Rajagala monastery Complex

Rajagala (Rassagala or Rajagalathenna) is a place which reveals the splendour of Sri Lanka’s prehistoric era to the world. The place consists of more than 500 ruins and artifacts of a Buddhist temple.

It is situated in the Ampara district, in the Eastern Province. Rajagala is a rugged and thickly forested mountain on this sparsely populated and rarely visited part of Sri Lanka. Rassagala is situated 1,038 feet above sea level. This archaeological site spreads over 300 acres.

The history of the place is not definite, but monks are believed to have inhabited it between the 10th and 3rdcenturies BC. ‘Shila Lipi’ (stone inscriptions) belonging to that period have been found at the site. All over the northern summit of the mountain, extensive ruins have been recovered from the thick jungle, and some are only half excavated.

Artifacts at Rajagala Monastery

There are some drawings on the stone, done with ash or chalk, which are believed to have been done by the adivasies (indigenous) people. Believed that these drawings belong to the prehistoric era.

There are caves that were used as houses for the monks.

The stone inscriptions found here belong to the Anuradhapura era.

At most of the entrances at the site, there is a korawak gala (a stone balustrade), a muragala (guardstone) and a sandakadapahana (moonstone).