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China Bay, Kanniya, Kantale, Kathiraweli Pre Historic Cemetery, Lankapatuna, Pashana Pabbatha Viharaya, Samudragiri Viharaya, Serunuwara, Seruwavila, Trincomalee, Trincomalee War Cemetery, Ullakkaliya Bay, Verugal, Verugal Hindu Kovil, Welgam Vehera, One Day, December, Dry Zone, Sand & Beach, Culture, History, 2012, Photograhy, Road Trip

Author: Niroshan (111 Trips)

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I wanted to cover some rarely visited places in Trincomalee in this one day trip as I have visited almost all popular places in and around Trinco. As we used a motor bike and my friend was familiar about this area (He used shortcuts) we were able to cover all the places as mentioned below.

1. Welgam Wehera temple(වෙල්ගම් වෙහෙර විහාරය)
2. Kanniya hot water well temple
3. Trincomalee war cemetery
4. Werugal Hindu Kovil
5. Kathiraweli pre historical cemetery
6. Pashana Pabbatha Wiharaya-Kaladiya (පාශාණ පබ්බත විහාරය)
7. Lankapatuna temple
8. Seruwawila temple

We started our journey from 4th mile post of Trinco and our first place was Welgam Wehera temple. According to the map we have to first go to Anuradhapura junction and then travel in Trinco- Anuradhapura road (A12) towards Anuradhapura to reach this temple. But we bypassed the Anuradhapura junction and followed a short cut to come to A12 road.

Welgam Wehera temple (වෙල්ගම්වෙහෙරවිහාරය)

You have to travel about 7km in the A₆ road and then will come across Welgam wehera. There is a board in the right hand side of the main road indicating Welgam Wehera Temple. You have to travel another 4km in this road to reach the temple.

 

Historical background

This temple was built in Anuradhapura era and renovated by several kings including

Bahathiya I, Agbho II, Wijayabahu I, Parakramabahu I. It was a popular temple during Pollonnaru kingdom. Later it was destroyed.

Welgam Wehera temple was attacked by LTTE terrorists. One of their mortars was stucked in the Bo-tree. This sacred Bo-tree was planted by King Dewanampiyathissa during Anuradhapura era.

Currently you can see number of ruins next to newly built temple. Fortunately these ruins are well preserved.

( There is a nice discription about this temple in “ The Sinhala Buddhist Heritage in the North and East of Sri Lanka-by Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero.)

Ancient stupa

Staircase to Pagoda

Ancient image house

Stone inscriptions written in Tamil

The pond

Only well preserved Buddha statue

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Ancient bath tub

Southern entrance

More ruins

May be the main entrance

Sacred Bo-tree

Note-Mortar stucked in the Bo-tree. Got from a photograph found at temple

News paper article about terrorist attack – Click Image to Enlarge

Then we came back to A₆ road and followed the same route we came till we find the turn to famous Kanniya hot water springs. Three years back I have visited there but no archaeological importance at that time. Recently they have excavated ruins of a temple and now named as hot water spring temple.

Kanniya hot water well temple

Historical back ground

Old entrance to hot water springs

Ruins

Ruins

Famous hot water wells

Our next destination was War cemetery. It was situated in Nilaweli road.

(A₆ –Trinco-Pulmudai road). We followed the road connects (Varothaya Nagar road) A₆ and A₁₂  and came to Nilaweli road. Then we drove 500m towards Nilaweli. War cemetery is situated in right hand side of the road.

Trincomalee war cemetery

Historical Information (According to Commonwealth war grave commission)

Trincomalee is a seaport on the north-eastern coast of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and was formerly a naval station. After the fall of Singapore it became a naval base of importance to our command of shipping in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.

The cemetery was originally the Combined Services Cemetery, but was taken over by the Admiralty from the military authorities in April 1948 for use as a permanent naval cemetery. On the withdrawal of United Kingdom Forces from Ceylon it became the property of the Ceylon Government who have granted the Commission security of tenure in perpetuity.

Save for a few post-war and non-war graves it is purely a war cemetery, and service war graves were transferred to it from Trincomalee (St. Mary) Churchyard; Trincomalee (St. Stephen’s) Cemetery, Kottadi Cemetery, Jaffna; and Vavuiyna Combined Cemetery. A special memorial commemorates a naval man buried in Trincomalee (St. Stephen’s) Cemetery whose grave could not be found.

The non-war graves are those of men of the Merchant Navy whose death was not due to war service, and of civilians, of whom some were employees of the Admiralty; while the post-war graves were dependents of servicemen, civilian employees of the Admiralty and dependents of such employees.

