Camping

          Arankele Forest Monastery Dolukanda Sri Lanka

The pilgrim gets to the ruins by passing through a modern meditation monastery. Ask one of the monks and he will show the path. Soon the pilgrim will come to a large rock with a monastery built under it. Turning right from here the path leads to a large oblong boulder with many mortous holes in it showing that several structures were built against or under it over the centuries. Local legend says that this is where the arahat Maliadeva once lived. To the left of the cave a rough track through the jungle leads to the ancient monastery’s main path. This is the longest and most impressive such path found in any of the Pansakulika monasteries. It runs for about a quarter of a kilometer and is raised as much as 5 feet off the ground for much of its course. What could this very substantial elevated path have been used for? About a third of the way along is a roundabout and further still a side path with stairs leading to some double platforms. All Arankale’s caves and double platforms, about 20 altogether, are on the hillside to the left of the path. The path eventually ends in a T intersection. The stairs to the left lead to a series of double platforms some of which are built on natural rock foundations. Return to the intersection and continue walking towards the monastery’s main buildings.

On the right of the path is a small building which would have served well as an image house although no image was found here. Beyond this is the monastery’s main bathing place, a large rectangular reservoir with steps on all sides leading down to the water. Locals still bathe here and it can be a good place to have a cooling swim. Directly facing the end of the path is what was probably the sima. 

It is built in the center of a large square depression with the natural rock forming its bottom. Was this depression originally meant to be filled with water? To the left of the sima is another interesting structure with a gently curving path leading to it. This building was a promenade (cakmana) for walking meditation and probably originally had a roof over it. Note the two toilets on the south side. A path behind the promenade leads to the refectory. The impressively solid walls of this building would almost make one think it was a prison rather than a place where monks were fed. Note the sunken and paved courtyard and the grindstones.

   

       Dolukanda Sanjeevani Drop - According to Ramayana

Legend: At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the life saving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya , Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.

Setting

Arankele Forest Monastery’s sylvan environment and ruins of bathing ponds gives the impression it was once a pleasure park. Arankele, on the contrary, was a 6th century cave hermitage up a forested hillside. The densely wooded terrain crowded with huge hardwood trees are interspersed by the openings and clearings created by the on-going process of clearing scattered debris to unearth the ruins and re erecting the fallen ruins.

 

Rock Caves

On the slopes of Arankele hill is a cluster of natural rock caves once used by monastic monks for shelter and meditation. Though remain rough outside with the exception of the drip ledges, the interior walls are well plastered with lime.

Ruins of the monastery

It was the site of an ancient forest monastery – the austere abode of a sect of recluse monks who had been attracted to this site because of its very isolation and seclusion. The building at the entrance of the Arankele site has been identified as a Jantagara or hot water bath with the dimensions of 100ft in length and 60ft in breadth. There also vestiges of grinding stones which had been used to prepare herbal medicines in the past. Amongst the other ruins that have been identified are meditating promenades, ponds and long winding pathways. Long pathways that cut across the dense forest lead to stone carved drip-ledged caves used for mediation alms-giving h alls and bathing ponds that testify to the excellent craftsmanship.

Architecture

Ancient stone slabs of inscriptions in Brahmi script have revealed the existence of meditation halls, stone-faced double platform structures and ambulatories for the austere Buddhist monks here. The platforms aligned in east-west axis consist with the entrance porch to the east bridged by a large monolith. The smaller of the double platform structure herein, the roof being supported on columns, has the impression of being divided into cells for the monks. The purpose of the construction of double platforms hasn’t been yet determined though some scholars are of the opinion those were used for meditation, ceremonies and teaching.

In line with the severe simplicity and austere religious practices of Arankele Forest Monastery, the building had been built with no pretentions to decorations. Furthermore stupas, shrines and status found in the ancient urban monasteries weren’t found herein either. The exception to the minimalist architecture is the existence of urinal stones decorated with carvings. The purpose of the practice of decorating urinal stones hasn’t been established.

Hot water bath and grinding stones

le Forest Monastery is home to the largest hot water pond in Sri Lanka: it is around 100ft in length and 60ft in breadth. Also seen are vestiges of grinding stones that had been used to prepare Ayurvedic medicines. All these ruins now being unearthed testifies to the existence of a large Ayurvedic hospital at the monastery.

Location

Arankele forest monastery and caves lie at a distance of 117km from Colombo.

Reaching Arankele

Arankele Forest Monastery, an archaeological site, is reached by Colombo- Kurunegala- Ibbagamuwa – Madagalla road. Arankale is 25 kilometres from Kurunagala via the village of Ibbagamuwa