Ingiriya

Ingiriya
ඉංගිරිය
இங்கிரிய

Ingiriya Town view from the top of a Mountain

Ingiriya Location Map
Ingiriya

Ingiriya Location Map

Coordinates: 6°44′38″N 80°10′20″E / 6.74389°N 80.17222°E / 6.74389; 80.17222Coordinates: 6°44′38″N 80°10′20″E / 6.74389°N 80.17222°E / 6.74389; 80.17222
Country  Sri Lanka
Province Western Province
District Kalutara District
Government
 • Electoral Division Horana Polling Division
 • Local Government Horana Pradeshiya Sabha
 • Divisional Secretariat Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat
Elevation 137 m (449 ft)
Population (2012)
 • Total 53,645
 • Density 91.84/km2 (237.9/sq mi)
Time zone SLT (UTC+05:30)
Postal Code 12440
Telephone code 0094-3422 XXXXX
Website www.ingiriya.info

Ingiriya (ඉංගිරිය) (இங்கிரிய) is a town in Kalutara District of Western Province . It is situated near the border of Western Province and Sabaragamuwa Province and it is a junction which connects Rathnapura-Panadura Road,Ingiriya-Padukka Road and Ingiriya-Bulathsinhala Roads. All the Nationalities representing Sinhalese 89.5%, Tamils 9.5%, and others 1% live in the town. In 2001, the city Ingiriya had a population of 45,726, and in 2012, it has increased to 53,645. The area is approximately 9204 hectares. There are about 13,801 families living here. This consisted of Buddhist 89.4%, Hindus 10%, Christians 1.6% and others 0.1%.[1]

Location

Ingiriya can be accessed via the A8 (Rathnapura – Panadura) highway (33 km from Panadura, 35.8 km from Rathnapura), by Padukka – Ingiriya Road (16.80 km from Padukka, 18.20 km from Meepe) or by the Egaloya - Ingiriya Road (11 km from Egaloya). Ingiriya is one of the borders of Kalutara District and Western Province. Ella, the next town after Ingiriya towards Rathnapura side, belongs to Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province and Padukka, the next town after Ingiriya towards Padukka side, belongs to Colombo District.

Diistance from Ingiriya to Nearby Towns

[2]

Ingiriya Location
Ingiriya Location


Geography

The Ingiriya city spreads starting, 24 km from the sea side of the country to 8.8 km to the inner side of the country. Basically, the area is full of lonely mountains and the east border contains more mountain characteristics. The highest land of the area is Madakada Giranchi Mountain with 1165 feet height. The Eduragala Mountain is also over 700 feet in height. The eastern part contains some higher mountains over 500 feet here and there and also in western part there are same kind of mountains. But the 60% of the whole land is plain. The Kalu river flows along the southern border of Ingiriya and many streams flow from various places of the zone to Kalu River. From the eastern part it flows Nambapana stream and the largest stream of the area, Mawak Oya starts from North and flows along west side and connects to the Kalu river in the South.

Ingiriya Land Use
Ingiriya Drainage
Land Use Area (km2.) Percentage %
Home Garden 2293 25%
Tea Plantation 582.81 06%
Rubber Plantation 3067.49 33%
Coconut Plantation 348.97 04%
Paddy Plantation 1132.32 12%
Other Plantations 278.78 03%
Forest 801.64 09%
Scrub 157.38 02%
Water Bodies 123.88 01%
Other Land 416.84 5%
Total 9204 100%

[3]

Climate

Ingiriya belongs to the Low Country Wet Zone. The climate is very medium. The area gets a 3500mm-4500mm rainfall. The annual rainfall rate is 4200mm. As this area is in wet zone low lands, it gets rain from both East west Monsoon and South west Monsoon as shown below. .

Ingiriya Climate
Ingiriya Climate
Month Annual Rainfall in mm Monthly Rainfall in Days Temperature in C'
January 96 03 27.2
February 487 11 27.8
March 275 10 28.3
April 465 19 28.3
May 152 10 27.9
June 323 23 27.3
July 158 07 27.1
August 386 18 27.1
September 381 16 27.0
October 914 19 27.1
November 470 10 27.1
December 482 15 27.1
Annual 4589 161 27.5

[4]

Natural Disasters

Ingiriya city faces only one natural disaster from time to time – flooding. The Kalu River which flows along southern border overflows and Nambapana, Eastern and Western Urugala, Western Ingiriya town, Wagawatta, Kekulaliya, Western Poruwadanda and Dombagaskanda areas face the flood threat.

Nambapana Flood
Nambapana Flood
Kekulaliya Flood

[5]


Agriculture

Ingiriya belongs to the Low Country Wet Agricultural Zone. The annual rainfall rate is about 4200 mm and the annual temperature is from 29−75° Celsius. Ingiriya gets rainfall from both Southwest monsoon and East–West monsoon. So the land and climate is very suitable for cultivation. All the main cash crops, tea, rubber, coconut and paddy are grown in Ingiriya.

As of 2009 reports there are 5039 acres of rubber plantation, 1569 acres of tea plantation, 1500 acres of coconut plantation and 22 acres of land cultivated with paddy.

