Magul Maha Vihara

Although sparsely inhabited today due to the aftermath of the civil war, Lahugala is a town positively saturated with historical significance in reference to the Kingdom of Rohana, due to its geographical proximity to Magama, the Capitol of Rohana.

The Magul Maha Vihara is a site of upmost historical importance. Situated in the Lahugala forest reserve a few kilometers east of town, this too is a temple complex spread over many acres of land. Legend has it that his holy site witnessed the betrothal of Queen Vihara Maha Devi, to the King of Rohana, Kavanthissa. Historical evidence, however goes to elaborate that the temple existed well before that stretching to a few centuries BC.

The path to the temple lies astride its giant twin ponds. Ruined stone steps lie on either side of the pathway, along with the stone slabs forming the embankment of each pond on either side. The opalescent pools of placid water gives the surroundings an ethereal glow. The water appears frozen in time as dawn breaks over the canopy. The lack of the slightest ripple on the surface makes it a polished mirror reflecting the treeline in perfect symmetry. A tiny stupa sits atop a rocky outcropping nearby, and the calm is broken by the haunting call of a lone peacock who alights on an overhanging branch, drying the dew off his lustrous body. The monkeys begin their daily business, soon the trees are alive with their banter. The calm and serenity of the place, and the feel of the forest is otherworldly and timeless, to say the least.

Deeper still into the forest lies the boundary of the temple complex. A large area spread over many acres, the boundary is demarcated by a sturdy stone and brick wall well over 3 feet in thickness. There are four entrances to the temple, facing the four directions. We enter from the Northern gateway, and its well worn steps indicate that it may have been a main entrance. This is further cemented by the fact that steps and carvings on the Eastern and Western gates are in much better shape than their counterparts.

The ruins of an image house and another building lie close to the entrance. A fallen Buddha statue lies within the image house, and restoration work is currently under way to restore it to its former glory. The examples of stonemasonry and carving found here at this site are some of the most exquisite I have come across in Sri Lanka. One such example is the large slab forming the foyer floor of the image house. The delicacy of its artwork makes me feel a criminal to even trod on it to enter. Another such fine example is the moonstone unearthed near the other building found nearby. This is the only one of kind yet unearthed in Sri Lanka, which depicts in its distal circus, a sequence of elephants with each alternative animal being ridden by a mahout. Although numerous animals such as horses, and lions have appeared in various moonstones before and after this era, this is the only one thus far depicting a rider. It is thought that this belongs to a more recent era, as the bull and horse are absent.

The stupa lies atop a quadrangular podium made of stone blocks. It appears to have had a roof over it, as the corner-stones of the podium have a circular indentation cut into them to house a stone base for a wooden pillar.

The Bodhi-gara, or Bo-tree enclave is another stone-carved masterpiece. Made entirely of cut and polished granite, it has an inner stone ring in which the Bo tree would have been located, and an outer boundary, with its walls rich in carvings. Folklore describes this as the site of the wedding ceremony of King Kavantissa and Queen Vihara Maha Devi. The veracity of this is doubtful, as there is no historical evidence to support the same. Be that as it may, the Kings name does appear frequently in reference to many ruins in the area, and thus his involvement at some level with this site lies within the realms of plausibility.

