Destroyed Kongramkulam Monastery Complex found in Jungles of Settikulam

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සෙට්ටිකුලම් කොන්ග්‍රාම්කුලම් මහවනයේ හමුවූ පුරාණ ආරාම සංකීරණය - Destroyed Heritage in Settikulam Jungles
සෙට්ටිකුලම් කොන්ග්‍රාම්කුලම් මහවනයේ හමුවූ පුරාණ ආරාම සංකීරණය – Destroyed Heritage in Settikulam Jungles

Kongramkulam (Konkrantkulam) is a remote village in Settikulam PS division in Vavunia district bordering Wilpattu National Park lying between Thantirimale and Gajasinghapura (on the Madawachchiya – Mannar road).

In 2017, an archaeological research led by Ven. Galwewe Vimalakitti Thera, lecturer of archaeology at Sri Lanka Bhikku University in Anuradhapura at a site in the jungles of Kongramkulam was published.

Ven. Galwewe Vimalakitti Thera reported two human bones, tools made of animal bones and stones, cave paintings of animals, a kind of coal and animal bones. Seven stone inscriptions and ruins of stupas, image houses, Bodhigaras and Buddha statues including one made of marble has been unearthing during excavations ruins. One inscription on a drip ledge of a cave has been as “Batha Giri Thisaha Lene” meaning the “Cave of the Girithissa Thera”.

The human bones, animal bone tools, stone tools, Chert Rocks (commonly used to make stone tools) found at site was believed to be dating a period over 12,000 years ago.

This was fist time that a scientific excavation has been done at the site although Treasure Hunters had completed their excavations long ago destroying all important artifacts of the site.

To reach this jungle site, you need ravel on remote jungle roads from Thantirimale – Gajasinghapura road to the ancient Vavvala Reservoir. Across the jungles passing the Vavvala Reservoir you come across the Malwathu Oya with an traces of an ancient wooden bridge across the reservoir. The river flows over a rocky surface at this area and you can see manmade cavities on the rocks where the bridge had once stood. Due rocky nature of the river its possible cross the river over the rocks. 2 rock inscriptions are also found at this location.

Once you cross the river and walk across the jungle for few hundred meters you will come across this ancient archaeological site in a rocky area in the middle of the jungles of Kongramkulam .

Special thanks to Nayanajith Sanjeewa for directions

Rererences

  • රොමේෂ් මධුශංක, 2017. අතීත මානවයින් ගැන දුෂ්කර ගමකින් සාක්ෂි හමුවෙයි. [online] nethnews.lk. Available at: <http://nethnews.lk/index.php/article/46399> [Accessed 23 January 2021].

Also See

Map of Kongramkulam Monastery Complex

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 Kongramkulam Monastery Complex

From Anuradhapura to Kongramkulam Monastery Complex
Though : Thantirimale
Distance : 45 km
Travel time : 1 hour + Trek in to the Jungle
Time to Spend : about 1 – 2 hours
Driving directions : see on Google Map

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