Raigam Estate
Paddy Field
Raigam Estate

Administration

Grama Niladhari Divisions
Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat

The Ingiriya city, which is run by the Horana Pradeshiya Sabha (Divisional Council) is a part of the Horana Polling Division. Notable government institutions in Ingiriya include:

Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat office is the main administration institute under which Ingiriya City is ruled. Ingiriya was a part of the Horana Divisional Secretariat earlier. In August 14 of year 2000, 31 Grama Niladhari divisions were divided and they were assigned to Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat. This change occurred due to the large size of Horana division and the increment of the population.

The government health services of Ingiriya are supplied by Ingiriya Medical Officer of Health office and by Ingiriya District Hospital. The prevention process is done by the Ingiriya Medical Officer of Health office and by treatments are done by the Ingiriya District Hospital.

The Medical Officer of Health (MOH) office is the main preventive medical center for public health activities in the region, situated at Horana Road in Ingiriya town.

The Ingiriya Police Station, which was started in 1948, plays the major role in security.

The Main Post Office is situated in the Ingiriya town which is an A grade Post Office. Other Sub Post Offices are situated in surrounding areas.

There is a Fuel Station in the town which is run by Ingiriya Co-Operative Office and another 2 private fuel stations at Handapangoda and Eduragala.

Ingiriya Fuel Station
Horana Pradeshiya Sabha
Ingiriya Police Station

Transportation

Old Bus Stand
Buses
New Bus Stand

Ingiriya city is located along Panadura and Rathnapura A8 Road. The Padukka-Ingiriya Road connects the A8 road at Ingiriya Junction. There is an unfamous road heading Ingiriya from Egaloya of Bulathsinhala–Horana Road. There are 3 ways to visit Ingiriya. They are, the Rathnapura-Panadura Road, Ingiriya road which starts at Padukka and Hanwella and the Egaloya-Ingiriya Road.

There are two Bus Stands in Ingiriya city. All the buses which travel along A8 road parks at the new bus stand along A8 road. All other buses park at the old bus stand along Ingiriya-Padukka Road.

Buses Start from Ingiriya

Buses travel across Ingiriya

Natural Beauty

Nachchimale

Following places are the famous places where many visitors pay their attention.

Madakada Aranya Senasanaya

Nachchimale

Nachchimale (නාච්චිමලේ) is the most famous area of Ingiriya. It is reached by traveling about 1 mile towards Padukka from Ingiriya town. You must turn left to the Keenagahawila road from Maha Ingiriya Junction. After travelling about 1 and half miles towards that road, you will reach there after passing the Madakada Aranya Senasana Road. The Nachchimale port is a part of the Nambapana Lake. Beautiful waterfalls, stone holes filled with clear water are a common scene. Thousands of foreigners and local visitors come to visit Nachchimale to bathe and have fun. Tourism brings both good and bad to the area. This area contains the most environmental pollution of Ingiriya. As the visitor numbers increase, the harm done to the natural environment has also increased day by day. It is a common scene that there are lots of bottles and polythene strewn about. This has been a major problem to the environment and the residents. From time to time many organizations including Ingiriya Police Station do shramadana programs to clean this area.

Madakada Aranya Senasanaya

It is reached by traveling about 1 mile towards Padukka from Ingiriya town. You must turn left to the Keenagahawila road from Maha Ingiriya Junction. After traveling about 1 and half miles towards that road, you will reach there. The history of this monastery goes back to 1940 and there were over 100 meditative monks living here at that time. The new monastery was built by Rev. Ranwala Saddhatissa thero in 1948. In ancient times this area was a forest area with caves and then after arrival of the Saddahtissa thero for his meditations, this area became a forest monastery.

Madakada Aranya is one of the premier “Vipassana” meditation centers in the country. It also has branches in places such as Navinna, Salgala and few other places in the country. Contributions of this center for religious well-being of Sri Lankans as well as for foreigners are invaluable. Presently there are about 16 resident bhanthes and 7 resident laymen practicing “Vipassana” meditation at any given time. As it is a local Buddhist way of life they have been well looked after by devotees in their day-to-day needs.

Parevi Thota

The main cave has many Buddha statues, paintings and is decorated with flowers. There are about 12–15 meditation caves here. In this Aranya Senasana there are about 15–20 meditative monks residing. This place is situated in a Natural Forest Reservation and a stream called Nachchimale flows through one boundary of the monastery adding additional scenic beauty to the area. The visitors who come to bathe here do not forget to visit the monastery. The surroundings of this place are very calm and there are many local inheritable plants, herbal plants, birds, rare butterfly species, and wild animals in this beautiful environment.

Parei Thota

Parevi Thota (පරෙවිතොට) or Parethota (පරේතොට) is a very famous area in Ingiriya. When traveling towards Rathnapura road from Ingiriya town about 1 mile, you have to turn left to the Nambapana School Road. After traveling about half a mile passing the school you can reach this place. This place is very rich in natural beauty and it is a huge port in the Nambapana stream, which is a part of the Kalu River. As the surrounding environment is very beautiful, the number of visitors coming to bathe in this place is very high. The small ports and waterfalls in the small stream situated near Parethota area adds a nice beauty to this place.

