Ritigala is a mountain range that has given rise to many mysterious beliefs. Some say that Ritigala was an area inhabited by Yaksha tribes in the early days. It can be seen that some of the pilgrims who go to Anuradhapura now come to Ritigala and see its beauty. Foreign tourists also visit Ritigala. As a result, there are several hotels in the area that cater to their needs.
How to get to Ritigala?
Very easy to reach. From Habarana to Anuradhapura via Maradankadawala. M. 15 Turn left at Galapitagala Junction and take a detour. Distance from Colombo to Ritigala is 1 km. M. It's about 201. From Maradankadawala you can see the Ritigala mountain range on the horizon. It is a spectacular sight as there are no other mountains around. A short distance from Galapitagala village you come to a concrete paved road in the middle of the forest. Elephants travel on this road and should avoid going in the morning. The concrete road turns into a main road again. From there the road stretches through a dense forest cover through the Ritigala reserve. This road is well maintained and can be easily accessed by car. There is a parking lot at the foot of the hill. Distance from Galapitagala to the foothills. M. 8 p.m. If necessary, you can also get information from the Archaeological Office here
Folklore
This is how Ravana connects to Ritigala. In response to Ravana's insignificance, he abducted Goddess Sita, the queen of King Rama of India, and kept her safe in Lankapura. Lakshmana was wounded in the war. Hanumantha who came with him went to the Himalayas in India in search of a cure for his disease but he forgot the name of the medicine. After that the area where the herbs are located is rescued and brought back. Legend has it that part of the mountain was broken and a medicinal mountain was formed near Mount Ritigala.
History mentioned in the Mahavamsa
The monastery complex associated with this mountain range has a long history. In the Mahavamsa it is mentioned as Ritigala Attagiri or Aritta Pabbata. King Suratissa (187-177 BC) built the Makulaka temple at the foot of this hill. Cree. BC A first century inscription mentions the offering of a lake called Abadalaka to the Arita Vihara. King Lajjatissa (119-110 BC) enlarged and renovated the Aritta temple. King Sena I (831-851 AD) was also a king who patronized this temple. It is said that King Parakramabahu I organized forts against Manabharana of Ruhuna and built armies around these mountains
Recent History
In 1872, during the English rule, a surveyor named James Mantel stayed here for three months and carried out surveys. In 1890, Anuradhapura Government Agent R. W. Ivars has built a home in the plains near the top of the mountain and has taken advantage of the cool climate here. In 1887, Henry Tryman studied the Ritigala plant. Commissioner of Archeology H.S. C. P. Bell Ritigala studied antiquities in 1883. Here he copied the inscriptions in the caves and searched the forest for the ruined buildings scattered on the mountain. After that all that information was included in the 1883 Archaeological Administration.
Why is Ritigala so special?
It is the highest mountain in Kandy and is 2514 feet (765 m) high. Ritigala is the highest mountain between the central hills of our country and the mountains of South India. It also has a cool climate and a rich climate. Therefore, even in the dry season, Ritigala is often clouded and hidden.
Due to this the Ritigala forest has been turned into a strict reserve as far back as 1931. The size of the strict reserve is 1528 hectares. In addition, 690 acres, including the ruined monastery complex at the foot of the mountain, have been declared an Archaeological Reserve.
The Ritigala Range is made up of several other mountains. It includes seven mountains namely Aushadha Kanda, Kodigala Kanda, Una Kanda, Adiya Kanda, Fruit Kanda, Amarapathi Kanda and Ulpath Kanda.
Ritigala still has 74 dripstone caves, 152 inscriptions in Brahminic script, a large pond with the ruins of about 140 buildings of archeological value and a stone path. Located in the shade of large trees, these ruins take us back in time.
Forest ruins
When you climb the mountain near the Archaeological Office, the first thing you see is a large pond. It is called Banda Pokuna because it is built using stone slabs. This pond has recently been excavated and part of it has been preserved. It used to receive water from mountain streams. You can still see the water flowing down the river. From there, cross the gorge and cross a stone bridge to reach a path that runs through the forest, which is made entirely of black stone. The path is about a kilometer long.
After walking a short distance you can reach a ruined place. The Janthaghara building is a building set up for the monks to bathe in herbs and hot water. There is a stone wall around the building. In the center of the building is a stone basin in the shape of a swimming pool. Earlier we also met a crowd at Arankale. There are several double platform buildings called Padhanaghara where the monks used to grow. The tiles on the roof show that they had tiled roofs.
Walking back from here on the path is a wonderful experience. You can walk by listening to the sounds of wild beasts and trees. Many undiscovered major capitals can be seen under the forest. There is a Trinity Stage Building (a capital) on the plains a short distance away. There is also a meditation walkway nearby.
This is where the archeological site ends. Then begins the densely forested forest. Special permission must be obtained from the Forest Department to enter it
Ritigala Biodiversity
In 1935, P. who conducted a study of plants here. D. R. Jayuriya discovered 27 species of orchids. At present there are 418 plant species found in this mountain range. The number of flowering plant species is 338. Of these, 113 are endemic to the wetlands. A 2008 study found that 97 species of birds live here. Many mammal species including elephants, bears, deer and leopards live here.
In the lower part of the mountain (ground site) there are dry mixed evergreen forest features. Plants found in this area can be found in the dry zone such as Mora, Halmilla, Kaluwara, Weera, Palu and Na.
In the central region of the mountain range are the features of wet zone forests. Plants such as Atamba, Kududawula, Omara, Kenda and Na are common in this area.
At the top of the hill, you can see the nature of the subtropical forests. Plants such as Nelu, Binara, Kekuna and Dum are grown here.
Several species of plants endemic to Ritigala have also been found. Among them are Ritigala Thambajiya, Gal Kappara Valliya and Ritigala Mee.
In addition, rare medicinal plants such as Iraja, Sandaraja, Vanaraja, Nagamaru Ala, Vellangiriya, Bim Kohomba and Jata Makuta are common here.
An excerpt. Photography is owned by the photographer
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