Enjoying the beauty of Pambahinna-Kalthota road and visiting at ancient places of Kalthota

My objective of this trip was to visit at historical and pre historical places in Kalthota area. As our schedule was so tight we stayed previous day night at Belihuloya. The owner of Sun hill Holiday resort was kind and helpful. (I contacted this place from info-lanka website). After having our breakfast, started the journey towards Pamabahinna.

Map 1-Starting point in Black star. Directions are showing in arrows. Red star-Kuragala, blue star-Galtamyaya, yellow star-Budugala, Orange star-Diyawinna, Purple star-Sandagiriya – Click Map to Enlarge

Map 2-Directions are showing in arrows. Black star-Lendora temple, Red star-Kottimbulwala – Click Map to Enlarge

Sun Hill Holiday Resort

We separated from A4 road at Pamabahinna and entered the scenic road towards Kalthota. The road was so beautiful and it was difficult us to drive without stopping to enjoy it. Once we reached the junction of Kumbalgama (කුඹල්ගම) and Samanala wewa road, we selected the road towards Samanala Wewa.

The road towards Rajawaka

Gonmollikanda Mountain over Belihuloya University

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This road is opened only during day time and your information is documented at both entry and exit. We were lucky enough to watch the Samanala wewa reservoir filled with water and it’s water leak as well.

Samanalawewa reservior

Dam of Samanalawewa reservoir

Filtering

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Then we passed Rajawaka and turned towards Thanjanthenna (තන්ජන්තැන්න). Just before Thanjantenna Mangara Dewalaya, got the turn to right hand side to reach Kuragala. (24km from Pambahinna)

The distance from main road to Kuragala is about 2km. As the road was not good we stopped the car on the way and walked up.

Scenic road towards Kuragala

View of Hortain plains

Entrance of Kuragala

Kuragala (කූරගල)

It was a Buddhist monastery earlier and now Islamic mosque is there. There are two peaks here as Kuragala and Hituwangala(හිටුවන්ගල). Generally both are called Kuragala. Kuragala rock has four caves with drip ledges.

It has a stone inscription with Brahami letters. Unfortunately some of them have been destroyed.

.	Cave with drip ledge- Intentionally destroyed

Another cave

Brahami inscriptions

View of Hituwangala from Kuragala

Surrounding view –Kalthota, Welipothayaya

Surrounding view –Hortain plain

Surrounding view

Surrounding view

It is believed during 6500BC-7000BC humans have lived here. Later it has become a Buddhist monastery. Now a mosque is there and annual festival occurs in February.

We climbed the Kuragala first to visit caves. The view from top of the kuragala was scenic.

Mosque- Awaiting for annual festival

Brahami inscriptions over the mosque

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Then we climbed the Hituwangala (generally it is called as Kuragala and mini world’s end). This has the height more than 1500ft and it is the highest point of this rock range.

Narrow path to climb

View of Kuragala from Hituwangala

Religious symbols

Hortain plain from the mini world’s end

View from the mini world’s end

Ancient stupa

Chandrika wewa and Udawalawe reservoir

There is a deep hole in this rock which has a depth about 15-20ft. Once you get down there sunrays can be seen in other side. This place was considered as the Diwaguhawa(දිවාගුහාව). Muslims believe this is the pathway to heaven.

The pathway to heaven

Sun rays from other side

.	Hortain plain and world’s end

Coming down

After enjoying the beauty of Kuragala and surrounding, we came down and took our way towards Galtamyaya.

Galtamyaya is situated at 15th mile post in Balangoda-Kalthota road towards Kalthota.(About 1km from Thanjanthenna) There was an archeology board in the right hand side of the road. We drove another 200m from there to reach Galtamyaya archeological site.

Galtamyaya (ගල්ටැම්යාය)

As this site has number of stone pillars, named as Galtamyaya. But today we can’t see a single complete stone pillar. This is an example for a Panchayathana (පoචායතන) temple. Historical evidences say this belongs to Anuradhapura era.

Ancient temple

Ruins

Collection of ruins following excavation

Guard stones and moon stones without car vings

Following Galtamyaya, we drove towards Budugala archeology site.

Budugala (බුදුගල)

You have to pass Kalthota and drive towards Diyawinna to reach Budugala. It is situated in right hand side of the road .Up to now seven Padanagara

(පධානඝර )buildings have been found here and two of them are well preserved. This is the only Padanagara complex was found in southern Sri Lanka. Apart from Padanagara, stones used as toilets were also found here. The name came as “Budun Wadiya Gala”-Budugala.

Budugala is considered as a place of ancient wadda paintings. Unfortunately we couldn’t find them and nobody was there to ask.

