Viharahinna Ruins at Galewela

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Viharahinna Archaeology Site
Image courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Vihārahinnā is a secluded jungle ruin featuring an ancient image house, stone pillars, and a damaged Buddha statue. Linked to King Duṭugemuṇu and Queen Vihāra Mahā Devī, it remains a site of local worship, with inscriptions, artifacts, and sacred siripāthula carvings hidden in the forest.

The silence was overwhelming as the jungle stretched out before us. Towering ancient trees rose above dense undergrowth, creating a landscape that felt dark, mysterious, and concealed. Amid the tangled vegetation, occasional stone pillars emerged—silent remnants awaiting rediscovery.

“Elephants knock them down, you know,” remarked Aronsingho, a watcher from the Archaeology Department, observing our attention. He explained that many such fallen pillars lay scattered throughout the forest. “The elephants come here often… even at this time,” he added. It was around nine in the morning. The ruins lay on the jungle side of a recently installed electrified fence, designed to prevent elephants from entering nearby villages.

There was an opening wide enough for a vehicle to pass through the fence, which we had used to reach the site. Before us stood the conserved remains of Vihārahinnā—an ancient image house partially reclaimed from the wilderness.

Historical Associations

According to Aronsingho, this site is traditionally believed to be one of the places where King Duṭugemuṇu rested during his campaign of war. It is said that his mother, Queen Vihāra Mahā Devī, joined him here, and the name Vihārahinnā is thought to commemorate her presence.

Architectural Remains

Today, only the brick foundations and a number of stone pillars bear witness to the former structure. The surviving guardstones and moonstones are notably plain, lacking decorative ornamentation. The balustrades flanking the shallow steps leading to the image house possess a quiet elegance in their simplicity. Judging by the height and placement of the pillars, the original structure appears to have been quite tall.

Within the inner chamber lies a damaged granite statue of the Buddha, estimated to have originally stood about 3.35 meters (11 feet) in height. A young girl accompanying us explained that her family had worshipped the statue for as long as she could remember. “Until recently, the image was partly buried, and we offered flowers only to the visible upper portion. But treasure hunters broke even the head, hoping to find valuables inside,” she said. She was from Moragolla, the nearby village bordering the jungle. Sadly, such acts of destruction by treasure seekers are not uncommon in these remote, forest-covered sites.

A tamil inscription stone at the Viharahinna Archaeology Site

The dilapidated stupa of Viharahinna Archaeology Site

About the tamil inscription stone at the Viharahinna Archaeology Site

The large fallen Buddha statue at the Viharahinna Archaeology Site

The lake near the Viharahinna Archaeology Site

Living Traditions and Local Beliefs

Despite its obscurity, Vihārahinnā continues to attract local devotees. “It is mainly villagers who come here, especially during Vesak and Poson,” the girl noted. She spoke of hāskam—mysterious or miraculous occurrences believed to take place at the site. Offerings are still made, often consisting of produce from local cultivations. A plate of milk rice placed inside a small shrine room—built to shelter part of the broken statue—attested to these ongoing practices.

Inscriptions and Artefacts

Near the shrine room stands an ancient stone slab bearing an inscription. At its base are faint carvings of a dog, a crow, and a drum, though these figures are now barely discernible.

Under a nearby tree lie arranged fragments of ancient bricks and stone, including a broken sculpture of a crouching bull. These remains are believed to date to the Polonnaruwa period.

A short distance into the jungle, almost hidden by thick undergrowth, lies a notable stone slab carved with a siripāthula (sacred footprint). It rests beneath a large tree. According to Aronsingho, two such slabs featuring siripāthula carvings have been discovered at this site.

Access

Though relatively little known and seldom visited by tourists, Vihārahinnā offers a rich blend of history, archaeology, and living tradition, making it well worth the difficult journey.

The site can be reached either via the Moragolla road near Melsiripura or along the Galewela–Kalawewa road.

Primary source : Kishanie S. Fernando
Daily Mirror

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Travel Directions to Viharahinna Ruins

Route from Colombo to Viharahinna Ruins	Route from Galewela to Viharahinna Ruins
Through : Kadawatha – Ambepussa – Kurunegala – Galewela – Kalawewa Road Distance : 150 km Travel time : 3.5 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Through : Kalawewa Road Distance : 15 km Travel time : 30 minutes Driving directions : see on google map