Hiking "MaligaGala" rock fortress of Dambadeniya, to experience the Royalty in ancient Sri Lanka

 

Dambadeniya is located in Kurunegala district, hiding a ruined ancient city. It has been the capital for more than five decades in ancient Sri Lanka. Much of the ancient city is still lied burring on a huge fortified rock.

Year and Month	November, 2009
Number of Days	One day
Crew	2 (between 33-38 years of age)
Accommodation	Not applicable
Transport	Jeep. Even a small car can manage.
Activities	Photography, Expansion sense on Archeology & History
Weather	Sunny day
Route	Colombo/ Minuwangoda->Giriulla->Dambadeniya and return on the same route.
Tips, Notes and Special remarks	It’s wise to carry an umbrella or a raincoat It’s better if you can carry a stock of water at least for drinking purposed. Take extra attention at the deep segment of the stairway.
Author	Viraj

Exploring the forgotten Kingdom at Dambadeniya.

Dambadeniya was the third capital in ancient Sri Lanka. (1233 – 1283 A.D.) It was crowned by four kings. The pioneer King Wijayabahu-III (1233 – 1236 A.D), builds his royal palace on the rock at Dambadeniya & converted it to the capital of the country in 1233 A.D.

Last November I got an opportunity to visit Dambadeniya. The distance was 2 hours drive from Colombo. We turned right from Dambadeniya new town and moved along a narrow road. The rock where the royal palace had located was at a distance of 1km from New town. The rock was more than 300 ft height from the average ground level. A small office of the Department of Archeology was located at the base of the rock.  A representative of the Department of Archeology was there. He expanded our knowledge on various aspects of the kingdom.

Dambadeniya Rock where the Royal Palace is located

 

A small office of the Department of Archeology was located at the base of the rock

The first segment of the path was recently built

 

There was a stepped path from the base to the top of the rock. The first segment of the path was recently built. Having climbing about 100feet, the stepped path joined to the ancient route, which was built with dressed rocks. (Complete path used in ancient time from the base to the top was still remain)

 

Evidence for the ancient technique used in shearing rocks

 

There was a huge rocky trap made ready to fell on a battle of enemy who would try to enter the Kingdom on the rock. And also there was a narrow point of the stepped path to enable the Royal solders to cut the enemies one by one, which entered through.

 

there was a narrow point of the stepped path to enable the Royal solders to cut the enemies one by one, which entered through

 

Area of the top of the rock was not less than 6 acres. The complex of Royal palace, a temple for the Sacred Tooth Relic, 3 major ponds & security points were placed on it.

Since all the excavations were not performed, there was a court yard only visible as remains of the ancient buildings. The perimeter wall of the court yard was made with layers of bricks & tiles forming moldings. The layers of tiles were used to drain excess water from the brickwork.

View….

Since all the excavations were not performed, there was a court yard only visible as remains of the ancient buildings

 

The largest out of three ponds on the rock was called as “Rathmal Pokuna” (in the name of a flower - Itxora). It was much deeper and would not show remarkable reduction of water even in a drought. The second named “Muguna pokuna” had been used for agriculture purposes. The third was used as the source of portable water.

The rock where the Royal seat was located.

The security view point at Northern most end of the rock was the highest position (600ft. MSL). There was a nice view of the plane up to Kurunegala, which was worth watching. “Wijayasundararamaya” the historic temple at Damabdeniya and the famous rock named “waduwa ketu gala”, where the royal jail was located on, could also view at there.

Finally, if you wish to visit there, don’t forget to bring enough water and food along with you. Take nothings but photographs, leave nothing but foot prints!

 

Exploring Dadigama “Suthighara Chaithya”

 

Year and Month	May, 2010
Number of Days	One day
Crew	7 (between 10-55 years of age)
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Van ( Nissan Vanatte)
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo/Veyangoda ->Mirigama-> Botale-> Talagama -> Warakapola -> Nelundeniya -> Dedigama -> Warakapola -> Bataleeya -> Veyangoda
Tips, Notes and Special remarks	A hermitage called “Na-Vimana Aranya Senasanaya” is located on the same route, closed to Talagama. It’s wise to carry sufficient amount of water for drinking purpose. Keep extra attention if you bath in the river in rainy seasons.
Author	Viraj

Another flag was swinging. The vehicle stopped for a while obeying the signal again. No body in the vehicle could remember how many times that were practiced from the beginning of the journey. No one could be set free from the hospitality of Buddhists youth in Sri Lanka, because that was the Vesak full moon day. No other community in the world who feed unknown passengers for charity.

 

Our first travel location, the historic temple at Thalagama was located at a distance less than a kilometer from Ambepussa, the first train destination of Sri Lanka. The temple was consisted with three levels. The sangawasaya, Dharma shalawa and other general buildings used by bhikku are located at the lower level.

 

 

In the middle of the stepped path to the second level

 

Reaching the second level where the house of statues is located

 

 

 

The house of statues & Bodhi (sacred Bo tree) were located at the second level which was located 100ft above the first. A stepped path was there to reach the second. The houses of statues were built using rock caves few centuries ago.

 

 

House of statues in rock cave

 

 

 

Trail towards the third level

 

The most important part was the Pagoda built to imitate the famous pagoda at Sanchi-India. There was a stepped path to the third level which was located not less than 200ft from the second. A Gal kema (rock based pond) and an inscription, stone were also there.

 

 

 

 

Reaching the summit

 

 

Pagoda built to imitate the famous pagoda at Sanchi-India

 

 

abyss

 

Our next travel location was the Kota vehera (Short pagoda) at Dedigama. This was also known as the “Suthighara” (the birth place) pagoda. It was believed that the king Parakramabahu the great, was build this when he ruled the western part of the country as a regional rular (Mapa) to memorize his birth place. And also it was popular as one of the three short pagodas of the country.

 

 

Information

 

"Kota vehera" pagoda at Dedigama

 

 

Kota vehera

 

The most spectacular item was the Eth Pahana (The lantern of tusker) which was displayed at the museum in nearby. That was identified as a wonder of hydraulic in Polonnaruwa era. The lantern was made with bronze and decorated with fine craftsmanship. It was important to notice that one of the same lanterns found was displayed at the general museum at Colombo.   

 

 

Information

 

 

The Museum

 

 

 

 

The lantern was consisted with to main components, a hollow tusker (the oil storage) and a lighting dish (a dish consisting lighting nozzles). At the beginning you have to fill the tusker with oil & put it on the dish, putting some oil in to the dish and light the lantern. When the flame consumed oil, the oil level of the dish would be reduced. Then an air hole on the tusker’s leg was exposed and let some air to get in to the abdomen of the tusker. As a result some oil would be poured to the dish showing the tusker was passing urine. When the oil level of the dish was increased, the air hole would seal with oil until a new cycle was begin.  

 

Eth pahana ( the lantern of tusker)

 

 

Details on “Eth Pahana”

 

 

Afterwards we moved towards Narangoda and had a cool dip in the Gurugoda oya river at a nice safe bathing place showed by a villager. On our way back, we stopped a while at Bataleeya, but we found that cashew nuts were too expensive to be given for charity.