Nikawewa Mountain / Nikawagampaha is situated closer to small remote town called Moragollagama (මොරගොල්ලාගම) in Kurunegala District. I have done the rail walk from Maho to Moragollagama and returned to Kurunegala by bus via Kumbukgate-Ibbagamuwa. On my way back to Ibbagamuwa I have noted this mountain with the temple at middle of the rock. It was the most attractive feature of Nikawewa Mountain which made me to hike it. Later in map reading I understood, I have passed the other side of this mountain during my rail walk.
Ancient Nagala Temple (නාගල රජමහා විහාරය) is situated at base of this Nikawewa Mountain. Some parts of the temple are situated at middle of this rock. But it is not allowed to walk to this upper part of the temple except in Poya days. Nikawewa Mountain is a range with few peaks and approach seems easy from railway line side rather than temple side.

Nikawewa Mountain is seen to rail way line when you just pass Moragollagama railway station towards Awukana

Nikawagamaha / Nikawewa Kanda in metric map

Nikawewa Kanda in Google map. Here I have marked Saliyagama junction (arrow) and Ranmukgama station. Our approximate path is shown by black line.

Aerial view of Nikawewa Mountain

Nikawewa Mountain. Note it is arranged as few peaks. This is the temple side of the mountain. You can see two parts of the temple are situated at middle of the mountain.

Let’s move to the hike:
Our plan was to approach the mountain from Ranmukgama railway station along railway line. Ranmukgama railway station is a small one situated closer to Moragollagama. I have travelled from Colombo and joined with Charith at Ibbagamuwa. Ibbagamuwa-Madagalla road was a scenic road with rocky isolated mountains and greenish paddy fields. It draws my memory to six years back as I have visited some ancient places at this road. We met Anupama at Kumbukgate and Eshan joined with us from Polpithigama. We have passed small junction at Saliyagama and turned to Saliyagama-Galgamuwa road. The road crosses the railway line at Ranmukgama. Nikawewa Mountain was situated in our right hand side when we travelled from Saliyagama junction. There was a gravel road runs parallel to railway line towards Moragollagama station. We have stopped our bikes at last house of this road. House owner was friendly and gave necessary instructions to hike the mountain in positive manner.
We have walked further along the railway line towards Moragollagama till we come across a small lake in right hand side. I can remember all these lakes were dry when I did the rail walk. As it was the rainy season of Rajarata, lakes were full and paddies were greenish. We crossed this small lake along it’s bunt and came across another small one beyond paddies. There was a small marshy area next to this lake and we found our way to enter the forest along this.

Members of the journey: Anupama, Charith and Eshan (right)

Other side of Nikawewa Mountain.

Train is passing…

Rocky face of the mountain….

This is the first lake we have crossed…

Along the lake bunt

All greenish…

Hidden second lake….

Morning decoration

Small marshy area situated at base of the mountain

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It was another dry zone hike under giant trees and over boulders. Within 1-1½ hours time we have reached a peak of the range, but it seems not the highest of Nikawewa range. (As we didn’t follow the Google map properly)

Under dry zone forest cover…

There was no foot pathway

This was such a common finding.

Rising up….

Uncommon

On the way up….

A small cave

A break…..

Reaching a top….

Coming out of forest….

Seems we have reached a wrong peak… Higher peaks are situated next to this.

Next step was to move to the highest peak which was situated at middle of the range. Again we got into the forest cover and reached a point where surrounding was clearly visible. It was like a middle point in between the highest peak and the one we have reached. After another 10-15 minutes hike we were able to reach the peak where the flag was set. This place has 360 degree view towards surrounding. We were able to view Yapahuwa, Diyabettekanda, Rasseruwa Kanda, Ritigala, Kahala Pallekale range, Erawulagala, Galkoth kanda, Gedaragalapathana, Beliya Kanda, Dolukanda range, Manikdena, Karanampotha, Na Uyana Kanda, Kadigala, Arangala, Mana Kanda and some of Knuckles range.
Galgiriya was the most nearby giant which I conquered few years ago.
We were lucky enough to see the train is passing area. According to the Google map the highest point of the range was the one next to this flag point. As we were short of time we didn’t try to go there.

View from the middle point

Reached a middle point where surrounding was clearly visible

.	On top of the peak where flag is set

Flag point. The peak we have reached first is seen next to this.

The view

Rasseruwa Kanda

Yapahuwa (right) and Diyabettekanda (left spiky one)

It’s giant of Rajarata-Ritigala

Greenish paddies at Moragollagama

Paddies at drop

Whole area is refreshed with rain

Kahala-Pallekale range…

Bambaragala, Erawulagala and Galkoth Kanda

Towards Dolukanda range

Nikawewa Lake

Nikawewa Lake bunt

Ancient Nikawewa Temple

Three ranges: Gedaragala Pathana, Kahala-Pallekale and Knuckles range

Beliya Kanda and Manikdena

Kadigala and Arangala

Nearby giant-Galgiriya

Mana Kanda and Ritigala

One of factories at Polpithigama

Train is coming from Moragollagama station

Train is passing

I am on top of the peak

First peak we have reached…

When we were on top….

When we were on top….

We were on top of Nikawewa Kanda

Return journey was happened peacefully and we were able to reach the starting point in one hour time. On our way back to Ibbagamuwa, we have visited a beautiful lake at Maeliya (මාඑලිය). This lake is reserved only for fishing.

Back to starting point….

Where we were

Maeliya Lake

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Na Uyana Mountain and Karanampotha over Maeliya Lake.

Sri Nagala Rajamaha Viharaya (7.883816, 80.413573)

The history of Nagala RMV goes back to King Devanampiyatissa era (250-210 BC). This temple had been neglected and deserted for a long period and now it had been redeveloped and restored.
The main temple is situated at foothill of the mountain and it consists of an image house, restored Stupa, Bo tree and some slab inscriptions. A set of wide stone steps direct you to two ancient image houses situated at middle of the rock. These two image houses are the most fascinating feature of this temple. One has a reclining Buddha statue at open image house with nice surrounding view. Other image house is coupled with a Dewalaya but it was closed at the time of our visit.
Beliya Kanda, Ritigala, Kadigala, Manikdena and Naula Rock are main mountains seen to the rock temple of Nagala RMV.

Nika Wewa Mountain over paddies. Nagala RMV is situated at this side of the rock.

The range and temple is situated at middle of the rock.

Nagala Temple and Nagala rock

Ancient image house at lower temple is surrounded by set of small Stupa

Ancient image house at lower temple is surrounded by set of small Stupa

Restored Old Stupa

Slab inscriptions

Steps to two ancient image houses

The image house which was closed at time of our visit

Inside of closed image house (by Gopro)

Steps to the image house

The view

The view from temple

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Beliya Kanda zoomed view

Manikdena and Kadigala

Paddies

Open shrine house with reclined Buddha statue

The team at the temple

The team at the temple

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As it was a beautiful evening and we liked to have some aerial photos around Nagala RMV. It was amazing to view patterns of greenish paddies situated around the rock.

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Nika Wewa Lake is situated just in front of Nagala RMV.

A little bit above ground level

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Nika Wewa Lake

Nikaweratiya-Moragollagama-Siyambangamuwa road

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Nika Wewa range

Close up…

Where we flied the drone

The team is waving to the drone.

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