Medawachchiya Archives | AmazingLanka.com

Thiruketheeswaram Kovil – Mannar

amazinglanka10 years ago1 year ago04 mins

Thiruketheeswaram kovil is an ancient hindu temple in Manthota, about seven miles north of the Mannar Town. According to legend, it was at this ancient temple that Kethu Bhagavan worshiped Lord Siva.

medawachchiya Isinbassagala Ruwangiri Rajamaha Viharaya

Isinbassagala Ruwangiri Rajamaha Viharaya – ඉසින්බැස්සගල රුවන්ගිරි රජමහා විහාරය

amazinglanka10 years ago1 year ago07 mins

Traveling 1.4 kilometres (0.9 miles) passing the small town of Medawachchiya on the A9 (Kandy-Jaffna) highway, u will come across this beautiful stupa situated on top of a large rock and a name board claiming the name of “Isinbassagala”. The name loosely translate to “the rock that the sage came from”.

The rocky hill on which the cave temple existed rises to a height of 300 feet

Handagala Kanda Ancient Cave Temple – හඳගලකන්ද ලෙන් විහාරය

amazinglanka10 years ago1 year ago017 mins

A lesser known place that lay mostly in ruins today is situated in a serene forest-clad area in a village called Ratmalgahawewa 22 miles north-east of Anuradhapura. This sacred site called Handagala cave temple could be reached by proceeding about two miles from Ratmalgahawewa junction on the Kebitigollewa road and continuing westwards for another two miles.

