 
Kudumbigala Sanctuary
The Kudumbigala Sanctuary is in
the Ampara District of the Eastern Province and is 4,403 hectares in
extent. It was declared a sanctuary on September 28, 1973. Despite it
being a sanctuary, a little private ownership is allowed where villagers
from Panama own land within the area. There was a period when they were
driven away by terrorists but now they have reclaimed their land and are
living a happy farming life.
While on a trip to the Kudumbigala Sanctuary, you can see the Helawa
lagoon in its majesty and tranquility. Fishing in the lagoon is
permitted and this is a practice that had been going on for many years
before the area was declared a sanctuary.
Towards the interior is a large complex of rock ridges and big
granite boulders where somewhere in the second century B.C., one of the
earliest cave dwelling hermitages of bhikkhus was located.
Traces of this ancient hermitage are seen even today with prominent
Brahmin inscriptions under the drip-ledges of the caves.
 History reveals that this ancient hermitage was second only to
Sithulpahuwa in importance. Until recently, the aranya (forest
hermitage) here was occupied by a sect of bhikkhus who practise
meditation. This aranya was also a casualty of the strife in the region.
The town of Okanda is closeby having one resident swami and his wife.
Occasionally a pilgrim enters and exits but it is only during the
festival time that devotees from the entire East Coast throng to the
devale. Since the road from Panama to Okanda is still under construction
and the Special Task Force of the Sri Lanka Police (active in the
region) last outpost is in Panama, most villagers fear to travel in this
un-policed area.
The Okanda Devale is in dire need of maintenance as patronage is
limited during the greater part of the year. With the dawn of peace and
the roads being more motorable, Okanda could well become the foremost
centre of Murugan worship and be second only to Koneswaram in
importance. |
