Pitawana of Empilipitiya Chandrika Wewa Reservoir

Empilipitiya Chandrika Wewa Reservoir (ඇඹිලිපිටිය චන්ද්‍රිකා වැව ජලාශය)

Empilipitiya Chandrika Wewa Reservoir, located in the Ratnapura District bordering Hambanthota District, is one of the largest reservoirs constructed after Ceylon gained independence. Chandrika wewa today is a magnet for the tourists and pilgrims to Kataragama seeking the scenic route rather than than the Southern Expressway.

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An Ambalama Painting by Senake Jayasinghe

Opanayaka Batadura Ambalama

The Batadura Ambalama, located in the Batadura village within the Opanayake Divisional Secretariat Division, is situated near the Batadura junction. This junction is about 7 kilometers from the Delgas junction on the Opanayake-Galkanda road. There are no photographs or detailed descriptions available of this Ambalama.

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Ratnapura Clock Tower and World War Memorial

Ratnapura Clock Tower and World War Memorial (රත්නපුර ඔරලෝසු කනුව හා ලෝක සංග්‍රාම යුද්ධ ස්මාරකය)

At the centre of Ratnapura Town lies the clock tower which was built as a monument for the fallen servicemen from Ratnapura District during World War I. The clock tower was commissioned at the end of the war in 1920 by the Local War Memorial Committee and was unveiled on 03rd June 1922.

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Kottimbulwala Raja Maha Viharaya at Balangoda

Kottimbulwala Rajamaha Viharaya at Balangoda (කොට්ටිඹුල්වල රජ මහා විහාරය)

According to an ola leaf manuscript at the Kottimbulwala Rajamaha Viharaya, this temple had existed even before the time of King Wattagamini Abhaya (89-77 BCE) better known as King Walagamba. When he was defeated in 104 BCE, among the caves he was hiding and assembling an army, he was hiding in the surrounding caves of Lendora, Kanduwela as well as in this cave.

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Maha Saman Devalaya, Ratnapura

Portuguese Sculpture and the Inscription at Ratnapura Maha Saman Devalaya (රත්නපුර මහ සමන් දේවාලයේ පෘතුගීසි ගල් කැටයම)

At the entrance of the Devalaya building on the lower parapet wall lies a curious sculptured stone from the Portuguese era which portrays a Portuguese soldier with a brandished sword trampling a Sinhalese soldier. The defeated warrior is believed to be Ratnayake Muniyanse, the custodian of the gold stores of the Maha Saman Devalaya who demolished the church inside their fort and killed many Portuguese soldiers. However, some believe this to be warrior Kuruwita Rala.

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view from the top of the Dimbulagala Kanda in Kotiyagala

Karandana Gal Lena Viharaya in Kiriella (විනාශ වූ කරඳන ගල්ලෙන් විහාරය නටබුන්)

Karandana Gal Lena Viharaya lying 3½ miles off Ratnapura-Ingiriya road was one of the remote sites which helped the priests hide from the brutality of King Sitawaka Rajasinghe. Karandana Gal Lena Viharaya was used by Rev. Karandana Devarakkhitha Thero who received from his mentor Guananda Thero. But when Devarakkhitha Thero received over 8000 acres of land in Kiriella by a royal decree from King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1798 – 1815), he built the Kirielle Nadun Rajamaha Viharaya, also known as the Kirielle Temple, and moved from the Karandana Gal Lena Viharaya temple leaving it to decay,

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Weli Maluwa (Andiyamala Thenna) Ambalama on Sri Pada Trail

Weli Maluwa (Andiyamala Thenna) on Sri Pada Mountain

About 600 meters below the peak of Sri Pada, there is a place called Andiyamala Thenna where there is an Ambalama today. After killing his father, King Seethawaka Rajasinghe (1581-1591) became a Hindu and Sri Pada was handed over to Hindu priests called Andi (ආඬි) or Sannasi. They managed the site for approximately 155 years until Keerthi Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781) took it back and handed it over to the Buddhist priests.

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Dethis Pala Bodhi of Godakawela Malwessa Vehera Rajamaha Viharaya

Godakawela Malwessa Vehera Rajamaha Viharaya (ගොඩකවෙල මල්වැස්සා වෙහෙර රජමහා විහාරය)

The ancient Bo Tree at Godakawela Malwessa Vehera Rajamaha Viharaya is believed to be one of the Dethis Pala Bodhi of the Sri Maja Bodhi in Anuradhapura. The Bodhi has four main branches. From ancient times, it is believed that the branch on the Northern side is the original Dethis Pala Bodhi as the annual falling of leaves on this branch is in sync with the Sri Maha Bodhi of Anuradhapura.

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alangoda Sri Sudarshana Dharmashalawa

Pelmadulla Sri Sudarshana Dharmashalawa (පැල්මඩුල්ල ශ්‍රී සුදර්ශන ධර්මශාලාව)

Pelmadulla Sri Sudarshana Dharmashalawaaya is an beautiful preaching hall built in mid 1800’s by the Iddamalgoda Basnayake Nilame to hold one of the last Dhamma Sangayana in Sri Lanka. This magnificent structure, designed by Iddamalgoda Kumarihami, showcases a remarkable blend of architectural elements inspired by churches.

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