Longest isolated mountain of Sri Lanka – Galgiriya Mountain

Year and Month	July, 2013 (09th)
Number of Days	One Day Trip
Crew	2 (My self and Wuminda)
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	By Car
Activities	Hiking / Sightseeing / Archeology / Photography
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo -> Kurunegala -> Galgamuwa ->Gallawa (ගල්ලෑව) (Via Galgamuwa-Saliyagama road) -> Kaduruwewa (කදුරුවෑව) -> Galgiriya mountain
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Start the journey as early as possible. Then you can cover a large part of the mountain within a day. (It is not possible to cover whole mountain in one day as it is about 7kmlong) Should have a guide/known person for this climb. Climbing is not strenuous. But in return journey you may not be able to find the way. Jayathilaka Ayya (0778063984). Talk him beforehand at least 2-3 days before your journey and he will arrange someone for this. Carry one liter of water of each person. No water sources during dry season in the mountain. Wear shoes during your hike as the ground is full of stones in various sizes. If you go to Weragala RMV, meet chief priest first and explain your intention of visit. He will show everywhere. Darmarajagala hermitage is a place for meditation. Don’t violate it’s calmness. Wild elephants may come to the road towards Nillaggama. Therefore avoid it after 6pm.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Longest isolated mountain of Sri Lanka-Galgiriya Mountain – ගල්ගිරිය කන්ද

I was used to travel from Colombo to Pollonnaruwa by morning train (Udaya dewi/උදය දේවී) in one part of my life and accidently noticed an isolated mountain just passed Konwewa (කෝන් වැව) station. I could notice this mountain till I pass Moragollagama (මොරගොල්ලාගම) station. As it was large and situated on a surrounding flat ground, aroused my curiosity and found to have it as the longest isolated mountain of Sri Lanka-Galgiriya mountain.

Galgiriya Mountain. The image I have taken on my way by train.

Galgiriya kanda. It can be reached from A-28road (Padeniya-Anuradhapura). Colombo-Batticalo railway track goes on the right side of the mountain (Not seen here).Therefore I have seen other side of the mountain first and climbed the mountain in its left side.
Black line shows my approach to mountain through Kaduruwewa. I climbed to the Bambarakanda
(බඹර කන්ද)-Northern peak of the mountain.
Black star shows the Katakapu Gala (කටකැපූ ගල)-2nd highest peak and Red star shows Mahakanda (මහකන්ද)-highest peak of the mountain.

Importance of the Galgiriya Mountain

Geographical value-It is situated in Kurunegala District. It is 478m (1,568ft) high and 7th highest mountain in North Western province and the 212th highest mountain in Sri Lanka. But it is the longest isolated mountain in Sri Lanka-7km long.
Historical value- It history goes back to Anuradhapura era. Prince Saliya (සාලිය), the son of King Dutugamunu has fallen love with a Chandala girl called Ashokamala (අශෝකමාලා). Saliya gave up his crown due to this affair and fled with Ashokamala from Anuradhapura. Later they came to this mountain and inhabited here. One place in this mountain called Saliya hermitage and Saliyagama (සාලියගම) is also situated close to this mountain.
Botanical value-As it has a good variety of flora and fauna, this mountain has been declared as a forest reserve.
Archeological value-A lot of archeological sites is situated on the mountain and close to the mountain, named as Weragala Rajamaha Wiharaya, Darmarajagala hermitage etc.

We came from Colombo around 5.20am but reached Kaduruwewa around 11.20am. (Delayed due to various reasons) Then we drove towards Darmarajagala Hermitage to find someone to go with us. But the road condition was bad and we stopped the car in front of Kaduruwewa. Meanwhile we met a kind hearted villager called Jayathilaka Ayya. He accompanied us to his place and arranged someone to go with us.
As the time was around 12noon we decided to go to Bambarakanda. Bambarakanda is the northern point of this long mountain.
We approached it through the paddy fields then bushes and last we have to cross the lake called Diwulgane Lake (දිවුල්ගනේ වැව) which has no much water during dry season.

Bambara kanda-Nothern part of the range.

Black arrow-Katakapu Gala and Red arrow-Mahakanda and yellow arrow-Kaduruwewa lake.