(Taken from www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2009502/Trincomalee Wa)

The gate – Click Image to Enlarge

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After visiting war cemetery we came back to 4th mile post and followed the route to Kinniya. (Trinco- Batticalo road A15 )

We passed China bay and saw Mitsui cement factory and Prima flour factory. We had to cross four recently built bridges- Kinniya (longest bridge of Sri Lanka), Gangeyi, Upparu and Ralkuli.

Trinco fish harbor

Sandy beaches we passed

Kinniya bridge

Paddy field

Ralkuli bridge

We continued our journey in Trinco- Batticalo road through Serunuwara and came to Werugal. Our next destination was Werugal Hindu kovil.

Werugal Hindu kovil

Newly built Kovil

Old Kovil

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Then we continued the journey towards Batticalo and came across Kathiraweli pre historical cemetery few kilometers away from Werugal kovil.
Unfortunately still no excavation done here and nobody was there to ask anything.

Kathiraweli pre historical cemetery

Newly built nice entrance-Still under construction

Locals said “Sigiriya”- There is a stone inscription on this rock

Drip ledge

Cave to stay

Staircase…But no first part- I couldn’t climb up

Ruins

Then we came back towards Werugal and on the way I saw a small Hindu kovil on a rock just after Werugal Kovil. We visited there as well.

Pullair Kovil

The way to climb

Kovil built on the rock

Green…………….

Then we drove towards the Serunuwara and before Serunuwara got the turn to Lankapatuna temple which is 13.5km away from A15 road. On the way to Lankapatuna we came across Pashana Pabbatha wehaera at Kaladiya.

Pashana Pabbatha Temple(පාශාණ පබ්බත විහාරය)

This temple was built by King Maha Dhatika Mahanaga( A.D 1). There are 6 stone inscriptions. During war season terrorists have placed their eastern radio tower here.

Historical back ground

Old Stupa

A Stone inscription

Translated stone inscription – Click Image to Enlarge

Staircase

Remaining tower of terrorists

Then we continued the journey till we find the Lankapatuna temple.

Samudragiri Vihara of Lankapatuna

This sea port known today as Ilankaturei was earlier the Lankapatuna and is very much related to the history of Sri Lanka. Princes Hemamala and Prince Dantha who brought the Tooth Relic to this country landed at this port. There were many other occasions that Sinhala troops were sent to South India from this port.

(Taken from The Sinhala Buddhist Hritage in the East and The North of Sri Lanka by Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero)

This place can be reached by different ways. Once we reached the destination, we realized that we have to cross the Ullakkaliya bay. There was a motor boat service with free of charge from there to Lankapatuna. It took only about 10 minutes.

Name board indicating Lankapatuna at Mawadwena junction

View of Lankapatuan. Note- This Bridge has been destroyed by LTTE

Lankapatuna Bridge

Motor boat we went

Staircase to climb

New Stupa was built on old one’s base

Lankapatuna Bridge

Lankapatuna stupa

Ullakkaliya bay

Verugal Aru reaching Ullakkaliya bay

New Image house

New Buddha statue

According to Ven. Ellawala Medhananda thero’s book there are caves with drip ledges and inscriptions are found to the west of the rock stupa. The script shows letters of the 2nd century P.C.E. But I was not aware of it.

After worshiping Lankapatuna temple, we followed the same route to reach Palamathoppu and got the turn to Seuwawila Mangala Maha Saya.

Seruwawila Mangala Maha seya

The story of how Uparaja Mahanaga obtained the Fore-head Relic from chief Mahakala and how Kakavannatissa estabilished the Seruwavila Mangala Maha Chetiya are described in the chronicles.This ‘ Mangala Maha Chetiya’ which was enlarged in size later times unboubtedly the present Seruwawila stupa. The many additions like stone pavements, etc were later developments. Many image houses, meditation houses, alms halls and preaching halls with other architectural and sculptural work belong to these additiions. Many pieces of Buddha images that are scattered all over deserve special mention. When considering about all these ruins, we can imagine of a religious complex extended over hundred of acres.

It is very strange to see that no inscriptions of great importance were yet found. Sometimes they are still buried. But two short documents were found a few years ago and one of them helps in realing the correct name of the place. The words ‘Tis maha vehera’ in one of those, suggest the name to be Tissa Maha Vihara.

(Taken from The Sinhala Buddhist Hritage in the East and The North of Sri Lanka by Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero)

Tis Maha vehera of Seruwila can be reached from Kanathale as well.

Ruins of the image house

New image house

Pond	Pond filled with water

Mangala Maha Stupa

Makara Thorana

Please note – I couldn’t find historical information about Werugal kovil and Kathiraweli pre historical cemetrey.

Thanks for reading.