Losing Heritage of Uruthirapuram Buddhist Ruins in Kilinochchi

The village of Uruthirapuram is situated in the area known as Sivanagar, within the Karachchi Divisional Secretariat Division of the Kilinochchi District. The Buddhist ruins at this location were discovered in 1956, when a road was being constructed to provide access to the ancient Uruthirapuram Wewa reservoir. During the levelling of a mound for the road, workers discovered that it contained the remains of an ancient stupa (dagaba), prompting the suspension of the work.

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The discovery was subsequently recorded by P. E. P. Deraniyagala, then Archaeological Commissioner, in the 1958 Archaeological Commissioner’s report. The report noted that an ancient stupa had been destroyed at Uruthirapuram in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. Two rectangular mounds containing the remains of stone pillars were also identified near the stupa mound.

In 1958, a modern kovil (Hindu temple) was under construction close to these archaeological remains. Excavations for the foundation of a new building reportedly uncovered a lingam, several terracotta figurines depicting lion heads, and a number of ancient coins. These discoveries led to the belief that an ancient devale (shrine dedicated to a deity) had once occupied the site (Deraniyagala, 1959, p. G41).

Archaeological Protection and Conservation

Although the ruins had been recorded in 1956, the site was not formally declared an archaeological monument until 2016, approximately six decades later. On 25 March 2016, the government declared the remains a protected archaeological site through a Gazette notification. The notification described the protected location as follows:

Hillock of Chaitya and ruined buildings at the premises of Shivanagar Kovil belonging to Shivanagar village situated in Grama Niladhari Division No. 35, Shivanagar in the Divisional Secretary’s Division, Karachchi in Killinochchi District in Northern Province.

In 2021, a decision was made to undertake conservation work on these ancient remains. However, when officers from the Department of Archaeology arrived at the site, the pusari (Hindu temple priest) and local villagers reportedly refused to allow them access. According to the account of the incident, they claimed to have been provoked by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The police were eventually called to the scene, and the planned conservation work had to be postponed.

Present Condition and Future of the Ruins

Despite the site’s formal designation as a protected archaeological monument, its present condition remains uncertain. The lack of clear information about its current status raises concerns about the long-term preservation of the Uruthirapuram ruins. Although the remains were officially recognised and conservation work was proposed, the future of this ancient heritage site remains uncertain.

Losing Heritage of Uruthirapuram Buddhist Ruins in Kilinochchi - කෝවිලකින් වැළලෙන කිලිනොච්චියේ උරුතිරපුරම් බෞද්ධ නටබුන් භූමිය. — photo source : https://seneviruwan.blogspot.com/2021/03/blog-post_30.html

References

Seneviruwan, M., 2021. උරතිරපුරම් දාගැබ කෝවිලක් වූයේ කෙසේද. [online] Seneviruwan.blogspot.com. Available at: <https://seneviruwan.blogspot.com/2021/03/blog-post_30.html> [Accessed 13 June 2021].
‘THE ANTIQUITIES ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 188)’ (2016) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 1960, p. 229.
Deraniyagala, P. E. P. (1959). Archaeological Survey of Ceylon Annual Report for 1958. Administration Report of the Director of National Museums, Ceylon, for 1958.

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