Balangoda Archives

Kuragala – pre-historic archaeological site in the Intermediate Zone By Arundathie Abeysinghe 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 “hollow rock” in Sinhala. According to historians, during the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Kuragla was known as ‘Thanduleika pabbatha’ and ‘Daththa shaila pabbatha’. Later, it had been known as “Kuharagala” from which the present Kuragala has derived. 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 ...

Batadombalena Cave – journey into the past By Arundathie Abeysinghe Verdant vistas of spectacular mountains… Silver streams with crystal clear water…Cascading waterfalls…Huge trees towering into the green gloom of the surrounding…Icy cold streams flowing down the slopes… Tall trees covered with wild creepers creating weird shapes in the thick jungle similar to prehistoric monsters…Pools of water among the rocks home to diverse small fish, crabs and frogs… Biodiversity rich forests with endemic fauna and flora… Situated in close proximity to *Kuruwita about 90 kilometers from Colombo, Batadombalena Cave is the home of the prehistoric *‘Balangoda Man’ (Homo sapiens balangodensis) where the Caves reveal a significant landmark in human paleontology, the remains of prehistoric man. Situated below the rainforests of *Adam’s Peak, Batadombalena Cave is an archeological treasure trove. The Caves are located behind a gently cascading waterfall, a mesmerizing site. From the summit of the rock, a thin sheet ...