{"id":249512,"date":"2026-10-22T01:35:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T20:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=249512"},"modified":"2026-10-22T01:35:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T20:05:58","slug":"vadunnagala-setting-the-record-straight-with-the-facts-response-to-tisaranee-gunasekara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/vadunnagala-setting-the-record-straight-with-the-facts-response-to-tisaranee-gunasekara\/","title":{"rendered":"Vadunnagala: Setting The Record Straight With The Facts: Response To Tisaranee Gunasekara"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Vinuka Vidanapathirana<\/a> –<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Based on incidents at Vadunnagala, Tisaranee Gunasekara wrote a misleading article on 27 September titled \u201cLand-Mining Sri Lanka in Vadunnagala<\/a><\/span>\u201d. However, she appears not to properly understand the site or what actually happened there.<\/p>\n

Before addressing the distortions in her article, it is important to explain what Vadunnagala is. Vadunnagala is an archaeological site in the Vavuniya District, within the Nainamadu Forest Reserve. It consists of a huge rock and several surrounding rock outcrops. Four main types of archaeological remains are found here.\"\"<\/p>\n

First, there are drip-ledged caves containing inscriptions. Second, the rock outcrops contain archaeological remains, including a dilapidated stupa mound atop the highest rock. Third, remains of ancient buildings scattered throughout the area. Fourth, an ancient tank now known as Molai Kulam, lies near the site. There are three inscriptions at Vadunnagala, all written in the Brahmi script and early Sinhala language. They record donations of caves to Buddhist monks. These inscriptions are significant as the northernmost Brahmi inscriptions found in Sri Lanka and provide important evidence that Vadunnagala was an ancient Buddhist monastic site.<\/p>\n

According to Buddhist tradition, this place is identified with ancient Vadunnagala, where the Naga King Chulodara is said to have lived. An answer given by the Chief Incumbent of Mulgirigala Raja Maha Vihara to the Dutch Governor also states that Vadunnagala was situated in Vanni, south of Nagadipa, or modern-day Jaffna. Several ancient Buddhist texts also refer to Vadunnagala. Therefore, it is a significant place for Buddhists in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

In modern times, the site was first reported by H. C. P. Bell, Commissioner of the Archaeological Survey of Ceylon, in 1905. He visited the site and recorded the drip-ledged caves, three inscriptions and the dilapidated stupa mound on the rocks. He also reported building ruins around the rock. Later, Archaeological Commissioner Senarath Paranavitana and others also reported on this place before the beginning of the war.<\/p>\n

For around 30 years, this area was not under the effective control of the Sri Lankan Government. After the end of the war, several explorations were carried out in the area by different institutions. The Department of Archaeology conducted archaeological explorations in the area, including investigations beginning around 2010, 2013 and in subsequent years. None of these archaeological explorations reported the existence of a Hindu kovil at or near the archaeological site.<\/p>\n

The photographs shown in the article itself clearly show the condition of the caves and the top of the mountain in 2010 and 2013. This is also supported by observations from some ecological explorations. According to those observations, the area was also a habitat for wild bears, which generally avoided human activity. This further indicates that the area had not been heavily disturbed by human activities during that period. All these photographs, together with their EXIF data, have been attached to the Fundamental Rights case filed in the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n

According to information received, a Hindu kovil was constructed at the site in 2018. Archaeological officials visited the site on 8th August and observed that people were attempting to place statues at the site. In particular, the stage for an Amman statue in Samudaya’s Cave could be seen under construction. They were advised not to proceed with this. A police complaint was also made. However, when officials visited the site on 13 August, the statues had already been placed in several caves and locations and the site had effectively been transformed into a kovil. The stupa mound on top of the rock had also been disturbed and a lingam had been placed on it.\"\"<\/p>\n

It is therefore clear that there was no kovil at the site before 2013. The photographs of a family on the rock, allegedly taken in 1990, have no established authenticity and show no evidence of Hindu rituals or a kovil. Anyone with reliable evidence to the contrary is kindly invited to come forward.<\/p>\n

Several incidents occurred in 2023. Unidentified persons damaged the statues, triggering protests in the North. Subsequently, larger statues were installed, the stupa mound was dug into for the second time, and a trishul was placed on it.<\/p>\n

Tensions increased following a puja organised by the Jaffna Students\u2019 Union, during which people climbed onto the stupa mound atop the rock and took photographs. On 12 September, Buddhists led by Galgamuwe Santhabodhi Thera organised a simple Buddha Puja. The kowil side knowing that, also organized to conduct a puja that same day. Following a police complaint, the court allowed both parties to conduct their religious activities.<\/p>\n

On 26 September, Buddhists organised a S\u012bla-observance programme. Then the Kovil board subsequently announced a Hindu puja. Contrary to Tisaranee\u2019s claim, it was not a special day for Hindus or Tamils. Purattasi is a month, and no such special pujas had previously been held there. Buddhists had obtained permission from the Department of Archaeology, whereas the Tamil group had not. Following a police complaint, the matter went to court, which permitted both parties to worship without confrontation. The S\u012bla programme proceeded peacefully, without aggression or confrontation.\"\"<\/p>\n

A separate event took place that same day at Kumbakarnagala Raja Maha Vihara in Mullaitivu District. A Bo sapling from the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura was brought there and planted within the temple premises on 26 September, Binara Full Moon Poya Day. Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, the chief organiser, facilitated obtaining and transporting the sapling according to the proper procedures.<\/p>\n

These were entirely separate events, with no connection beyond occurring on the same date. However, Tisaranee Gunasekara\u2019s article confuses the two locations, creating the impression that the Bo sapling was planted at Vadunnagala on Binara Poya Day. This is incorrect. Only the S\u012bla-observance programme took place at Vadunnagala. No Bo sapling was planted, nor was any Buddha statue or other object permanently installed there by Buddhists that day.<\/p>\n

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, this misrepresentation can mislead readers and support a political narrative portraying Buddhist concerns about Vadunnagala as an issue manufactured by rejected politicians. In reality, these concerns extend beyond politics. Vadunnagala is an archaeologically and religiously significant Buddhist site where archaeological remains have been disturbed and altered, and which has been transformed into a kovil since 2018.<\/p>\n

As the article acknowledges, the Supreme Court directed that both parties be allowed to worship while instructing the Department of Archaeology to prevent further destruction of the site. Nevertheless, new huts have been built around the statues, people continue climbing onto and damaging the stupa mound, and no adequate fencing or protective measures have been established.<\/p>\n

What action has been taken against these activities? Does allowing them to continue amount to disregarding the Supreme Court\u2019s direction to prevent further destruction?<\/p>\n

Buddhists continue to raise these concerns peacefully, seeking to protect an important archaeological and religious heritage site, not to provoke conflict. Across the Northern Province, numerous Buddhist archaeological sites have been destroyed, altered or converted into kovils. The concerns surrounding these sites are genuine and deserve honest discussion.<\/p>\n

Such concerns should not be concealed or dismissed through misleading or inaccurate information, such as that presented in Tisaranee Gunasekara\u2019s article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3233,"featured_media":249522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-249512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nVadunnagala: Setting The Record Straight With The Facts: Response To Tisaranee Gunasekara - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/vadunnagala-setting-the-record-straight-with-the-facts-response-to-tisaranee-gunasekara\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vadunnagala: Setting The Record Straight With The Facts: Response To Tisaranee Gunasekara - 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