Exploring Kudumbigala

Kudumbigala is one of the wonderful places I have ever explored. It is an old monastery which had been re-discovered in recent past. Most fascinatingly, it has become one of the most interior monasteries, where Theravadhi Buddhist monks are occupying under very basic facilities. They just focus on their meditation and ignore the life threats that would come at anytime through a wild animal, especially from sloth bears. They just live a very basic life in the monastery, which is surrounded by bushes and beasts. They say that they are not attacked by any of the animals since they practice the meththa of Buddhist teaching all the way.

Kudumbigala is a very beautiful place with extraordinary tranquility and peaceful surrounding. It had been built in a land of boulders that provides caves, which had been converted into isolated facilities for meditation. Apart from what monks are using currently, there are ruins of very big constructions all over. The whole site is an artistic creation. Historical value of this site is to be revealed by historians and take the necessary steps to protect those artifacts.

Re-discovery of the site had been done by Thambugala Ananda Thero, who first visited the site in 1954. I simply can’t imagine his determination because he had started to stay there alone for years. His famous book “25 Years of life in the jungle” explains his wonderful experiences in wild.

As we did, one can plan an expedition to visit Kudumbigala and Kumana together. There are a lot of other fascinating places in the area, such as Okanda beach and the famous kovil. We spent a couple of nights in the monastery and spent one camping night in banks of Kumbukan River (Near Gal Amuna). Kumana is another massive site which always gives me a mysterious feeling.

Remaining of Kumana village recalled me the last chapters of the famous novel “Village in the Jungle” by Leonard Woolf. Village which had been the background for that novel, Baddegama too said to have vanished within the bushes of the jungle….!

Below Photos were captured by Roshan Kumara.


Okanda Beach


Thambugala Thero’s book was referred on the way…




Dr. Aruna is preparing some Beetles for chief monk.


Devotees use to come there for almsgivings..


Sri Lankan Sand Boa (Kota pimbura) Gongylophis conicus brevis.


Okanda Kovil






Remainings of famous Bambaragasthalawa Buddha Statue..




Kumana Willuwa


Kumbukkan Oya