Why should we protect the Kuragala Sacred Area?

       

 The history of Sri Lanka has often been associated with Buddhism.  Hela culture mixed with Buddhism can be called the culture of not only Sinhala Buddhists but of all Sri Lankans.  But unaware of this, extremists often attempt to destroy archeological monuments that reflect Buddhist history and seize the land.  ⁇

 Devanagala, Muhudu Maha Viharaya, Vijithapura are some of them which have been the subject of much controversy in recent times.  The Kuragala Archaeological Site, located at the end of the Ratnapura District, is another ancient site that has been heavily influenced by these extremists.

 Various Buddhist organizations, societies and companies as well as monks spoke on behalf of Kuragala.  But this extremism did not stop there.

Kuragala is a place of worship that has been a Buddhist place of worship since before the early Anuradhapura period.

 In the days of the ancient kings, it was known as 'Thanduleyayaka Pabbata', 'Datta Shaila Pabbata' and later as 'Kuharagala' and today it is known as 'Kuragala'.

 Kuragala is located at the 23rd km post on the Balangoda - Kaltota road and at the beginning of the Tanjantenna village, passing about 3 km on the road to the south.

 It has now been discovered that the history of Kuragala goes back to the Anuradhapura period.  The caves located at Kuragala have already been found to be related to the 'Prehistoric Man' or 'Balangoda Man' era in Sri Lanka.  Archaeological excavations at the caves have uncovered evidence that prehistoric humans lived here.  In addition to the rock caves, evidence has been found that these humans also established settlements in the open air.

 Information about Kuragala dates back to the early Anuradhapura period after the prehistoric era.  That history is shown by the dripstone and the inscriptions in pre-Brahmin script.  Three very old inscriptions can also be seen here.  It is clear from them that meditative Buddhist monks were living in caves here at that time.

 All the cave inscriptions at Kuragala are very short inscriptions.  In those letters, it is stated that ‘Agatha Anagatha Chathu Disha Sagasa Dine’ (past and future offerings to the Bhikkhus, whether they came from the four directions or not).  Kuragala Range and several other ancient caves in the surrounding area.  There is no such mention in the cave inscriptions in them.  This may be due to the fact that the sites belong to the early stages of the formation of 'cave monasteries'.