Two stone tablets found on site act as standalone guides to the history of this Vihara, as the writings contained within them are not corroborated by any historical text or tablet found to date. They describe this as being the work of King Dhatusena, who at the time names it “Roonu (Ruhunu) Maha Vihara”. It had fallen into disuse and eventually been abandoned by the clergy before being fully refurbished, reconstructed and gifted to the Maha Sangha by a “Vihara Maha Devi.” Some doubt remains over whether this is the Vihara Maha Devi, Dutugemunu’s mother, because the tablet proceeds to mention that she was the chief consort of the Perakumba Brothers with whom she fought united to quell the Chola uprising at the time. As per recorded history, the Chola invasion began in the era of King Mahinda V. Their armies invaded from the north and conquered southwards, with a reign of terror spanning over 96 years. However no references in history are made to the two Brothers Parakrama who, as per the tablet, defeated the Chola invaders and upheld the sovereignty of Rohana, together with their consort Vihara Maha Devi. From here on only assumptions as to their identity can be made. Ven. Ellawala Medhananda believes that it may refer to Prince Parakrama Pandya, who was one of the princes of Rohana during this period, but that leaves the question of who his unnamed brother was, as well as the mysterious lady with her famous name. Prof. Senarath Paranavithana believes that this may be a reference to King Parakramabahu V and Buwanekabahu IV of the Gampola Era, as the writing style and syntax of the tablet matches the period. But the Devi still remains very much a mystery. Whoever she may have been, it is obvious beyond a shadow of doubt that she was instrumental in upholding the sovereignty of Rohana and possibly the entire country, and we owe her and the “Brothers Perakumba” a debt of gratitude for that as well as gifting their future generations with such a wonderful slice of history.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!!

We visited Nilaveli, Lovers leap a few weeks ago....the sea was just absolutely beautiful and inviting...but the heat was a just scooooaaaarrccchhinnngg hot!
The sad thing though is you just need to move away from the shrine to find a pile of garbage that is almost as high as the wall....
People....if we dont do anything as individuals - we're going to ruin all these beautiful places..that belong to US!
You make the choice!

Panama Raja Maha Vihara

The little hamlet of Panama, lying 11 km south along the B 374 road from Pottuvil, brings new meaning to the phrase “the edge of civilization.” The road ends here. Literally. Graduating into a dirt track that runs onto the beach through a cemetery, with the tombstones of numerous soldiers who lost their lives in the civil conflict. Beyond this lies the azure ocean, stretching for miles upon golden miles of beach in either direction. Truly unpoilt, virgin beauty as far as the eye can see.

Only a temple, a school and a row of shops stand as desolate reminders of human habitation. Beyond this lies nothing but the jungles of Kumana and Yala. The feeling of the wilderness is very palpable here: the air is thick with it. The calls of the birds and various other animals thrum with it. It is in essence awe-inspiring and frightening at the same time. The vastness of the jungle takes time to sink in, considering that the next human dwelling is to be found as far away as Kirinda.

Panama gets its name from the its reservoir, the lifeblood of its agricultural community. Referred to in the ancient texts and stone tablets as “Pashana-vapi,” it still feeds the acres upon acres of paddy fields spread across the plains. However, the inhabitants of Panama have a more recent connection to the Kandyan Kingdom, as it is one of the many hideaways of the Kandyans who were running from British colonial wrath during the Uva Wellassa Uprising of 1818.

The road beyond Panama turns inland, and leaves its pavement behind, as it winds its way deeper and deeper into the bowels of the Kumana Game Reserve. It skirts the Panama tank, with its placid waters lapping gently along the bund, peppered with flocks of Lesser Adjutant storks having their fill of fish. A few hundred meters beyond the edge of the tank is a road leading into thick forest; the road to Panama Raja Maha Vihara.

The locals scarcely refer to it by its original name, and were quite at sea when we asked around for directions. They refer to the temple instead as “wehera-godella.” The underbrush thickens and the canopy slowly strangles the last rays of sunlight let through as we proceed deeper and deeper in. Soon the sound of humanity with its farmers and tractors is lost, to be replaced by a crescendo of jungle noises. The odd elephant-dropping serves as a reminder to who indeed is the ruler of these parts. I note them for their freshness: one has traversed this path very recently.

Further in, in a clearing lies the temple, arrayed in two terraces, separated by a stone buttress over two feet in height and thickness. My first guess is that this serves as a deterrent to the occasional inquisitive elephant. The Awasa Geya, built into a huge overhanging rock, is home to a lone bikkhu, who in his autumn years has taken refuge in this Vihara. Bent with age as he may be, his wit is sharp, and his eyes and ears are well attuned to his surroundings. He catches us by surprise with his youthful banter and disarming ways. We are warmly welcomed, and he obliges us with a guided tour, exploring the Aawasa Geya with its pre-historic imagery, the meditation courtyard carved atop the overhanging boulder, accessible only by his rickety ladder. The monk is as nimble on his feet as he is with his words, despite being over 80 years old.

