In searching of ruins at Nuwaragala Kanda / නුවරගල කන්දේ නටබුන් සොයා…………..

Nuwaragala Kanda is another mountain range situated at Dambulla and it separates central province (Matale District) from North Central Province (Polonnaruwa District). It is a mountain range with highest point of 520m height.

Nuwaragala Kanda in metric map. (Circled). Highest point is marked by a star. Click image to enlarge.

I have noted Nuwaragala Kanda in different occasions when I conquered nearby mountains.

Long range of Nuwaragala Kanda is seen to Erawula Gala. (Marked by arrow)

Nuwaragala Kanda is noted behind Erawula Gala. This was taken from Kalundawa.

View of Nuwaragala Kanda from Sigiriya.

Folklore says King Mahasen (මහසෙන් රජතුමා) (277-304 AD and built Minneriya Lake) has built his palace at Nuwaragala Kanda range. I have red an old article in Lakdasun about Nuwaragala Kanda few years ago. Most recent document I went through was Sigiriya and beyond book. It gives a good account about Nuwaragala Kanda. According to them the most fascinating thing of this journey is visiting ruins and “Ahas Wewa” rather than enjoying the view.

This place was well excavated by treasure hunters before archeology officers. Therefore we really wanted to have a village person for guide though it is a simple hike through dry zone forest. I got a contact of a person who lives closer to the range. Wewala is the nearest bus stop following Dambulla and Galkaruyaya is the area situated closer to the mountain.

All together it was six for the journey. My ever trusted travel companions-Ashan, Chamara, Anupama and Keshan were with me. Nalin was my old colleague also joined with me for this journey.

It was quite an early start from Dambulla following breakfast. Ashan was the official transport provider by his jeep for the journey. Our first destination was Wewala junction where Wewala-Dambulla buses stop. On our way to Wewala we had a superb view of Erawula Gala, Galkoth Kanda, Kaludiya Pokuna Kanda and Bambaragala.
As our guide is getting late we drove another two kilometers to visit Wewala Lake.

Journey begins….Official transport provider by Ashan.

Galkoth Kanda…unseen view

Erawula Gala

New addition….Bambaragala

Gal Len Kanda Aranaya Senasanaya

Wewala Lake…Not an ancient lake. Built under Mahaweli project.

Wewala Lake…It is a fishery lake.

At Wewala lake bunt…

Drought….

At water level

Sigiriya and Pidurangala over lake bunt

Then we have reached Galkaruyaya with our guides. Galkaruyaya has number of Chena and we started the journey from Galkaruyaya. Within about 15-20 minutes we have crossed an elephant fence and entered the forest.

Journey begins from Galkaruyaya.

Crossing Chena areas.

Placing a leafy twig for local gods.

There was a clear foot path since beginning and it was a journey through dry zone forest. Nuwaragala Oya / Kiri Oya (නුවරගල ඔය/ කිරි ඔය) begins from Nuwaragala Kanda. It feeds the lake at top of the mountain called “Ahas Wewa”-අහස් වැව. But the stream was completely dry due to drought lasted since 6 months. We can imagine how beautiful it would be when water flows. Our foot pathway lies parallel to Nuwaragala Oya and ends up at a place with scattered ruins.

Clear foot pathway since beginning.

Team at Nuwaragala Oya.

Dry zone forest with leafy floor.

කළුමැදිරිය

There are three major constructions at Nuwaragala Kanda: Palace, Vihara / monasteries and irrigation system. We were able to visit ruins of Vihara and Monasteries but not Palace. But all these ruins were excavated by treasure hunters. It has been done since a long ago and still it is being done. There were destroyed pathways, ponds, bases of Vihara and moon stones. This is the only hill monastery don’t find caves with drip ledges.

Stone steps

A moon stone

ගල් වැටි

Stone pillars

Ruins

A base of Vihara

Broken ruins

Broken ruins

Scattered ruins

The area with ruins

The extent they have dug the ruins

.

Remained…

Ruins at Nuwaragala Kanda

Ruins at Nuwaragala Kanda

Ruins at Nuwaragala Kanda

Ruins at Nuwaragala Kanda

It said there is a tunnel through this.

ගල් වැටි

Elephant dung…

While we were staying at ruins site, Ashan and Keshan walked along the ridge of the mountain and snapped some photos of surrounding view. Then our guides accompanied us to a place called “Paththirippuwa” where you can see a perennial pond. There was a gutter at this place which was broken by treasure hunters recently.

The view. Photo credit goes to Keshan

View from edge. Photo credit goes to Keshan.

The view. Photo credit goes to Keshan.

Perennial pond

අසෝකා මල්

The place called Paththirippuwa

The gutter was broken into pieces

Then we followed Nuwaragala Oya again to reach “Ahas Wewa” (අහස් වැව). It is situated almost on top of the mountain. We were surprised by seeing such a large lake on top of this mountain range. It was a continuous ascend from the pond till you reach “Ahas Wewa”. It is not a surprise to see empty lake as Nuwaragala Oya is also completely dry.

Heading to Ahas Wewa.

Back to Nuwaragala Oya.

The lake on top of Nuwaragala Kanda.

“Ahas Wewa”

Ahas Wewa is completely dry.

The base of the lake. It is covered by grass

Wide angle….

Though it is called as Ahas Wewa, it is not the highest point of Nuwaragala Kanda. There are dual peaks situated on either side of the lake. One of this could be identified as the highest and we visited there to get the view. There were couple of rocks at this highest point to provide a narrow view towards surrounding. But the rising bamboo trees have cut the view further. We were able to identify Gedaragala Pathana / Kumaragala range and Moragahakanda dam.

When we were on top of Nuwaragala Kanda. We didn’t try on other peak. But it is the margin of two districts.

At highest point of Nuwaragala Kanda.

View from highest point of Nuwaragala Kanda.

View from highest point of Nuwaragala Kanda.

Moragahakanda dam.

It was a sad situation to see this valuable place has been destroyed by treasure hunters since a long time. Hope archeology department will get necessary action to prevent further destruction. We came back Galkaruyaya with an hour time with that wish.

On our way back.

Selfie under Banyan tree.

Group photo.

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