Kudumbigala Monastery in Kumana - Hidden History of Ruhuna Kingdom Sri Lanka

Kudumbigala Monastery is located in middle of the jungle by the Panama – Kumana road. This was built during King Kavantissa ruled The Kingdom of Ruhuna, Southern part of Sri Lanka. (210 – 161 BC). This place is also known as ‘Rohana Chethiya Pabbatha’, ‘Kủtaliya temple’, ‘Sagiri’, ‘Kutumbiriya’ etc. This was located 180 – 250 meters above sea level and over 1000 hectares in size. This is surrounded by Deeghavapi Temple – Ampara and Sithulpawwa Temple – Yala. So far, nearly 50 rock caves were found from Kudumbigala site. Buddhist monks used to meditate here.

This was established as an Aranya Senasana. The main cave (lena) in this site, named  ‘Maha Sudharshana Lena’ was built and gifted to the Arahats (Buddhist monks) by the Giant Warrior ‘Nandimitra’, one of King Dutugemunu’s  ten Giant warriors.

Mr. Maithree he was a Catholic from Negombo, while working in the Ceylon Railway he discovered the hidden history of the Sinhalese, which changed his life forever. In 1942, he came to Kudumbigala Monastery and cleaned up the place. There he lived, meditated and safeguarded the place for the future generations of Sri Lankans until he died in 1971.

Once you climb to the summit, you can see breath taking view of the surrounding including the Okanda beach in the horizon.

In 1994, due to an attack by LTTE Tiger terrorists, 17 innocent civilians were killed in Panama. Therefore Kudumbigala had to be abandoned immediately.

Lunugamvehera National Park

Lunugamvehera National Park in Sri Lanka was declared in 1995, with the intention of protecting the catchment area of the Lunugamvehera reservoir and wildlife of the area. The national park is an important habitat for water birds and elephants. The catchment area is vital to maintain the water levels of the five tanks in the downstream of Krindi Oya and wetland characteristics of Bundala National Park. This national park also serves as a Wildlife Corridor for elephants to migrate between Yala National Park and Udawalawe National Park. The national park is situated 261 km southwest from Colombo. After being closed because of the Sri Lankan civil war, the national park is now open to the general public.

Lunugamvehera is in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka; therefore the park is exposed to annual drought relieved by the South Western Monsoon. The elevation of the park is 91 metres (299 ft). Out of 23,498 hectares of total land area 14 percent that is 3283 hectares is land under the reservoir. Another 50 hectares are two smaller reservoirs. Nearby Thanamalvila area receives a 1,000 millimetres (39 in) of annual rainfall. Rainfall decreases from North to South and West to East across the national park. Mean annual temperature of Lunugamvehera is 30 °C (86 °F).

The forest of Lunugamvehera national park characterized by several forest layers. Variety of scrubland and grassland make up these forests.

Sri Lankan Elephant, Sri Lankan Water Buffalo, Wild Boar, Sambar Dear, Sri Lankan Leopard and many bird species you can spot in Lunugamvehera National Park.

Visiting Wasgamuwa National Park via Riverston

Wasgamuwa National Park has become a consecrated place of safety for highly endangered animals, specially for Sri Lankan elephants (Elephas Maximus). The Eastern boundary is defined by the longest river Mahaweli, while the Northern and Western sides are bounded by the Amban Ganga (river) and Dunuwila Oya respectively.

There are many routes to Wasgamuwa, but the very picturesque forestry route is via Pitawala Patana plain, cool misty Riverston pass. The route directions from Colombo is Colombo – Kandy main road → Matale → Rattota → Reverston → Pitawala → Illukkumbura → Laggala → Pallegama → Hettipola → Willgamuwa → Hadungamuwa → Wasgamuwa (247 km).

Before your destination to Wasgamuwa, you may stop a while in Riverston which is one of the mostly visited plains in Sri Lanka. Landscape sceneries there including Knuckles Mountain Range, could be encountered from this route. Riverston is one of the mountains of Knuckels stretch. It has become a travellers’ destination (both local and foreigners) due to its climate and geographical location in the Highlands (Matale District). Riverston is about 25 Km drive from Matale and 43 km drive to Wasgamuwa. The hike to the top is adventurous and interesting because it is headed to the Mini world’s End via Pitawala Pathana. It is challengeable too, since the wind is coming towards and prevents you in stepping up.

