Ruins from Ampara to Mahaoya

The Distance between Ampara to Mahaoya is 60km. My objective of this journey was to visit at ancient places at A-27 road from Ampara to Mahaoya. Places were

1. Samanabadda rock cave shelter
2. Udayagiri ancient temple
3. Samangala hermitage
4. Rajagala ruins
5. Piyangala hermitage
6. Pulukunawa ruins
7. Aranthalawa

I omitted Rajagala as I have already visited there and it needs a whole day to cover Rajagalathanna.

I stayed the night at Ampara and started the journey around 6 am. (Actually it was 8am as my friend was so punctual)
We got a bus from Ampara and got down at the board mentioning Samanabadda temple.(If you are going by your own vehicle have to go along A-27 road from Ampara about 5km and will come across this board in the left hand side.)

Then we walked about 200m to reach the temple. (Can go by a vehicle in this road).

Samanabadda rock cave shelter (“Samanabadda Len Wiharaya”)

According to literature this temple was built by King Saddhatissa (BC137-BC119).

You can see the ruins of a Pagoda, an ancient Buddha statute, three sacred foot print stones and some other stone pillars. An archaeological study has not been carried out here yet. Nowadays Sri Dammarathana Pirivena is situated near to this.

Ruins of the ancient Pagoda

Stone pillars

Sacred foot print stones

Image house

Inside the image house

Fascinating view from the temple

Then we came back to main road and got the bus towards the Udayagiri junction.
(It is 11km from Ampara town and has to pass the Uhana town.) Right hand side of the Udayagiri junction, there is a “Makara thorana” and a road. We walked through the road about 1km and reached the Udayagiri temple.

Udyagiri ancient temple

The board found at the entrance of the Makara thorana said this temple was built by King Udaya. (??)
There are stone pillars and other ancient ruins.

Stone pillars at Udayagiri temple

Ruins and new pagoda

Ruins

Ruins

After visiting at Udayagiri temple we came back to the main road and got the bus to our next place- Samangala hermitage.

We got down at Warankatagoda junction (14km from Ampara). There is a road towards this hermitage at left hand side of the junction. After travelling another 6.5km by a three-wheeler(Rs350) we came to Samangala hermitage. First 2km of this road is satisfactory and latter part is not good.

Samangala hermitage

This hermitage was built by King Saddathissa(BC137-BC119) and it has about 50 rock cave shelters. At the moment two priests are there for meditations. There is a foot pathway towards rock caves. We can only see about 10 rock caves including the largest.

There are evidences that some caves were in two stories. We could see stone inscriptions as well.

Foot pathway towards the caves

Drip edge

Stone inscriptions

Second largest cave

Largest cave

Evidences of Wadda paints – Click Image to Enlarge

We followed the foot pathway near the largest cave and were able to reach the peak to get the surrounding view.

Surrounding view

Functioning drip edge

Another cave

There is a civil defense post at the entrance of the hermitage and they were helpful in finding the way.

Then we came back to Werankatagoda junction and got the bus to our next destination-Piyangala.(If you want to visit Rajagalathanna, you will come across it before Piyangala).

Piyangala is situated 24km from Ampara in the left hand side.

Piyangala

Piyangala contains about 50 rock cave shelters. There is a well paved road from the entrance and then have to climb to visit at caves (About 500m). It is believed Nandamithra Senavi has built these caves for sermons.
Brhami inscriptions were found there and have read by Rev. Ellawala Medananda Thero. (There is a book written about Piyangala by Rev. Medananda Thero.)

Newly built image house and stupa also can be found. There are a lot of branching pathways to rock caves but we were unable to visit at all caves.

Uththara Guptha Thero’s cave – What is mentioned in the stone inscription below the drip edge

Stone inscription below the drip edge of above cave

Another cave

Largest cave-Mihindu thero’s cave

Primitive moon stone found in the cave

Largest cave

Scenic view from the summit

Foot pathway to new stupa

After visiting at Piyangala and we came down to the main road. Then we hired a three-wheeler to Pulukunawa.
It is situated about 5km from Piyangala on the right hand side. From the main road you have to go by a cart road (this road is now under renovation) about two kilometers to reach Pulukunawa.

Pulukunawa

Pulukunawa consists of number of ruins and most of them have not been excavated. According to historical evidences Pussadewa thero has visited here. This hermitage belongs to Anuradhapura era.

The name board

Largest “Asanagaraya” of Sri Lanka

Ruins around “Asanagaraya”

The road has been built on ruins

Some more

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There are about 60-70 rock caves in this hermitage but we were not able to visit there due to lack of time. It needs about a whole day to visit at Pulukunawa.
Our next destination was Aranthalawa.

Aranthalawa

It will come across when you are going from Pulukunawa to Mahaoya on right hand side. Although it is not an ancient place to visit, has some historical value. LTTE terrorists have killed 31 Buddhist priests here on 1987 June 02.

The statue of Hagoda Indasara thero

Scenic view from Aranthalawa

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Please note- This is a rough guidance of the places I visited from Ampara to Mahaoya. I don’t have much knowledge to give historical information about these places.