Gampaha
Located northeast of Colombo, Gampaha is the sixth largest urban area in the Western Province, following Colombo, Negombo, Kaluthara, Panadura, and Avissawella. Comprising five villages – Pahalagama, Pattiyagama, Ihalagama, Aluthgama, and Medagama – the city’s name translates to “five villages” in Sinhala. Spanning a land area of , Gampaha houses the offices of 75 government institutions.
History
Gampaha is a vibrant city in Sri Lanka, located northeast of Colombo. It was once a dense forest and flourished during the Portuguese and Dutch eras. The area served as a key route to the hill country and was a hub for cinnamon collection. In 1825, Sir Edward Barnes visited Gampaha during the construction of the Negombo-Colombo main road. The British built the Moragoda Catholic church in 1828, leading to increased settlement. The completion of Henarathgoda railway station in 1866 and the planting of the first rubber tree in 1867 played pivotal roles in the town’s development. Today, Gampaha thrives with historical charm and modern amenities.
Places to visit in Gampaha
Gampaha has a tropical rainforest climate with consistent rainfall throughout the year. January is the driest month, with 62 mm of precipitation. October receives the highest rainfall, averaging 365 mm. April is the warmest month at 28.4 °C (83.1 °F), while December is the coolest at 26.1 °C (79 °F). The annual rainfall is about 2398 mm, and the average temperature is around 27.3 °C. The main water sources in Gampaha are Attanagalla Oya and Uruwela Oya.
Henarathgoda Botanical Garden
Henarathgoda old railway station
Asgiriya Rajamaha Vihara
Maligatenna Rajamaha Vihara
Warana Rajamaha Vihara
Pilikuttu Rajamaha Vihara
Henarathgoda Botanical Garden
Henarathgoda Botnical Garden is one of the six botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. The botanical garden is situated on the Gampaha-Minuwangoda main road, approximately 450 m (1,480 ft) away from Gampaha railway station. It is about 29 km (18 mi) from Sri Lanka’s commercial capital of Colombo.
where the first rubber tree planted in Sri Lanka is still present located close to Gampaha town. The garden bordered with Attangalle oya and covers about 43 acres. It believed that the garden is more than 128 years old. The first seedling planted under the auspices of the vast garden’s original owner Muhandiam Amaris De Zoysa, who became the garden’s first OIC. The generous Muhandiram donated this vast estate for public use, to enhance the local surroundings.
Henarathgoda Old Railway Station
Henarathgoda Old railway station is one of oldest railway stations in Sri Lanka. It built in 1866 by the British to facilitate the transportation of tea and coffee from the up country to Colombo.
Asgiriya Rajamaha Vihara
Certainly! The Asgiri Rajamaha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple located in close proximity to Gampaha town in Sri Lanka. It is specifically a cave temple situated in the Gampaha District. The temple holds significant historical and cultural value, tracing its origins back to the reign of King Valagamba. Over time, the temple has been recognized and designated as an archaeological protected monument in the Minuwangoda division. This recognition serves to preserve and safeguard its historical significance for future generations.
Maligathenna Rajamaha Viharaya
The cave temple complex of Maligatenna, which monks still inhabit, lies on the northern slope of the hill. A 1 km jungle path commences at the temple, leading to the summit and passing by a cave and a small chasm. Located in Malwatuhiripitiya village of Gampaha District, the Maligatenna Rajamaha Viharaya is an archaeological site. It is situated 8 km east of Yakkala, a town near Gampaha, along the Colombo-Kandy road A1. The peak of Maligatenna hill is merely 1 km east of the Pilikuttuwa Ridge in a straight line. However, to reach the Maligatenna temple from the Pilikuttuwa monastery, one must travel 5.5 km by road, circumnavigating the forested hills. The site is a mere 28 km away from Colombo Fort, as the crow flies, or 34 km by road.
History Of Maligathenna
Unlike the nearby monasteries of Pilikuttuwa and Varana, no ancient Brahmi inscriptions have been discovered at the caves of Maligatenna in the Gampaha District. However, several ancient drip ledges, known as Katarams, where donation inscriptions were typically engraved, can be found. It can be assumed that, like Pilikuttuwa and Warana, the caves of Maligatenna were inhabited by monks during the early Anuradhapura period, dating back to pre-Christian centuries.
Maligatenna Aranya Senasana
The temple compound is divided into two grounds: Pahala Maluwa and Ihala Maluwa. Pahala Maluwa, the lower terrace, houses the main places of worship. These include Sri Devaraja Aakasha Chaitya Rajaya stupa, a sacred Bo tree, and a decorated cave transformed into an image house with modernized statues and paintings from the 20th century in the Kandyan style.
