eventually destroyed.

In a deliberate effort to obscure Buddhist history, a new Shiva Kovil has been built on this site which lies deep within the forest. Stone bricks and a carved flower altar from the ancient Buddhist ruins were repurposed to build this temple, destroying much of the archaeological ruins. Given that there were no Tamil settlements in this forested area, and considering the use of ancient monastic materials, it is evident that this is not a spontaneous religious structure but rather an act of cultural and religious appropriation by Tamil extremist elements.

Numerous building remains, including carved stone seats and a Sri Pathul Gala (sacred footprint stone), have been found in the vicinity of this unauthorized kovil. According to Ven. Medhananda Thero, these structures are being systematically dismantled or overwritten to establish false historical narratives.

Conservation Efforts and Eyewitness Accounts

The Sembumale Sacred Site was rediscovered in 1978 and officially registered as Chethiyagiri Purana Rajamaha Viharaya, Kinahiriya Kanda by the Most Venerable Ahungalle Siri Seelavishuddhi Nayaka Thero, the then Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Siri Saddhammavansika Maha Nikaya and Chief Incumbent of the Kuchchaveli Pichchamal Viharaya. He played a crucial role in locating and reviving many Buddhist ruins in the war-ravaged Northern and Eastern Provinces. The site was later renamed Sembumale.

Since 2015, Ven. Keppetiyawa Aranaviharee Thero has been residing at the lower Kuti Senasuna (monks’ dwelling) to protect this sacred site. He is supported by a nearby military checkpoint. In an interview with Divaina newspaper, he shared:

“One day, while cleaning the Avasha Geya at Pichchamal Viharaya, I discovered a pile of old documents inside a trunk. Among them were letters referencing the Sembumale site. These revealed that from 1979 to 1984, Sembumale was an active archaeological excavation zone employing up to 15 workers. The ruins we see today were exposed during those early excavations.”

He also recounted:

“Thanks to our brave soldiers, the site remains protected. However, on every full moon Poya day, Tamil groups gather at what they call a ‘Devalaya’ built near the stupa. The origin of this structure is unclear. It is built with bricks taken from the stupa, and even a stone flower altar was used for plastering. They cook milk rice for rituals using ancient bricks. Recently, a sacred footprint stone was taken into the Devalaya, where a female figure was carved into it and the stone covered in plaster. I informed the archaeological authorities, but they didn’t respond. Eventually, I filed a police report. The OIC of Kuchchaveli Police brought the temple caretakers, explained the situation, and the Sri Pathul Gala was returned to its place.”

“It’s not wrong for Tamil devotees to build a kovil for worship, even within the Sembumale site, if done respectfully. Many Buddhist temples coexist with Devalayas. However, using ancient Buddhist artifacts to construct kovils and invent a false history is sacrilegious cultural vandalism orchestrated by extremist factions. The local Tamil community lives peacefully with Sinhalese and has no need to desecrate Buddhist heritage.”

According to Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero, the ruins at Sembumale date from the pre-Christian era through the 10th century. While the site was once remote and inaccessible, it can now be reached via a gravel road branching off near the Sembumale Police Station on the Trincomalee–Pulmoddai road.

Archaeological Ruins at the Sembumale in the Kuchchaveli Junglesපර්වතය මුදුනේ බෞද්ධ නටබුන් මත සාදන ලද හින්දු කෝවිල.

References

මෙධානන්ද හිමි, එල්ලාවල, 2003, පාචීන පස්ස-උත්තර පස්ස : නැගෙනහිර පළාත හා උතුරු පළාතේ සිංහල බෞද්ධ උරුමය. 1. Colombo : Dayawansa Jayakody.
මෙධානන්ද හිමි, එල්ලාවල, 2020, පුරාවිද්‍යා ඇසනොගැටුණු සෙම්බුමලේ [online]. Colombo : ලක්බිම. [Accessed 26 April 2020]. Available from: http://cea.nsf.ac.lk/handle/1/1980
රත්නවීර, තරංග, සෙම්බුමලේ දාගැබේ ගඩොල් ගලවා දේවාලයක්‌ හදයි : ඉරිදා දිවයින

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