He speaks of the wild animals with such heartfelt fondness, as if they were his closest friends, nay, his own children. He tells us lovingly about the crocodile who took shelter under the rock in a storm and laid six eggs in a crevasse, and of the baby crocodiles who hatched a few weeks later and scampered off on their way to the tank. Of the bear who used to frequent his abode in the evenings and lie curled up to shelter from the downpours.

Then, suddenly, disarmingly, he stops. Raising a finger to his lips, his eyes light up as he looks at us. I sense what he is about to reveal even before he says it. In fact I smell it. A vague aroma of stale dung and musk wafts in with the wind through the thicket a few feet away. The silence is deafening. I feel the blood pounding in my ears. Yet I see nothing through the gloom beyond the trees. Nary a movement nor even a flicker of brush. But I sense him. As does the monk, who whispers:

“Loku putha avilla,” (my eldest son is here) “can you smell him? That’s the kuile, an elephant’s smell. Can you hear him?”

I couldn’t hear a blessed sound that would have possibly emanated from a four ton leviathan just a few feet away! But I felt his presence, and felt humbled by how blind I was to his it all this time while the monk was speaking to us.

He sensed the fear in the city boys, and broke into his usual tone again. “Don’t worry about him. He’s harmless. I know him well. He helps me clean the temple yard, you know? I clean this area” – he gestures to the courtyard facing the rock – “and he, well, he keeps the rear end tidy! He’s a shy boy, that one. Will hardly show his face when strangers are around. You have nothing to fear. He’s probably more afraid of you than you are of him.”

Our weak smiles do little to show our Dutch courage. The monk leads us away. He tells us of more ruins lying just beyond the buttress, yet to be explored and restored. He speaks of the rich history of Panama Raja Maha Vihara, and we are all ears, enthralled.

Dating back a few centuries before Christ, the earliest evidence of its existence is proven in the inscription carved just below the gutter on the cave roof, which is in Brahmin dialect belonging to the 2nd Century BC. It states

“Parumaka thisha putha parumaka adi liya lene shagasha,”

which can be translated as

“I, Pramuka Adali, son of Pramukha Thisha, hereby donate this cave to the Sangha sasana”

Having been frequented by Arhat bhikkus ever since, it has been reconstructed and renovated many times in history. More recent stone inscriptions belonging to the 5 – 7 centuries AD have unfortunately not been preserved as well as the earliest one found to date.

Its location and relative anonymity has helped this site remain untouched for as long as it has. Subtle signs of a sprawling temple complex that once existed here are seen in the ruins which hide behind the surrounding forest. Once a regular haunt of the LTTE, the old monk thankfully says he no longer fears for his life. its not his life itself he holds sacred, it’s the fact that without him, this sacred site would have been reclaimed by the jungle and lost forever from memory.

looking for a hide away?

We came by this place by chance, but loved every little detail about the place. Situated in Wadduwa and just about 2 - 3km's off the main Wadduwa Galle road...this quaint little hide away, had 3 rooms ( one a suite) and afforable if your looking for some quiet time away from the world around you.
Its B&B but the food off the menue is also quite good - or you can adventure off into a local restuarant.
It is truely a home away from home, and you'll be looked after very well

Shasthrawela

Halfway between Pottuvil and Panama lies the monastery of Shasthrawela. Once the abode of 500 Arhat Bhikkus, Shasthrawela now lies in ruins, with most of its treasures plundered and destroyed over time by raiders, wild animals and the unforgiving weather.

On a road leading towards the beach from the Pottuvil – Panama highway, lies Pan Kande Hela: a series of undulating hills running its course to the seashore near the inlet of the Heda Oya. It ends in a rocky outcropping with a sheer precipice facing the sea. This area is positively riddled with caves and outcroppings which were used by the Bhikkus of that time for meditation.

