Sinked Ruins of Kadadora and nearby attractions

We have planned a two trip in Central province and our main target was a mountain at Nuwaraeliya. Since we are travelling from Kandy we thought to visit Kadadora as we heard that the viharaya is visible due to the dry season. We were able to visit below places on our way to Nuwaraeliya.

• Kothmale Dam
• Dehudu Kadulla
• Kadadora Viharaya
• Ranamure Pihilla and Ambalama
• Ramboda Falls

The Kotmale Dam is a large hydroelectric and irrigation dam in Kotmale, Sri Lanka. The dam generates power from three 67 MW turbines, totalling the installed capacity to 201 MW, making it the second largest hydroelectric power station in Sri Lanka. Construction on the dam began in August 1979 and was ceremonially completed in February 1985.[1] The dam forms the Kotmale Reservoir, which was renamed to Gamini Dissanayake Reservoir on 11 April 2003 following a request by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. (Wikipedia)

Onthe way to Kothmale Dam

Our Machines

Kothmale Dam

Nice Place

Giant creations

Another side of it

Other side

Environment

Beautiful

Notice at Dehudu Kadulla

Dehadu Kadulla -දෙහදු කඩුල්ල

Kothmale is a picturesque land surrounded by hills deeply embedded in Sri Lankan history. Kothmale is first recorded in history when the King Panduwasdeva (504-474 BC) carried out a devil dance by the Demon (yak) tribes living in Malaya Rata which is now Kothmale. But Kothmale is most prominent in the life of King Dutugemunu (161-131 BC) where he spent 24 years of his life as a young boy in exile in the Kotagepitiya village in the house of Urupelesse Gammahage as a herdsman.

In the ancient times, there has been 4 main entrances to Kothmale called Kadadora, Watadora, Niyangandora and Galdora. Today only Kadadora entrance remains to be seen. Kadadora is also known as the entrance which prince Gemunu used to enter Kothmale.

History states that the prince hid his royal sward inside a tree near the Kadadora which is also known as Dehadu Kadulla today. This has been restored and the entrance is flanked by 2 walls of layers stones. The access is flight of steps paved with stone. (AmazingLanka)

Path to Dehudu Kadulla

Here is it

One person entrance

Reaching to Kadadora

Kadadora Sri Priyabimbaramaya Viharaya

Kadadora Vihara (Also known as Kadadora Sri Priyabimbaramaya Vihara) was a Buddhist temple, situated in Kadadora, Nuwara Eliya District, Sri Lanka. The temple was abandoned and ruined as the construction of Kotmale Dam in 1979 by Mahaweli Development programme. The ruins of Vihara still can be seen when the water level of Kotmale Reservoir is low, but the sight is very rare.

It is said that about 57 villages and 54 religious places in Kotmale were submerged with the completion of the reservoir in 1985. Except Kadadora Vihara other shrines including Thispane Vihara, Morape Devalaya, Othalawa Vihara, Pattini Devalaya and Medagoda Vihara were said to have gone under water when the reservoir was built. However, many of these temple ruins no longer exist.

In order to compensate the loss of these religious shrines those were submerged in the reservoir, the Mahaweli authorities started the construction of bubble shaped Stupa, Mahaweli Maha Seya which only second to the great Ruwanwelisaya of Anuradhapura in height. (Wikipedia)

Sinked Ruins

Someone was there

Water level is not fully dried

Getting cleared

Kadadora Viharaya

Surrounding

The other side

More sinked items

This area will cover by water at rainy season

Notice at Ranamure Pihilla and Ambalama

Ranamune Ambalama and Granite Water Spout – දුටුගැමුනු කුමරු නෑ රණමුණේ අම්බලම සහ ගල් පිහිල්ල

Ranamune is a ancient village in Kothmale closely associated with prince Dutugemunu. After sending female jewellery to his father he ran away from his home and hid himself in a farming village known as Kotagapitiya where he lived for 12 years disguised as a helper until his fathers death.

According to “Kothmale Purawruththa” by P. B Kehelgamuwe published in 1935, there are 3 water sprouts (pihili) associated with prince Gemunu in the area. One is “Nagaha Peella” so called because it lied underneath a Na tree. The rate of the water flow never changes in this pihilla throughout the year irrespective of the weather. It has been repaired by the government and had been a popular bathing place for the villagers although the Na Tree had fallen and disappeared when the book was written (in 1935). A close-by a rock slab which is called “Salugala” (Salu-Gala) is believed to the slab which prince Gemunu kept his cloths (Salu-Pili) when he came to bath.

The fields which the prince Gemunu harvested lies south to the Kotagapitiya is called “Rajathala Wela” (Raja-Thala Wela). South of the Rajathalawa fileds lies the second water spring and the spout . This is situated close to a Mango Tree thus is known as “Ambagaha Peella”.

The third is the Ranamure Pihilla. It is situated close to Monaragala and Badalena where the the prince spent most of his time. According to the tradition there is an Amuna ( a measure of area) of gold buried near the spout. Thus the spout is being called Ranamune (from Ran-Amuna). The water spout at Ranamune is built of granite and a ambalama has also been built at the site. The ambalama too is built with large granite blocks though there is no mention of this ambalama in the above publication.

The water spout and the Ambalama at Ranamure has been declared as a protected monument under the antiquities act in 2008. (AmazingLanka)

It is there

Here is it

Ramboda Tunnel

Middle Ramboda Falls

Middle one

Side view of it

path to the upper fall

Upper Ramboda Fall

Full view

I remember my first visit to this on 2012, it was fully dried

Some cascades

Return Journey

Thank you for reading !

Sobasiri Team ©