{"id":61436,"date":"2021-04-09T07:56:52","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T07:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=61436"},"modified":"2021-04-09T07:56:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T07:56:52","slug":"kuragala-pre-historic-archaeological-site-in-the-intermediate-zone-by-arundathie-abeysinghe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/kuragala-pre-historic-archaeological-site-in-the-intermediate-zone-by-arundathie-abeysinghe\/","title":{"rendered":"Kuragala &#8211; pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Kuragala &#8211; pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone<\/span><\/h1>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>By Arundathie Abeysinghe<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-49149 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ms.-Arundathie-Abeysinghe.jpg\" alt=\"Ms. Arundathie Abeysinghe\" width=\"261\" height=\"237\" \/>Dating back to the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> century BC, Kuragala is a pre-historic archaeological site with ruins of an ancient Buddhist Cave Temple Complex. Located on the *Balangoda &#8211; Kaltota Road approximately 24 kilometers from Balangoda town, Kuragala is derived from \u201chollow rock\u201d in Sinhala. According to historians, during the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Kuragla was known as <em>\u2018Thanduleika pabbatha\u2019 and \u2018Daththa shaila pabbatha\u2019<\/em>. Later, it had been known as \u201cKuharagala\u201d from which the present Kuragala has derived.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">According to archaeologists, Kuragala is the oldest archaeological site in the *Intermediate Zone. According to archaeological evidences, Kuragala had been inhabited by humans dating to pre-historic period. During the excavations carried out by archaeologists, they have found fossilized bone fragments, remains of a human skeleton dating more than 8000 years and stone stools. There is also evidence that humans who lived in Kuragala had close links with the coastal areas of Sri Lanka as there had been remnants of seashells and shells of clams in the excavated site. According to recent studies, apart from hunting the prehistoric humans had engaged in agricultural activities too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">During archaeological excavations it had also been found that the caves in Kuragala site had been used as a Buddhist Monastery (a vast Buddhist Monastery Complex covering a large number of rocky outcrops) during 3<sup>rd<\/sup> century BC and 1st century AD. There are 30 &#8211; 40 rock caves in the ruins of the Monastery Complex which according to archaeologists have the capacity to provide shelter to 2000 &#8211; 3000 people. During ancient times, the Monastery Complex had also been known as \u2018<em>Thandulaiya Pabbatha<\/em>\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">Inscriptions in the rock caves at Kuragala are brief descriptions; \u2018<em>Agatha anagatha chathu disha shagasa dane<\/em>\u2019 meaning the caves were offered to \u2018whoever the <em>Sangha<\/em> (meaning Buddhist Monks) who come or do not come from the four directions from the past or the future\u2019. In the vicinity of the Kuragala Mountain Range also, there are several ancient rock caves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">According to archaeologists, rock caves at Kuragala had been the abode of *Balangoda Man (<em>Homo sapiens balangodensis<\/em>) during the prehistoric period. Available evidence regarding their habitat also indicates that these prehistoric humans have built settlements in open areas too. Subsequent to the pre-historic era, from the beginning of the Anuradhapura Era rock caves in Kuragala have been inhabited by ascetic Buddhist Monks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-61439\" src=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Kuragala.jpg\" alt=\"Kuragala - pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe\" width=\"287\" height=\"212\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">Subsequent to the *Anuradhapura Period, Kuragala had been abandoned due to enemy invasions and there had not been an access path to reach the rock caves and the Monastery Complex. Hence, in 1925, Venerable Vikiliye Narada Anunayake Thero who lived in a temple in Vikiliye, situated in close proximity to Thanjanthenna had gone to Kuragala by cart and he has found that the <em>dagoba<\/em> was about two meters in height with three terraces at the base on the summit of the Mountain and the foundation of an ancient building approximately 10 meters long located in close proximity to a small stream. Venerable Narada Thero had also found a Buddha Statue inside the Cave Temple.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">An archaeological report published by C.H. Collins in 1932 has described about the cave shelters, 2<sup>nd<\/sup> century *Brahmi inscriptions, inscriptions written in old Sinhala Language, stairways, platforms as well as carved stone lintels. Collins has published his interpretations of Kuragala inscriptions which were reread and republished in <em>Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol. I.<\/em> of the Department of Archaeology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">According to research carried out by epigraphers and archaeologists, the inscriptions in the caves had descriptions that the cave shelters were done for Buddhist Monks from donations as the cave shelters provided shelter to Monks during the rainy season. According to epigraphists, the drip-ledge caves indicate that they were built for meditating monks. The names of donors had also been inscribed in the caves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">There is a brick built <em>daogba <\/em>(<em>stupa<\/em>) at the summit of Kuragala belonging to the tradition of <em>Akasa Chaitya<\/em>, a <em>stupa<\/em> tradition built since 7<sup>th<\/sup> century CE which archaeologists believe would have served as a communication beacon to give directions. At present, this <em>stupa<\/em> is a monument protected by the Department of Archaeology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-61438\" src=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Kuragala-Ancient-BuddhistMonastery.