The best places to visit around Monaragala

Monaragala district covers the lowlands of Uva Province, east and south of the hill country. The town of Monaragala sits beneath a rocky hill whose name means peacock rock. Around it stretch sugar cane fields, scrub jungle and small villages, with the eastern edge of the hills always on the horizon.

In ancient times this was part of Ruhuna, the southern kingdom, and the district is scattered with ruined stupas, monasteries and statues. Many are rarely visited, and some lie in quiet forest clearings reached by rough roads.

For travellers, the district is mainly crossed between Ella and Arugam Bay or between Ella and Yala. A few well-chosen stops break those long drives and add some of the island's most impressive ancient sculpture.

Maligawila, south-east of Monaragala town, has a standing Buddha roughly 11 metres tall, carved from a single block of crystalline limestone in around the seventh century. The statue was found fallen and broken, and was restored and raised again in the late twentieth century. It stands in a forest clearing, which adds to its presence.

A short drive away, Dambegoda has a giant standing figure of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, also restored from fragments. It is among the largest ancient Bodhisattva statues in Sri Lanka and a rare reminder of Mahayana influence on the island.

Both sites are quiet, so visitors often have them to themselves. Dress modestly and remove shoes and hats near the statues.

Yudaganawa, near Buttala, is one of the largest stupas in the south, now a great grassy mound with a smaller restored stupa beside it. Its name recalls a legendary battle between King Dutugemunu and his brother, and the site has a calm, open feel.

Galabedda, near Monaragala town, has the remains of a palace complex and a large tank linked by tradition to Queen Sugala, who resisted Parakramabahu I in the twelfth century. Little survives above the foundations, but the setting by the water is peaceful.

These sites suit travellers with a strong interest in history. Others may prefer to see one and continue.

Buduruwagala, a few kilometres south of Wellawaya, has seven figures carved into a rock face, with a standing Buddha roughly 15 metres tall at the centre. Traces of plaster and paint survive, and the site sits by a small reservoir with birds and, sometimes, elephants nearby.

The road from Ella down to Wellawaya drops steeply through the hills past Ravana Falls, giving a dramatic transition from tea country to dry lowlands. Wellawaya itself is a crossroads town where roads lead east to Arugam Bay, south to Tissamaharama and west to Udawalawe.

Lankan Stays & Trails often schedules Buduruwagala as a stop on the descent from Ella to Yala, so travellers break the drive with one of the island's finest rock carvings.

Kataragama lies in Monaragala district and is one of Sri Lanka's most important pilgrimage towns, sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and the Vedda people. The evening puja at the main shrine, with drums, fire and offerings of fruit, is crowded and memorable. The Kiri Vehera stupa and a mosque stand nearby.

Sella Kataragama, a few kilometres away by the Menik Ganga, has smaller shrines and riverside bathing places. The annual Kataragama festival, usually in July or August, draws pilgrims from across the island, some walking from the north and east, with dates changing each year.

Parts of Yala's eastern blocks and of Udawalawe and Gal Oya extend into the district. The Nilgala forest, a savanna and woodland area on the edge of Gal Oya, is known for medicinal plants and birds.

Monaragala district is hot and dry, with most rain roughly October to January. Visit sites early in the day and carry water. Roads are generally good on the main routes but slower to the remote sites.

Buduruwagala and Kataragama fit easily on the road from Ella to Yala. Maligawila and Dambegoda make a half-day detour from Monaragala town, which lies on the road from Ella to Arugam Bay. Yudaganawa sits near Buttala, on the road to Yala.

A night in the district is rarely needed, but a few guesthouses in Monaragala town and near Buttala make it possible.