Nagollakanda Na Sevana Aranya Senasanaya Archaeological Site (නාගොල්ලකන්ද නා සෙවණ ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Na Sevana Aranya Senasanaya forest monastery lies on a rocky area known as Nagollakanda in Manampitiya in Polonnaruwa District. To access this site, one must travel to Manampitiya from Polonnaruwa on the Batticaloa road. 2.3 km pass the turn off to Dimbulagala, there is a narrow gravel road which leads to the Nagollakanda forest monastery. […]
Welikanda Pansalgala Archaeological Site (වැලිකන්ද පන්සල්ගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Welikanda Pansalgala is a rocky area situated in Polonnaruwa District, deep inside Welikanda region. To access this site, one must travel to Welikanda from Polonnaruwa on the Batticaloa road. From Welikanda, a narrow road spanning 13 kilometers, passing through Maithreegama, leads to the destination inside the jungles of Welikanda. […]
Archaeological Ruins of Welikanda Kavudagala Aranya Senasanaya (වැලිකන්ද කවුඩාගල ආරණ්‍ය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Kavudagala rocky area consist of a large ancient stupa, stone pillars of ancient buildings, steps, guardstones, moonstones which adorned the entrances of these ancient buildings, Sri Pathul Gal, a stone Chatra of the stupa, a natural rock pool, caves with dripleges and inscriptions on the donation of these caves to the Sangha. […]
Sungawila Pulayadipattiya Archaeological Ruins (සුංගාවිල පුලියාඩිපට්ටිය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The site with archaeological monuments known as Pulayadipattiya allotted by Geographical data Nos. mentioned below in wildlife conservation zone of Somawathie in Sungawila Village in the Grama Niladhari Division No. 137 of Sungawila in Lankapura Divisional Secretary’s Division in Polonnaruwa District, North Central Province was declared as an archaeological is monument in 1st January 2023. […]
Sungawila Pulayadipattiya Ihala Archaeological Ruins (සුංගාවිල පුලියාඩිපට්ටිය ඉහළ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The site with archaeological monuments known as Pulayadipattiya Ihala allotted by Geographical data Nos. mentioned below in wildlife conservation zone of Somawathie in Sungawila Village in the Grama Niladhari Division No. 137 of Sungawila in Lankapura Divisional Secretary’s Division in Polonnaruwa District, North Central Province was declared as an archaeological is monument in 1st January 2023. […]
Remains of the Keppetipola Wilson Fort
Robert Brownrigg, the Governor during the Uva Wellassa Rebellion sent Major Douglas Wilson was dispatched with a sizable cavalry force. This fort at Keppetipola was built to accommodate this cavalry force of Major Wilson. […]
Ruins of the Ancient Fort on Hunnasgiriya Kanda Mountain in Medamahanuwara
Medamahanuwara mountain is today known as Hunnasgiriya mountain. On the top of this hill are the remains of an ancient fort or palace. According to legend, this fort was built by King Senarath (1604 – 1635) who ruled Kandyan Kingdom. […]
Miniyampitiya Watta Archaeological Ruins in Kegalle
While building the Central Expressway between Colombo and Kandy, a discovery was made of ruins of two ancient stupas which has never been reported before. The site lies in Rambukkana Miniyampitiya area in Kegalle District. […]
Badulla Wattekele Ambalama
The ancient Wattekele Ambalama is located at Wattekele at Egodawela in Thennayaya village in the Grama Niladhari Division of Wattekele in Soranatota Divisional Secretary’s Division in Badulla District, Uva Province. […]
Theldeniya Karalliyadda Ambalama
The Karalliyadda Ambalama is built on a stone foundation about one and a half feet high. A frame built with four large wooden logs are placed on top of 4 smaller stones on the foundation. These logs are also used as seats. The base is not filled inside so there is room for feet. […]
Pattiyawatta Ambalama in Kandy
Pattiyawatta Ambalama, which is made of brick and mortar and the roof has been restored using semi cylindrical clay tile. The ambalama, is made in a rectangular shape and a small hall-like extension has been added to enter from the front. The roof is built as two parts for two sections. […]
Kothmale Hedunuwewa Ambalama
Located in the area of Hedunuwewa Grama Niladhari of Kotmale Divisional Secretariat Division, Hedunuwewa Ambalama is located at a distance of about one kilometer on the Wethalawa road running towards the east from the Hedunuwewa junction. […]
Aluthdivulwewa Purana Tampita Viharaya
At Aluthdivulwewa Tampita Viharaya entrance, only one gatekeeper statues exists today. Regrettably, the other has been lost to time, leaving only one to stand guard. The exterior of the viharaya is painted in white. Stepping inside, one is greeted by the interior walls that bear the artistic imprints of the Kandy era, replicating the rich cultural heritage of the region. However, it is disheartening to note that the lack of proper maintenance has led to the gradual deterioration of many paintings, diminishing their original splendor. […]
Historical Naula Ambalama
The Naula Ambalama is situated at the heart of the Naula town. Its origins can be traced back to the reign of King Devanampathissa, as per the legends. Historical records indicate that the establishment of Naula Sri Naga National School took place at this building during the British colonial era (1880s). […]
Ruins at Akithamurippu (Thekkama) Paththini Devalaya
On the road from Medawachchiya to Mannar, about a kilometer before Madu Church Road, there is the road to a British Hanging Bridge over the Malwathu Oya. After traveling about a kilometer on this road, you will see an Amuna (anicut) across the Yodha Ela (Giant Canal) in a beautiful surrounding. […]
Uva Wellassa Rebellion of 1817/1818 and Monarawila Keppetipola Memorial
Monarawila Keppetipola Memorial The Uva Wellassa Rebellion, also known as the Rebellion of 1817/18, is considered the first freedom fight in Sri Lanka after the British captured the Kingdom […]
Ruins at Yatidola Pahala Purana Rajamaha Viharaya