This is an ideal experience to get; two different climates and bio-diversified surroundings. Unlike other routes, this route has some additional advantages. The other places you can visit on your way to Wasgamuwa via Riverston are Rattota, Karagahatenna Radio Broadcasting station, waterfalls named – Sera Ella, Bambarakiri Ella, Dambana town, Mahiyangana and Muthiyangana Temple etc.

Here are some breath taking images of Riverston......

Asian Paradise Flycatcher - Migrant Bird Specie in Sri Lanka

The Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) is a medium-sized passerine bird native to Asia. Males have elongated central tail feathers, and in some populations a black and rufous plumage while others have white plumage. Females are short-tailed with rufous wings and a black head. They feed on insects, which they capture in the air often below a densely canopied tree.

With an extremely large range and a large population that appears to be stable, they have been evaluated as Least Concern by IUCN since 2004.

Adult Asian Paradise Flycatchers are 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in) long. Their heads are glossy black with a black crown and crest, their black bill round and sturdy, their eyes black. Female are rufous on the back with a grayish throat and underparts. Their wings are 86–92 mm (3.4–3.6 in) long. Young males look very much like females but have a black throat and blue-ringed eyes. As adults they develop up to 24 cm (9.4 in) long tail feathers with two central tail feathers growing up to 30 cm (12 in) long drooping streamers.

Young males are rufous and have short tails. They acquire long tails in their second or third year. Adult males are either predominantly bright rufous above or predominantly white. Some specimens show some degree of intermediary between rufous and white. Long-tailed rufous birds are generally devoid of shaft streaks on the wing and tail feathers, while in white birds the shaft streaks, and sometimes the edges of the wing and tail feathers are black.

They are migratory and spend the winter season in tropical Asia. There are resident populations in southern India and Sri Lanka, hence both visiting migrants and the locally breeding subspecies occur in these areas in winter.

Asian Paradise Flycatchers are noisy birds uttering sharp skreek calls.

Captured in Wasgamuwa & Yala National Park...

Red Rumped Flameback - Sub Specie of Black-rumped Flameback

The Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker or Lesser Goldenback, is awoodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian Subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in urban areas. It has a characteristic rattling-whinnying call and an undulating flight. It is the only golden-backed woodpecker with a black throat and black rump.

The Black-rumped Flameback is a large species at 26–29 cm in length. It has a typical woodpecker shape, and the golden yellow wing coverts are distinctive.

The southern Sri Lankan subspecies D. b. psarodes has a crimson back and all the dark markings are blacker and more extensive. It hybridizes with the northern Sri Lankan race jaffnense which has a shorter beak.^[2] The Sri Lankan race psarodes is sometimes considered a distinct species although it is said to intergrade with jaffnense near Puttalam, Kekirawa and Trincomalee. But we can spot this amazing bird all over in Sri Lanka.

They are often seen in urban areas with wooded avenues. This species is normally seen in pairs or small parties and sometimes joins mixed-species foraging flocks.^[9]They forage from the ground to the canopy. They feed on insects mainly beetle larvae from under the bark, visit termite mounds and sometimes feed on nectar

Captured in Pannipitiya Colombo..

National Bird of Sri Lanka - Sri Lankan Jungle Fowl - Endemic

http://www.lankadeepa.lk/index.php/articles/3988

Grey-Headed Fish Eagle

The Grey-Headed Fish Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. The Grey-headed Fish Eagle is a largish stocky raptor at about 70–75 cm in length. This eagle is a specialist fish eater which hunts over lakes, rivers and lagoons. This eagle is a resident breeder in the forests of the Indian Subcontinent east to Southeast Asia. 

Captured at Wasgamuwa National Park...

The Green Imperial Pigeon

The Green Imperial Pigeon is a large, plump pigeon, in 45 centimeters in length. This is a forest species which is a widespread resident breeding bird in tropical southern Asia from India east to Indonesia. This is an arboreal dove, feeding on plant material in the tree canopy.

Its back, wings and tail are metallic green. The head and underparts are white.

Captured in Malambe Comlmbo - Sri Lanka,