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">According to a record by Government Agent of Ratnapura, R.B. Hellings published in 1910:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">\u201cThe ledge you scramble over the side of the cliff a few yards to the mouth of the cave. Entering this you find on the right gallery too low to explore and the left is a narrow chimney rather like a shaft inside the great pyramid, down which you crawl until you emerge upon the Porch of Penitence (Ledge). This is a lofty loophole or ledge window in the side of the precipices, overhung by an immense boulder and opening on the sky and the plane below. It is a dizzy spot. The window sill or platform is barely six foot by four foot. And the drop must be a sheer 500 feet. Lamp niches have been cut in the walls in very perilous positions, and there are as in Hituwanagala, inscriptions and palm prints on the stone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">R.H. Bassett has referred to the \u201cledge\u201d in \u2018<em>Romantic Ceylon<\/em>\u2019 as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">\u201cHere seated beneath a huge mass that towers fifty feet above on the edge of a 600 foot precipice, a hermit can find solitude indeed and food for contemplation in the unbroken ocean of trees spread out below him. Entering from a small hole in the rock at the back, an atmosphere of complete detachment pervades the occupant of the tiny ledge. Earthly considerations lose their importance before the uncomplicated immensity of the colossal landscape and the fatality of the sheer abyss\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-61437\" src=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Kuragala-Monastery-Complex-image-courtesy-tourism.sg_.gov_.lk_.jpg\" alt=\"Kuragala - pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe\" width=\"600\" height=\"636\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">The \u201copening on the sky and the plane below\u201d as mentioned by R.B. Hellings refers to the crevice and sun light filtering inside from below, (as the Cave referred to in the document) is situated on top of Balangoda Plateau as well as Kaltota Plains situated approximately 152 meters below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">At present, Kuragala is an archaeological reserve protected by the Government of Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Directions:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\">Travel to Belihuloya along the Colombo &#8211; Ratnapura Road and then along the Kalthota Road passing Aluthnuwara and Kahatapitiya up to Kalthota to reach the Kuragala Cave.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Anuradhapura &#8211;<\/strong> A major city in Sri Lanka, the capital of Anuradhapura District.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Anuradhapura Period &#8211;<\/strong> This was a period in the history of Sri Lanka from 377 BC -1017 AD when the Anuradhapura Kingdom was established as the first kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. King Pandukabaya (474 BC &#8211; 367 BC) was the first monarch to rule Sri Lanka from Anuradhapura from 377 BC. Buddhism played a major role during the Anuradhapura Period.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><strong><em>Balangoda Man<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; These prehistoric humans are referred to as \u2018<em>Balangoda Man<\/em>\u2019 in popular dialect as he is considered responsible for the Mesolithic \u2018Balangoda Culture\u2019 first defined in sites in close proximity to *Balangoda.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Balangoda \u2013 <\/strong>A large town in Ratnapura District of Sabaragamuwa Province.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Intermediate Zone &#8211;<\/strong> This is the area sandwiched between Wet and Dry Zones of Sri Lanka. The mean annual rainfall is between 1750 &#8211; 2500 mm. The area is around 1.2 million hectares of Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kuragala &#8211; pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe &nbsp; Dating back to the 2nd century BC, Kuragala is a pre-historic archaeological site with ruins of an ancient Buddhist Cave Temple Complex. Located on the *Balangoda &#8211; Kaltota Road approximately 24 kilometers from Balangoda town, Kuragala is derived from \u201chollow rock\u201d in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":61437,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,29237],"tags":[29166,31974,7644,33743],"class_list":{"0":"post-61436","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"category-arundathie-abeysinghe","9":"tag-arundathie-abeysinghe","10":"tag-balangoda","11":"tag-balangoda-man","12":"tag-kuragala-pre-historic-archaeological-site","13":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Kuragala - pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe - eLanka<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dating back to the 2nd century BC, Kuragala is a pre-historic archaeological site with ruins of an ancient Buddhist Cave Temple Complex. Located on the *Balangoda - Kaltota Road approximately 24 kilometers from Balangoda town, Kuragala is derived from \u201chollow rock\u201d in Sinhala. According to historians, during the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Kuragla was known as \u2018Thanduleika pabbatha\u2019 and \u2018Daththa shaila pabbatha\u2019. Later, it had been known as \u201cKuharagala\u201d from which the present Kuragala has derived.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kuragala - pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dating back to the 2nd century BC, Kuragala is a pre-historic archaeological site with ruins of an ancient Buddhist Cave Temple Complex. Located on the *Balangoda - Kaltota Road approximately 24 kilometers from Balangoda town, Kuragala is derived from \u201chollow rock\u201d in Sinhala. According to historians, during the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Kuragla was known as \u2018Thanduleika pabbatha\u2019 and \u2018Daththa shaila pabbatha\u2019. 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Located on the *Balangoda - Kaltota Road approximately 24 kilometers from Balangoda town, Kuragala is derived from \u201chollow rock\u201d in Sinhala. According to historians, during the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Kuragla was known as \u2018Thanduleika pabbatha\u2019 and \u2018Daththa shaila pabbatha\u2019. Later, it had been known as \u201cKuharagala\u201d from which the present Kuragala has derived.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Kuragala - pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe","og_description":"Dating back to the 2nd century BC, Kuragala is a pre-historic archaeological site with ruins of an ancient Buddhist Cave Temple Complex. 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