King Walagamba adorned the Buda Geya as a shrine room in the 1st century BC out of gratitude, as he had sought shelter there. The cave features a 5.5 m long reclining Buddha, believed to have been sculpted on King Walagamba’s orders in the 1st century AD, despite the fact that the earliest Buddha images in India date back no earlier than the 1st century AD. The meeting hall for the monks is located adjacent to the Budu Geya cave, just a few steps further downwards.
Warana Rajamaha Vihara
As we arrived at the Caves of Warana Rajamaha Viharaya on a glorious early morning, the first rays of the sun illuminated its unique formation. The surrounding paddy fields were vibrant green after the rains, and a modest rocky outcrop rose from the flat plains. At the base of the rock, facing the road, was a cave with an impressive high drip ledge, serving as a distinctive landmark for Warana Raja Maha Vihara.
The temple itself is vast, built on three different levels (maluwas), each featuring shrine rooms. At the summit, there is a small dagoba. On the way to the Meda Maluwa, there is a rock pool teeming with fish, and another pool awaits on a slight descent from the summit. From the top, the view is rewarding, with endless paddy fields stretching before neighboring rocks and a horizon adorned with blue-gray hills.
Pilikuttuwa Rajamaha Vihara
Pilikuththuwa, a cave temple in Sri Lanka, boasts a rich history that spans millennia, with its prominence ranging from the 3rd century BC to the Dutch period. The temple encompasses nearly a hundred caves, spreading across approximately 200 acres. Out of these, 84 caves have been meticulously identified, explored, and assigned numbers. Presently, the site is safeguarded as a protected archaeological site in Sri Lanka.
Within the temple compound, a diverse array of wildlife thrives, including mammals such as the Ring-Tailed Civet, Palm Cat, Barking Deer, and Sri Lankan Mongoose. The avian inhabitants encompass species like the Red Wattled Lapwing, Spotted Dove, Red-Vented Bulbul, and Asian Koel. Additionally, one can encounter the Small Bee-Eater, Magpie Robin, Hanging Parrot, Green Wood Pigeon, along with a multitude of butterfly species, including the Grey Pansy, Blue Bottle, and Common Mormon. Noteworthy sightings also include the Blue Mormon, Common Sailor, and White Four-ring butterflies. Reptiles and amphibians add to the biodiversity of the area.
Pilikuttuwa Rajamaha Vihara
Pilikuththuwa is a cave temple in Sri Lanka with a long history, dating back to the 3rd century BC and continuing until the Dutch period. It consists of nearly a hundred caves spread across approximately 200 acres. Currently, 84 caves have been identified, explored, and numbered, making it a protected archaeological site in Sri Lanka.
The temple compound is home to various animal species, including the Ring-Tailed Civet, Palm Cat, Barking Deer, Sri Lankan Mongoose, Red Wattled Lapwing, Spotted Dove, Red-Vented Bulbul, Asian Koel, Small Bee-Eater, Magpie Robin, Hanging Parrot, Green Wood Pigeon, and several butterfly species like the Grey Pansy, Blue Bottle, Common Mormon, Blue Mormon, Common Sailor, and White Four-ring. Additionally, the area is rich in reptiles and amphibians.
The Caves
The Pilikuththuwa temple boasts the highest number of drip-ledged rock caves among Buddhist temples in the country. It encompasses 99 rock caves with drip ledges, covering approximately 200 acres. Currently, experts have identified 78 of these caves.
In addition to the rock caves, the temple showcases inscriptions featuring pre-Brahmi characters from the 3rd century CE. The site also includes a pond constructed with a cairn of stones, an ancient mould creeper, and a wooden bridge dating back to the Kandyan period. Moreover, visitors can explore a dagoba with a natural vatadage, an ancient reservoir, and ancient roads. The presence of water pools and natural ponds further enhances the site’s historical significance.
The archaeological department officially declared the temple’s image house a monument on November 1, 1996, through government Gazette number 948. In 2002, the caves with drip ledges, the bhikkhu dwellings (awasageya), the wooden bridge, the pond, the dagoba with a drip ledged cave, and the stone inscriptions pertaining to the temple were designated protected monuments. On April 15, 2016, the preaching hall (Darmasala building) was also added to the list.
Gampaha combines natural beauty, cultural heritage, and urban development seamlessly. It caters to those seeking tranquility, history, business, and education. The city evolves and thrives, making it an enticing destination for both locals and tourists.