At the base of the hill lies the ruined remains of a large stupa, almost 500 feet in circumference, and 60 feet in height. its center has been hewn apart by treasure-hunters, and the brickwork is now held together and kept from crumbling to pieces by the gnarled roots of the trees which have grown atop it over time. This appears to be one of the largest stupas in the eastern province unearthed to date.

A stone inscription nearby states that King Maha Dhataka Maha Naga, son of Pudakana Gamini Abhaya, grandson of King Devana Piya Gamini Naga has donated this land and its vestments to the Maha Sangha, and is hereby named as the Bodhigiri Naga Pabbatha Vihara. The Mahawamsa also refers to a monastery constructed by King Dhataka, known as “Mani-Naga Pabbatha Vihara,” in the Kalayana Kannika Kingdom. The Mahawamsa further states that Kalayana Kannika is an ancient reference to the kingdom of Rohana. With these facts considered, it is the opinion of archaeological experts such as C. W. Nicholas that the Bodhigiri Naga Pabbatha Vihara referred to in the stone inscription and the Mani-Naga Pabbatha Vihara mentioned in the Mahavamsa are one and the same.

“Shasthrawela” seems to be a distortion of “Rahath-wela > Rathra-wela,” stemming from the fact that the Arhat Bhikkus used to frequent the river running alongside the paddy fields for their daily ablutions, and so in essence it became the “wela frequented by rahath Bhikkus.”

A little further in lies the entrance to the monastery, through a narrow and steep uphill pathway strewn with the ruins of an ancient rock staircase and adornments. Forlorn stone pillars bear silent witness to the invading jungle from either side. The stairway leading to the upper caves has become twisted with the roots and undergrowth, making the path a precarious one. It opens up into a clearing with a large cave facing the northwest. Within it lie the remains of a large reclining Buddha statue, almost 30 feet in length, and near-totally destroyed by treasure hunters. The cave wall had been plastered over and adorned with frescoes, but only glimpses of mauve and hints ochre remain today, and I can only imagine what a wondrous sight this may have been as the early rays of morning sun bathed this very cave two millennia ago, giving life to the paintings on the wall and flowing gently over the Buddha’s saffron robes.

Further uphill is a vantage point from which the entire seascape of Arugam Bay is visible. It is possible to grasp the vastness of this monastery from here, and it is, in a word, staggering! I stand near the plundered ruins of two stupas, each over 20 feet in diameter. The monk accompanying us speaks of another larger stupa on the adjacent hill, a little inland, and a smaller one on the rocky outcropping near the sea. I ponder on what a glorious and welcoming sight this may have been to vessels sailing in from the far east. Four stupas of Mani-Naga Pabbatha, standing proud and glistening in white, reflecting the rays of morning sun, serving as a beacon to indicate that they have reached the Isle of Serendipity, the resplendent land.

The Indian adventures

Sent on an assignment to Mumbai, India for 3 weeks- was a new expirience for me. The first time away from home, for more than 3 days, alone in a new country was at first, quite scarey but also quite exciting.But I settled in very fast, and soon it was like home..
When in Mumbai, you must take the time to walk around Church gate, the architecture is beautiful, and if you love old buildings then this is a city made for you.
Dont forget to also visit the Hard rock cafe - I was there on a week day and it felt like a weekend pub in Sri Lanka! The waiters were "very" nice (wink) and be ready to try out more than one drink on the menu! dont miss it!
Ruby Tuesday, is also a chain of pubs, which you have got to visit - I went to the one at Nariman point.The "American" style atmosphere was complemented well with the drink and food menue.
Olives is a quaint restaurant with a stable on one side and worth visiting for sunday brunch - might be a little pricy but the atmosphere is wonderful.
Of course if your in the mood to shop - then you must visit Pheonix mills - and dare to walk through Bandra - you'll find many places to shop. Colaba causeway is a good place to pick up little trinklets and souverniers - but always mind your bags. And if your in that area - do stop for a bite at Leopolds - the bullet shots are still visible after the 26/11 shooting.
Also, if your around Marine drive, then stop off at Jazz by the bay - for those of you who enjoy Jazz - they sometimes have a live band playing - and the food is good.
I travelled to Nashik with some friends - hoping to escape the hustle and bustle of Mumbai. The journey took around 3 hours ( in the night) and we stayed in a quaint bungalow which was located in the Vineyard. Nashik, which has been referred to as the "Wine Capital of India" surprised me when i woke up to see the surrounding mountains, and the dew covered grapevines. Unfortunatly, the grapes were still quite young, but a walk through the lines of well maintained grapevines, took me back to the movie "a walk in the clouds"...of course there was no Keanu Reeves around..sigh...but take the opportunity to visit the vineary - if you enjoy the taste of good wine, then this would be a trip worth taking.
All in all, it was not my frist trip to India, and I plan to visit it more this year, but make sure you always carry a bottle of water with you, and if you have a sensitive stomach some digene - its a hot and dusty city to be in, but so much to see and learn and so many flavours to taste....

