Joanna James
Tissamaharama looks like a quiet and sleepy little town on the edge of the wilderness at first glance. And because of this, it is also a place that keeps many secrets. Ancient kingdoms thrived on the borders of the Yala National Park and here are the top five places you can explore.
Unlike most of the ancient temples remaining from the time of kings, this is a bit different. The story of Magul Maha Vihara is a romantic one. It was the location at which King Kavantissa wed the princess Vihara Maha Devi after she was washed ashore on his kingdom. She had volunteered to sacrifice herself to the sea to appease the wrath of the gods on her father's kingdom.
If you look around at resorts the likes of Kithala Resort today, you won't find any trace of it, but the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami had a devastating effect on the area surrounding Yala National Park and the outer limits of Tissa. The memorial which is located in the town of Peraliya is dedicated to the thousands of lives that perished in the resulting floods. You can visit this memorial on your way to a safari at Yala.
While you might imagine that Tissamaharama hotels are often filled with guests who are visiting Yala National Park, there is another site of importance and significance to the people of Sri Lanka close by. Pilgrims come from all over the country to visit Kataragama temple. It is considered a guardian deity of the nation and that the surrounding lands are holy to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the indigenous people of Sri Lanka. The pilgrimage season begins in July and goes on for two months. If you visit during any other month you will be able to explore it in peace.
First constructed in 1870, Asokaramaya Buddhist Temple is a glittering jewel full of aesthetic and architectural beauty. It was originally a shelter for the disciples of the monk Aluthgama Sangharatne. There is something very quiet and calming about the temple and its location just 3.5 km from Yala National Park. It is a temple that has an architecture which is unique to itself and cannot be found elsewhere in other ancient temples. It would be a great place to visit after a day's excursion in the national park.
The monastery upon the rock of Sithulpawwa is said to have once housed 12,000 monks. With ruins dating back to the 2nd century BC, Sithulpawwa is a unique and fascinating piece of history. There is not much known about it but if you ask your guide they will tell you it goes back over 2,000 years. The windswept little peak of the hill and the beautiful and fascinating ruins are a great place to visit and a great place to take pictures of Yala National Park from a bit of a higher elevation.
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