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Arankele, Egodagama, Hakwatunaoya, Hakwatunaoya Reservior, Ibbagamuwa, Kaballa Lena Viharaya, Kasagala Cave Temple, Kombuwa Raja Maha Viharaya, Kumbukgete, Kurunegala, Madagalla, Naindanawa Raja Maha Viharaya, Rangirimada Cave Temple, Rawa Ela Maligathanna, One Day, December, Dry Zone, Culture, History, 2012, Photograhy, Trekking

Author: Niroshan (258 Trips)

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My objective of this journey was to visit at important historical places in Ibbagamuwa-Madagalla(මඩගල්ල) road. (B62 ) As usual I started the journey in the early morning. We came to Ibbagamuwa around 7.00am and got a bus towards Madagalla.

Our first place was Arankale (අරන්කැලේ) ruins and got down in front of Archeology board. From there it was about 3km towards Arankale. Therefore we got a three-wheeler to travel.

Arankale (අරන්කැලේ) forest hermitage.

As we came to Arankale hermitage first, we had to go through the hermitage to enter ruins.

Their request – Click Image to Enlarge

Direction to ruins

Ancient Kutiya of Maliyadewa arhat Thero

Maliyadeva was a monk who is said to have lived in Sri Lanka during the 2nd century BCE and to have attained nirvana.
According to the Mahavamsa, part of Theravādin tradition, Maliyadeva was the last well-known arhat in Sri Lanka and Buddhism in Sri Lanka declined after this period. A legend says he brought four Buddha statues from India to Sri Lanka.

His meditation chamber may be seen at Arankale and his dwelling place at Guharamaya. – Taken from Wikipedia

Arankele Monastery
This is a monastery in Padanagara style for the monks who devoted themselves for meditation. According to literacy evidence origin of this monastery belongs to early Anuradhapura period. Remains of buildings can be dated to 8-10 centuries A.D. This monastery was properly functioning during the Gampola period. Jantagara, Chankamangaraya, ponds, Boodhigara, Pathways, flights of steps made of polished stones, urinal stones are found here. – Taken from Archeology department board

Foot pathways

Ruin

Ancient pond

Ancient urinal system

Some more ruins

Moving away from the Kuti

Kuti in the forest

View from the Kuti

Macro view

Rest stations in the pathways

Flights of steps

Bodhigara ?

Ancient building

Final cut down

Our next place was Rangirimada (රන්ගිරිමඩ) cave temple which was situated near to Dolukanda (දොලුකන්ද).We called for a three wheeler and went there.

Rangirimada (රන්ගිරිමඩ) cave temple

The cave temple

Entrance

Dolukanda

Another cave

Paintings

Drip ledge with inscriptions

Zoomed view of inscriptions

Another cave

Three hooded cobra

Then we came back to main road (Ibbagamuwa-Madagalla road) by foot. It was about 1km walk. Then got a bus towards Madagalla and got down at Kumbukgate (කුම්බුක්ගැටේ) junction.
The left hand side road directed to Wariyapola. We got a threewheeler and went to Kombuwa Rajamaha Wiharaya (කෝම්බුව රජමහා විහාරය) which is situated in that road. (About 3km)

Kombuwa Rajamaha Wiharaya (කෝම්බුව රජමහා විහාරය)

This temple belongs to King Detuthis (දෙටුතිස්) era and number of ruins and few caves were found there.

Well preserved Pohoya geya

Moonstone but no carvings

kuti	Newly built pagoda

After seeing newly built stupa we entered into the forest to seek caves with drip ledges. After climbing about 50m we found a cave with drip ledge.

Cave with drip ledge

View from the cave

After having our lunch from that temple (Thanks for the chief priest) came back to Kumbukgate junction and moved about 100m towards Madagalla. In the Left hand side we found Kasagala cave temple.

Kasagala cave temple (කසාගල ලෙන් විහාරය)

During King Dewanampiyatissa (දේවානම්පියතිස්ස) time, a regional leader called Kassaka (කස්සක) has built this temple and donated to priests. Therefore it was named as Kasagala. Old stupa has been destroyed and two caves can be seen. A reclining Buddha statue (31feet long) can be seen in one cave.

Unfortunately we couldn’t worship it as the chief priest was not at temple at that moment.

Cave temple

Steps to old Stupa

Old stupa

Dolukanda

Scattered ruins

The cave with reclined Buddha statue

Then we got a bus towards Madagalla and got down in front of Kaballa Lena (කබල්ලෑ ලෙන් විහාරය) temple at Egodagama. It is situated before Egodagama town.

Egodagama Kaballa Lena temple. (එගොඩගම කබල්ලෑ ලෙන් විහාරය)

It has number of caves. The main cave has been converted into a shrine house and old Buddha statues can be seen inside it. The Important feature of this cave is, it has an extra area for a Dramashalawa (ධර්ම ශාලාව) .Other caves are in the forest. Old stupa also can be seen.

Click Image to Enlarge

Main cave with shrine hose and Darmashalawa

The stupa

Entrance to shrine house

Entrance to shrine house

Next we came to Egodagama junction and got a three-wheeler towards Hakwatunaoya (හක්වටුනාඔය) reservoir. On the way to reservoir we visited at two archeological places.

Rawa ala Maligathanna (රාවා ඇල මාලිගාතැන්න) archeological site

This archeological site has ruins of two buildings. Unfortunately this site has been forested

Foot pathway to archaeological site

Well preserved building with stone door frame

Shrine house ?

Foresting

Another building

Guard stone

Our next interest was Naindanawa Rajamaha Wiharaya.

Naindanawa Rajamaha Wiharaya (නයින්දනාව රජමහා විහාරය)

There is a seven hooded cobra carving in this temple and it brings the name Naindanawa. This carving belongs to the pre historical era and a “Bahirawa”
(බහිරව) statue also can be seen nearby.

Seven hooded cobra carving

Bahirawa statue

Cave with drip ledge

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It has caves with paintings and Buddha statues. There is a statue of Lajjithissa (ලජ්ජිතිස්ස) arahath thero. (Lajjithissa Arahath thero comes in King Dutugamunu period).Thanks for the small priest for the guidance here.

Maha Viharaya

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.	New stupa is built on old one

Lajjithissa thero’s statue

Stone inscription below the drip ledge – Click Image to Enlarge

New shrine house with mirror reflection

Outside paintings

Old pond

Our last place of visit was Hakwatunaoya reservoir. It is nice to have an evening at Dam of Hakwatunaoya reservoir.

It was built by King Mahasena and later King Kashapa III and King Parakramabahu I contributed to it. In 1954, Sir John Kothalwawala has converted old lake into this reservoir.

Hakwatunaoya reservoir (හක්වටුනාඔය)

Fishing at Hakwatuna oya

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At the end I would like to note three kind of cobra statue found in this journey.

Three hooded cobra

Five hooded cobra statue found at Hakwatunaoya reservoir

Seven hooded cobra

Thanks for reading