Clouds and Waves

Mother, the folk who live up in the clouds call out to me-
"We play from the time we wake till the day ends.
We play with the golden dawn, we play with the silver moon."
I ask, "But how am I to get up to you ?"
They answer, "Come to the edge of the earth, lift up your
hands to the sky, and you will be taken up into the clouds."
"My mother is waiting for me at home, "I say, "How can I leave
her and come?"
Then they smile and float away.
But I know a nicer game than that, mother.
I shall be the cloud and you the moon.
I shall cover you with both my hands, and our house-top will
be the blue sky.
The folk who live in the waves call out to me-
"We sing from morning till night; on and on we travel and know
not where we pass."
I ask, "But how am I to join you?"
They tell me, "Come to the edge of the shore and stand with
your eyes tight shut, and you will be carried out upon the waves."
I say, "My mother always wants me at home in the everything-
how can I leave her and go?"
They smile, dance and pass by.
But I know a better game than that.
I will be the waves and you will be a strange shore.
I shall roll on and on and on, and break upon your lap with
laughter.
And no one in the world will know where we both are.

Rabindranath Tagore

The deep blue sea....and me

There are so many beautiful beaches right around Sri Lanka - I have only visited the sea shores of Unawatun,Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Pasekuda,Batticalo, Nilaveli and Chilaw...and this year, I hope my travels will take me to Mirissa and Kalpitiya.
But no matter which beach I am on..I stand in awe of the beauty that surrounds me. We are so lucky to be blessed with such wonders...
We are indeed the pearl in the Indian ocean





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Muhudu Maha Vihara, Pottuvil

Halfway in between the bustling town of Pottuvil, and the famed Arugam Bay, is a faded earthen signpost on the roadside, pointing the way to one of the most historical sights in all of Rohana – the Muhudu Maha Viharaya.

The ruins of this temple are found further inland from the main road, in a secluded area opening into the emerald beaches of Arugam Bay on its eastern end. Originally spread over 70 acres of land, what now remains are the timeless ruins of the Seema Malaka and Avasa Geya, with its statues of Gautama Buddha and what one initially would think are his two disciples Sariputta and Mogallana, frozen forever in time.

The Mahavamsa states that the Muhudu Maha Viharaya was built by King Maha Dhataka Maha Naga, circa 8th Century AD, Maha Dhataka was from the line of The Ruling Monarchs of Rohana, and it is said that this monument was built in memory of the great King Kavantissa and his queen, Vihara Maha Devi. Along with this he also constructed four other temples in nearby sites, namely the Chula Naga Vihara, Mani Naga Vihara, Kalanda Vihara and Gal Divaina Vihara. These temples remain to this day buried in the mists of time, as their whereabouts and remains are yet to be unearthed.