Katakapu gala zoomed

Wuminda is heading with the guide through paddy fields

Part of Galgiriya kanda

Kaduruwewa Lake-This part doesn’t have water

Diwulgane Lake-No water during these days. People use it to feed cows

Once we cross the Diwulgane Lake, we started to climb the mountain. Climbing is not a big thing at all.

Wild elephants are common here. The trunk of the tree was scraped by wild elephants

Mark on the ground-Deer or wild boar has been there

One of a common tree for this area

That’s why they call it as a Galgiriya mountain-

Madu tree (මඩු ගස් ) is also common for this forest reserve. Our guide said they eat Madu fruits.

Creation of the nature

After came to some extent. It is a nice “Sulang Kapolla” සුලo කපොල්ල here.

Yapahuwa (යාපහුව) in Red arrow, (Diyabettekanda) දියබෙත්තේ කන්ද in black arrow

Kaduruwewa Lake and paddy fields- Zoomed

Bambara kanda-our destination

Can’t identify this mountain

Southern part of the range and Kaduruwewa Lake

Naturally made steps for climb

Our guide

Vandalism there

We climbed further up to reach the highest point of Bambarakanda. But the surrounding view was not good as we think .Because it was obstructed by trees.

Kekirawa (කැකිරාව) side-May be Mana kanda (මානාකන්ද කන්ද) and Ritigala (රිටිගල) behind that

Anuradhapura side

View of the other part of the mountain from Bambarakanda. Note surrounding trees obstruct the view.

Having a little rest there we started to get down. Then we needed to reach the hermitage called “Darmarajagala Senasanaya” (ධර්මරාජගල සේනාසනය) which is situated close to the base of Bambarakanda.

Getting down

Showing collection ant’s droppings used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Darmarajagala Hermitage (ධර්මරාජගල සේනාසනය)
According to the chief monk of this hermitage, it belongs to the Anuradhapura era and caves with drip ledges and some ruin can be seen there.

Nice name board

This is called wee atu galllena වී අටු ගල් ලෙන. Oldest cave. Currently nobody there.

Brahami inscriptions seen near to that cave.

Caves

Siri Pathul Gala සිරි පතුල් ගල

Scattered ruin

Used for meditation

The cave with longest cave inscription of Sri Lanka

Longest cave inscription (ලෙන් ලිපිය) of Sri Lanka

This is built on top of old Stupa

Old caves were converted to new ones. Nice place for meditation.

Leaving the hermitage

This is called “Pathaha” (පතහ) -lowland filled with water during rainy season. It acts as a seasonal lake.

Wood apple-Another common member of this society

Elephant Dung….

There is a nice flat stony ground next to mountain…..They are constructing a new Bodhigaraya බෝධිඝරය on top of that.

Black arrow shows the Sulang Kapolla we went. Red arrow shows the highest point we reached.

(පැල) Most of the time villagers have to spend their night at these huts to protect the paddy fields from Wild elephants and wild boars.

Returned back to the village

Lush green

Need another day to visit there

Jayathilaka Ayya has arranged a tasty lunch for us. Thanks for their hospitality.
After saying good bye to Jayathilaka family, we came to nearby ancient temple called Weragala RMV.

Weragala RMV. (වේරගල රජමහා විහාරය)

Don’t know the exact person build this temple

Nice place to have a temple. This is the image house.

Paintings of Kandy era

Last part of the Galgiriya is seen behind the temple

Old “Asanagara” (ආසනඝරය) is used for new construction

Ruins of old Stupa

The pond

Sacred foot print stones සිරි පතුල් ගල

Belongs to British colonial period-Year is 1884

Scattered ruins

Work of Treasure hunters

We came back by the same route and on our way noticed a board towards Nillaggama (නිල්ලග්ගම) Bodhigaraya. You may come across two boards showing this on your way to Galgamuwa. One says the distance is 5km and other says 2km. We followed 2km road but actual distance was about 3-4km.Road condition was fairly o.k.

Nillaggama Bodhigaraya (නිල්ලග්ගම බෝධිඝරය)
This is considered as a great creature of Sinhala architecture. Bodhigaraya is a house made around the Bo tree.