Off to Mannar

Year and Month	June, 2014 (14th)
Number of Days	01-Part of two days trip to Mannar
Crew	04 – Myself, Wuminda, Dushan and Nirosh
Accommodation	Four Tees Inn Thoddaveli, Mannar
Transport	By Car
Activities	Archeology, Photography and Just travelling
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo -> Puttalama (පුත්තලම) -> Thabbowa Lake (තබ්බෝව වැව) -> Wilandagoda (විළදගොඩ) Hermitage – > Returned in same route to A12 (Puttalama-Anuradhapura-Trincomale road) -> Sinharagama (සිoහාරගම) -> Oyamaduwa (ඔයාමඩුව) -> Thanthirimale (තන්තිරිමලේ) -> Gajasinghapura (ගජසිoහපුර) -> Mannar
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Road conditions are excellent along E03 (Colombo to Katunayaka), A 03 (Katunayaka to Puttalama), A12 (Puttalama to Sinharagama). Road from Sinharagama to Thanthirimale and to A 14 road is also good after Dayata Kirula development. Behave accordingly at Buddhist hermitage. Get permission from chief priest / priest if possible. Sometimes civil defense officers are there at the entrance. Tell them your purpose of visiting. It takes whole one day if you completely cover Wilandagoda Buddhist Hermitage. It is nice to have a chat with the chief priest of Wilandagoda. He will tell more about the place. Better visit Thanthirimale in evening or early morning to avoid excessive heat. It also takes 2-3 hours to watch everything there. Oyamaduwa (ඔයාමඩුව) and Nawodagama (නවෝදාගම) archeology sites were renovated parallel to “Dayata Kirula” දැයට කිරුළ-2012. Baratha Naga Lena (බරතනාග ලෙන) cave complex is a kind of monastery. Be silent and calm there. Don’t make any disturbances for meditation.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Off to Mannar

We have visited Mannar on June 15th as one day trip. On the way to Mannar we were able to visit at following places mainly having archaeology importance. Though it is bit expired story I thought to write it down as it would be important to anyone who travel to Mannar from Colombo along this way.
We have visited following places on our way:
1. Thabbowa Lake
2. Wilandagoda Buddhist Hermitage.
3. Thanthilimale Temple
4. Oyamaduwa archeology site.
5. Baratha Naga Lena Monastery.
6. Nawodagama Archeology site.

Thabbowa Lake and sanctuary behind it

Some information

Though it is a bird paradise we didn’t have enough time to enjoy it

Scenery

Wilandagoda (විළදගොඩ) Buddhist Hermitage

Wilandagoda can be reached along Anuradhapura-Puttalama road. Get the left hand side turn at 17th mile post towards Pahala Puliyankulama (පහළ පුලියන්කුළම). After about 3-4km drive along the gravel road you can reach Wilandagoda Buddhist Hermitage. It is situated 4km from southern border of Wilpaththu National Park.

History goes back to Anuradhapura era-King Dutugamunu (දුටුගැමුණු) period. Prince Saliya-සාලිය (Only son of King Dutugamunu) was here with his low cast wife Asokamala (අසෝකමාලා). Neelamaha Yodaya-නීලමහා යෝදයා (one of the ten giants of King Dutugamunu) has found this while he was constructing a dam across Kala Oya (කලා ඔය). Then he got a promise from King Dutugamunu if he tells where prince Saliya hides he shouldn’t be bring without any harm.

King came to meet prince Saliya and offered him roasted paddy (Wilanda) and bee honey. He was asked to build Wihara’s Shrines, Dagoba, caves and religious monuments equal to roasted paddy he got.

This area got the name Wilandagoda like that.

There are number of caves (about 64), ruins of temples, ponds and few stone inscriptions to be seen here.

At the entrance

What you have to watch – Click Image to Enlarge

Ruins of “Tampiti Wehera” ටැම්පිටි වෙහෙර

One of the ponds-“Dakunu Wewa” දකුණු වැව

“Saliya Pokuna” සාලිය පොකුණ

Another pond

Another cave

Pond with the cave

“Salawana Wiharaya”සාලවන විහාරය

“Salawana Wiharaya” සාලවන විහාරය

Stone inscriptions-This should be appreciated that they have protected it at least in this way

“Balumgala” බැලුම්ගල

Another pond

“Seema Malakaya” සීමා මාලකය

“Padanagaraya” පධානගරය

Ruins of another temple-“Madyama Wiharaya”මධයම විහාරය

Main cave

Thanthirimale Temple (තන්තිරිමලේ විහාරය)

This is one of the famous Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka. History of Thanthirimale goes back to Anuradhapura era. This temple was built by King Dewanampiyathissa (දේවානම්පියතිස්ස රජතුමා) as a one day visit place for Arahath Theri Sangamiththa (සoඝමිත්තා තෙරණිය) on her way to Anuradhapura.

Thanthirimale is a place of one of first eight shoots of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (ජය ශ්‍රී මහා බෝධිය) planted (First Sri Maha Bodhi plant).

During king Dewanampiyathissa period this area was called Thiwanka Bamunu Gama (තිවoක බමුණු ගම). Prince Saliya has been here with his low cast wife-Asokamala. At the end King Dutugamunu has forgiven them and prince was offered a necklace having a shape of a butterfly known as Thanthri. Then this area got the name of Thanthirimale.

There is a museum situated at temple premises but time didn’t permit us to visit there.

List of places you have to watch at Thanthirimale

New constructions + sacred Bo tree

Lotus Pond-“Nelum Pokuna”-නෙළුම් පොකුණ

Ruins

Evening view

It is nice to spend the evening there

Might be an abounded lake

Sacred Bo tree.

Pagoda

Image house-new constructions

Samadhi Buddha statue. This was engraved at late Anuradhapura period. Height is 8 feet

“Padanagaraya” පධානගරය

Monastery Library –“Poth Gula” පොත් ගුල

Cave with pre historical drawings

Cave paintings

Nawodagama (නවෝදාගම) archeological site

Nawodagama archeological site is situated closer to the road. It consists of ruins of a small pagoda and “Tampiti Wehera” (ටැම්පිටි වෙහෙර).

Ruins of the pagoda

“Tampiti Wehera”-ටැම්පිටි වෙහෙර

Oyamaduwa Archeology Site

This archeology site was excavated in 2012 and can be seen ruins of a pagoda and a “Tampiti temple” (ටැම්පිටි වෙහෙර).

Oyamaduwa archeology site is situated about 500m away from main road.

Ruins of the Pagoda

Tampiti Wehera

Baratha Naga Lena (බරතනාග ලෙන)

This is a cave complex has seven caves with inscriptions and pre historical drawings. Baratha Naga Lena is situated about 1km away from the main road.

According to the history (mentioned at cave complex), this is the first temple made at Thanthirimale area. This was built during the period of Mahadatika Maha Naga මහා දාඨික මහා නාග රජතුමා king (A.C03-19).