The reason why Dhataka built a shrine in memory of Dutugemunu’s parents presents us with one of the greatest conundrums of the history of Rohana: legend has it that this very site is where Vihara Maha Devi drifted ashore after being sacrificed to the gods of the sea by her father, King Kelanitissa of the Malaya Kingdom. A sacrifice necessitated by a devastating tsunami which destroyed much of Rohana’s coastal areas in her time. It is also said that upon hearing the news of a royal barge bearing a strange coat of arms having come ashore in Pottuvil, King Kavantissa himself has set off to greet his royal visitor, on a journey which took him along the eastern coast. This is evidenced by the folktale on how the hamlet of Komari, a few miles north of Pottuvil got its name: the king, in search of the princess, had inquired ‘Ko Kumari?’ (where is the princess) in this area, and thus it was named “ko-kumari > Komari.”

As I watch in awe as every ripple of the Buddha’s saffron robe come alive as the morning sunlight glances off the statues, I can’t help but admire the skill of the stonemasons who have created such sublime works of art. A closer inspection reveals that the two statues facing the Buddha are not his disciples. At first glance they appear to be the Bodhisatvas Avalokitheshwara and Maithree. However, on even closer inspection one can even argue that they may be statues of the Great king and his bride, as the statue to the left of the Buddha has definite male characteristics, and the state to the right has vaguely feminine features. This is indeed a rare sight if so, as no other archaeological site in Sri Lanka has a frieze of laymen, albeit royalty, in concourse with the Buddha.

To the north of the temple complex lies a pond, and more ruins lie buried partially in sand and silt.

Today, this historical site is being looked after by Rev. Katharagama Rathana Thero, who has been the incumbent of Muhudu Maha Vihara for almost 14 years. Of the 70 acres belonging to the temple grounds, barely half an acre remains today, and that too may be lost by progressive colonization by the locals as well as the erosive effects of the sea.

A off road expirence in Yala..awesome!

Didnt know what to expect because it was my first time off roading...but it was such an awesome expirinece - block 2 - Yala.
We drove down in the night, took the Ratnapura route and it took us around 5 hours because it rained as well. Stayed at Yala village, and in one of the beach Chalets, which we very comfortable, and peaceful until of course the monkey's come banging on the ceiling early morning!

At the hotel we were treated with such royalty and everyone had a smile on their faces as they greeted us, even when we got lost in the park and came back to the hotel only at 11 someting in the night, the dinner was laid out for us, with no fuss!

Well, the trip was quite interesting and we got stuck in the mud sooooo many times, but I have a new found respect for double cabs! =P man, what a ride and well i must commend our driver....Chipster you were FABULOUSSSSS!!

Didnt see any leopards but enough of elephants and wild pig and well loads of birds...unfortunatly if you have the correct camera your sorted! but check out my pictures....from my simple Nikon camera =P - not bad huh?

Also on the way back I stopped at a temple - apparently the tooth relic had been kept there for some time, didnt have the opportunity to find out any information as there was no one around and was a quick snap and shot visit.

I just love the sea....

Its amazing how soothing the sea can be.....the waves rushing to the shore and crashing against the rocks,the coconut trees swaying to the wind, the occasional sea gull, the crabs running away from us strangers... and sometimes even the annoying crows... =D

We are so blessed with so many beaches to visit right around Sri Lanka - but one request - if you do carry garbage with you, TAKE IT BACK with you! dump it in a garbage can where it belongs!

Panduwasnuwara....

Visited this place last year....was one of those spur of the moment decision, where the road map was taken out...a few moments of hhhmmm...what now, and off on the road.

This was about 2 hours drive from my place, about 3 from Colombo =D... passed Chilaw town - check the road map for a place called Hettipola where you need to turn off - you may need some help from the locals as well.

And the best part is that I never knew all this existed so closed to home!

There isn't much to see, but it is apart of our heritage and worth the trip....the ruins have not been preserved well, and you need to walk around the site to see every nook and corner of the place, otherwise you'll miss out on the perishing stupa's and the rampart is worth the walk around.

Panduwasnuwara is an ancient city in the Kurunegala area which functioned as the capital of Sri Lanka for a very brief period. King Parakramabahu set up his temporary capital in this city during the 12th century