Padanagara –one of well preserved

Padanagara –one of well preserved

View of Kuragala from Budugala

Main Padanagaraya

Steps of Main Padanagaraya

Stones used as toilet

.	Ruins of another Pradanagara

After visiting Budugala, we traveled towards Diyawinna. At Walipothayaya (වැලිපොතයාය) we got a turn to Walawe River. Importance of here is, it is the border of Sabragamuwa province and Uva province. Now there is a concrete bridge connecting the Walipothayaya (Sabaragamuwa) with Damwalodaya (Uva) province. We could watch the remains of old cable service above the river.

View of Kuragala from Walipothayaya

Kuragala mountain range

Walawe river

Remains of old cable service

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Then we traveled towards the Diyawinna(දියවින්න). On the way we could enjoy the beauty of Diyawinna waterfall. It flows from the Rajawaka mountain and height is about 150m. At Diyawinna we turned right towards Dewagiri Temple. This is the road towards the Diyawinna waterfall as well. On this way I could see another beautiful waterfall in right hand side called as Piyangiri Ella.

Diyawinna Ella

Closer view of Diyawinna Ella

Piyangiri ella

Dewagiri Temple – Diyawinna (දේවගිරි විහාරය-දියවින්න)

This temple is built by King Yatalathissa (247 BC).Two stone inscriptions can be found below the drip ledge and few sitting and standing Buddha statue can be seen inside the shrine house.

Dewagiri Temple- Diyawinna

Stone inscriptions

Shrine house

After worshiping Dewagiri temple, we took our way towards the cave temple which is situated in the forest. The road was directed and foot pathway was clear within the jungle. After walking about 1km we reached the cave temple and it was the base of the Piyangiri waterfall (පියන්ගිරි ඇල්ල) as well. The site was so beautiful and this is the only cave I have ever seen closer to a waterfall.

Directions to the cave temple

Bridge over the water stream of Piyangir Ella

Base of Piyangiri Ella

Cave with drip ledge

After spending about one hour there with the Buddhist priest we came back to main road.

Our next destination was Handagana Nuwara-Handagiriya. While travelling towards Handagiriya we were able to watch the tunnel whch carries water for hydropower from Samanala wewa reservior.

Handagana Nuwara-Archeological site- Weheragodalla/Thanwaththa

වෙහෙර ගොඩැල්ල /ටැම්වත්ත

Historical back ground

Handagana Nuwara/Handagirya හදගනා නුවර /සදගිරිය is identified as an one of old regional kingdom of Sri Lanka.Ruins which are found here are belong to Anuradhapura era. Later development has been done by King Parakramabahu VI(AC 1415-1467).

Current archaeological site can be seen in a paddy field. This is named as Weheragodalla/Thanwaththa. It contains stone pillars, ruins of a building and a stupa. All these ruins with the growing paddy field make beautiful scenaries. A branch of sacred Bo tree could be seen a side. Ruins can be seen around the Bo-tree.

Stone pillars in the paddy field. Note-High tension wire goes over the paddy field from Kapugala hydro power station. These stone pillars indicating a building.

Ruins of a stupa. Now only bricks can be seen

Scenery

Bricks of Stupa

.	Branch of sacred Bo-tree. Note ruins around that. This is found as an Octagonal Bodhigaraya

Evening sky with sun setting

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Following Sandagana Nuwara we drove towards Weligepola and while on travelling stopped at Lendora temple.

Lendora temple (ලෙන්දොර විහාරය)

Lenadora temple is a cave temple built during King Walagamba period by his princes Soma. Special feature of this temple is the reclined Buddha statue with head towards west. Old buddha statue has been destroyed and new one built.

Lendora cave temple

Reclined Buddha statue-head towards west

Wooden Buddha statue

Ceiling

Parts of old temple

Our last destination of the day was Kottimbulla Temple.It is situated in Weligepola. You have to travel 7km from Weligepola town towards Hatangala to reach this old temple which is simillar to Dambulla temple.

Kottimbullla temple (කොට්ටිඹුල්ල විහාරය)

This massive cave temple was built at King Walagamba period and following that several kings ( Buwanekabahu I, Parakumba VI, Sri Wijaya Rajasingha, Sri Wickrama Rajasingha) have participated in built it.Paintings which are belong to Kandyan era can be seen below the drip ledge. In side the shrine house (85 feet long) also you can see old paintings, 45 feet long reclined Buddha statue, and a stupa.

Kootambuwa cave temple-85 feet long

Paintings below the drip ledge

Entrance hall before the shrine house

Ceiling of the entrance hall

Reclined Buddha statue-45feet long

Note the windows using to get sunlight into the shrine house

.	Stupa also can be seen inside the shrine house

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Ancient “Dharmashala”

Pond-Never emptied from water

It was our last place of the visit and then travelled back towards Balangoda and then to Colombo.

Thanks for reading.