There is a stone staircase with 100 steps leading from the temple grounds to reach this cave temple. The cave temple is built under a rock that protrudes from the mountain. The len viharaya (cave temple) is 43 feet 8 inches long. To the south of the temple building is a small stupa inside the cave. The len viharaya has both front and side entrances. […]
Matale Godapola Ambalama
Godapola Ambalama stands on a square platform with half walls surrounding the building near a paddy field underneath a patch of large trees. Four octagonal pillars hold the roof of the Ambalama. These pillars are decorated with simple pillar heads (Pekada) with floral designs. […]
Makuletenna Ambalama (මකුලේතැන්න අම්බලම)
The Ambalama at Makulethenna lies just 100 meters away from the Makulethenna Rajamaha Viharaya in Matale. To reach this building from Matale, take the Harrison Jones Road and travel 3.5 km along this narrow road. The ambalama lies near the road surrounded by lush paddy fields. […]
Rathmale Nelumwewa Ambalama (රත්මලේ නෙලුම්වැව අම්බලම)
The Nelumwewa Ambalama, which is now destroyed, is situated along the Ratmale-Dikwella road. It is positioned 900 meters away from the Ratmale junction and approximately 4.5 kilometers from the town of Dikwella. Around 250 years in the past, local villagers collaborated to construct this Ambalama in proximity to a Mara tree. […]
Rajanganaya Kadigala Mahamangala Seya Ruins (රාජාංගණය කාඩිගල මහාමංගල සෑය නටබුන්)
From the base of the Kadigala rock, there are about 400 stone cut steps to the top. At the top is a fairly large ancient stupa half destroyed by treasure hunters. Indications of some other buildings and dagobas at the base and along the way can be identified though they are completely destroyed beyond recognition. […]
Mystic Pansal Gala Statue of Mathugama (මතුගම අද්භූත පන්සල් ගල පිළිමය)
A large reclining Buddha statue was discovered recently in Deegalla in a mystic cave filled with water on the Pansal Gala mountain in Kalutara District. Even today, reaching the cave requires holding onto ropes on steep cliffs. Why anyone would build a temple in a place near impossible to reach is a mystery. […]
Guralawela Ambalama and Uraketa Well (ගුරලවෙල අම්බලම සහ ඌරාකැට ලිඳ)
he Ambalama at Guralawela is situated amidst a scenic paddy field. In close proximity, at a distance of 50 meters, there lies an ancient Uraketa well. These wells are characterized by a sturdy outer casing made from the trunk of a sizable tree such as Kumbuk, Milla, or Jackfruit. This casing serves the purpose of preventing sand from entering the well. […]
St. Catherine’s Seat at Haputale (හපුතලේ සා. කැතිරීන් අසුන)
St. Catherine’s Seat, situated in the upper division of Nayabedda Tea Estate provides breathtaking views of Bandarawela, Diyatalawa and the surrounding mountains of the Uva Basin. Nayabedda tea estate is located in the Poonagala hills and has plenty of scenic views of the surrounding mountain range. […]
Ruins by the Andiyagala Reservoir (ආඬියාගල වැව බෞද්ධ නටබුණ්)
A centuries-old stupa, concealed beneath a blanket of lush vegetation, appears as a mere hillock nestled in the rugged expanse adjacent to the scenic Andiyagala Reservoir. […]
Vijithapura Rajamaha Viharaya (විජිතපුර රජමහා විහාරය)
Vijithapura Raja Maha Viharaya is believed to be built on the winning grounds of the last battle of King Dutugemunu against the Tamil Invader Elara. […]
Abayasinghepura Archaeological Site in Panama (පානම අභයසිංහපුර පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Along the northern border of Panama along the edges of the Panama lagoon in the area known as Abayasinghepura lies the sandy road which leads to the Panama fishing village and the lagoon mouth. Ruins of an ancient buddhist civilization on one of the rocky outcrops along the road with a drip ledge cave and other artifacts has been discovered […]
Abayagiri Monastery – The Main Refectory (අභයගිරි ප්‍රධාන දාන ශාලාව)
Located close to the Uttara Mula this is considered the main refectory of the Abayagiri Monastery. This is a square building with 42.7m on one side. Four stages of construction from early as 1st century BC has been found during the excavation of the site. […]
Muhudu Maha Viharaya at Pottuvil (පොතුවිල් මුහුදු මහා විහාරය)
It is said that Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya is the place where Queen Vihara Maha Devi and her entourage were washed ashore and not at Kirinda. […]
3rd Mile Post Archaeological Site in Pottuvil (පොතුවිල් වික්ටර් වතුයාය තුනේ කනුව පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
These ruins of an ancient stupa belonging to a long forgotten monastery of ancient Sri Lanka lies next to the road from Siyambalanduwa to Pottuvil has been recently restored by the department of archaeology. Other ruins of the monastery is probably hidden in the surrounding jungles. […]
15th Century Ammaduwa Devalaya with a Mystic Golden Arrow (අම්මඩුව දේවාලය)
Turning north from Godakawela town on the Pelmadulla - Pallebedda road and traveling 7 km along this road, Ammaduwa Devalaya is found on a small hillock to the left. This devalaya has been established in 1452, during the reign of king Parakramabahu VI of Kotte kingdom. […]
Ruins of 19th Post in Polonnaruwa (19 කණුව පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථානය)
The ruins identified as the "19th post ruins" on a regular archaeological board lies between Polonnaruwa and Kaduruwela, about 1.7 km from the Polonnaruwa clock tower. […]
HCP Bell’s 1917 Report on the Lost “Gal Aliya” or “Rock Elephant” at Anakallu, Thamankaduwa
The dark-grey granite “Gal Aliya " at Katupilana, is in reality a full-sized elephant sculptured from bed rock, which here fringes the left bank of the Mahaveli-ganga river. The pseudo-beast, fronting and in exceptional relief, owing to the perfectly adapted situation and surroundings, its size and its attitude—half submerged with head slightly turned up-stream as though reconoitering before wading or swimming across the river—looks, from a short distance, very much in the flesh and very much alive. […]