Pulukunawa Viharaya in Batticaloa District, is an ancient Buddhist monastery featuring pre-Christian drip-ledged caves and a large Asanaghara.
Pulukunawa Viharaya P ulukunawa Raja Maha Viharaya , also known as Pulukunawa Archaeological Reserve (Sinhala: පුළුකුණාව රජමහා විහාරය), is a ruined Buddhiat monastery site situated in Eruvilporativu and Munmunai Pattu Divisional Secretariat Division of the Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka. History Nestled on on a small hillock at the boundary of the Gal-Oya Scheme near the Ampara-Mahiyangana Road, there are a large number of drip-ledged caves on the southern scarp of the hill. Many of these caves contain Early-Brahmi Inscriptions of the pre Christian era and they record the donation of the caves to Buddhist monks (Medhananda, 2003; Withanachchi, 2013). These cave inscriptions prove that Pulukunawa was a Buddhist monastery site during the early period of the Anuradhapura Kingdom . Period: 3rd century B.C.-1st century A.D. Script: Early Brahmi Language: Old Sinhala Transcription: Eka uthirika banaka pushadeva theraha manorame Translation: Manoramya (cave) of the Bhanaka monk of Phussadeva Thera of Anguttara Nikaya. Refe…