The Environmental Pollution done to this wonderful environment by the thousands of visitors who visit Parethota area to bathe and have fun is not small. They put polythene and bottles everywhere which has become a dangerous threat to the natural environment. Because of this reason the residents and the visitors face many difficulties. So, if you visit there, please leave only the footprints.

Bodhinagala Reservation

Bodhinagala Aranya Senasanaya

Bodhinagala Aranya Senasanaya can be reached by traveling about 3 miles from Ingiriya town and have to turn left from bodhinagalaa road. After traveling about one and half miles you will reach this place. The Dombagaskanda Forest Reservation where this place is situated was named in 1955. This beautiful place is on a claim and natural environment. In South East of this beautiful forest area, flows the Kalu River and that slope area is rich in herbal plants and southern wet zone plants inheritable to this area. There are about 20-25 monks meditating in the caves situated here and there in this Aranya Senasana. The meditative monks come out from the caves only when they eat and then they go back to the caves in the forest. This area is very calm and high in security. Many foreigners and local visitors come to visit this Aranya Senasana.

Bodhinagala Bird Sanctuary

This is a secondary lowland rain forest patch in the area of Ingiriya. The entrance to this precious place can be reached by traveling about 3 miles from Ingiriya town and by turning left to Bodhinagala road from Bodhinagala Junction. After traveling couple of miles you have to turn left and you will reach this forest reservation after traveling towards that road. One of the famous “Aranya senasanaya” in the area is here. To find this place is not a difficult task and the direction sign boards are also have being established along the road. The forest reserve consists of two mountains which are surrounded by the villages. Inside the forest there are concreted routes created in favor of the Buddhists monks lived here for the meditations. It seems that the forest is being disturbed by the people who visits the place, even though there are separated visiting hours for them.

Hora Forest Reservation

Hora Forest Reservation

Situated at Kirigala area. When traveling towards Handapangoda from Ingiriya town about 6miles you can reach this environmental sensitive area. It is said that this Hora Reservation owns the largest number of Hora trees in South Asia. It is a very beautiful place. Apart from that, it has many rare plants also in this reservation.

Kura Uda Waterfall

When traveling 3 miles from Ingiriya town towards Handapangoda you must turn right from the Kotigala junction and will meet this place about one and half miles. This waterfall is situated in the middle area of the small stream starting from Giranchi Mountain in the Forest Reservation. Though this place was not so famous in the past, recently the amount of visitors has been increasing. The Government Forest Reservation which this waterfall is situated is rich in rare wet zone plants and herbal plants. Many birds and animals inheritable to this area lives here.

Urugala Holombuwa

After the arrival of British a new road system was established under their reign.In ancient time there were no good roads in Sri Lanka. In this time goods were transported to coastal areas from Sabaragamuwa area by rivers. Kalu River was a major river in this transportation. This 'Holombuwa' is situated near Ingiriya area of the Kalu River.

After traveling about 2 miles towards Rathnapura road from Ingiriya town you can reach this place. This place was used as an anchoring point for vessels and ferrys transporting goods. This holombuwa is the biggest whirlpool of the place where Nambapana Stream connects with Kalu River. This place has more space and consists of a huge rock pile. Because of this characteristic, the boatsmen used this place as a resting place.

Palam Paruwa at Kalu River
Sripada View at Halwathura Bridge

History

Ingiriya can be described as an area consisted with beautiful water bodies, mountain ranges, plain lands and other attractive physical features. One of the four main rivers, the Kalu River flows from Sabaragamuwa Province to Kalutara passing Ingiriya. As the boundary (Ima) of the Sabaragamuwa Mountain ranges end at Ingiriya, it is said in the folklores that “Imagira” became Ingiriya later. The main town of the area Ingiriya can be denoted as a city which was born in the beginning of Plantation Colonization of the British Rulers. The Urugala and Nambapana areas of Ingiriya have a history which relates to the Kings who ruled near Kalu River.

History

A Beautiful Environment is owned by Ingiriya which have a great historical value. This Area contain many Temples and Aranya Senasanas. As a small amount of population of Hindu religion, Tamil people live in the Plantation Estates there are some Hindu Kowils to worship their Religion and there is a Christian church also situated in Ingiriya. This shows that there are people of different Nationalities and different Religions living in this area. They are very peaceful people who always expect the development of the area.

When we go through the History of Ingiriya, we can find that there were people living in this area for a long time as they are recorded in the historical writings. It can be clarified by the an Income Report of Portuguese written in 1599 about the revenue they collected from nearby places like Munagama, Wagawatta, Kekuladola. The present road of Rathnapura – Panadura which runs through Poruwadanda has historical evidences of usage even before 186 years. A British Doctor named John Dave has travelled to Adams Peak in 1817 from Panadura via Horana, Rathnapura and Palabaddala. He has described the beauty of Ingiriya area as he travelled in this road and he has clearly stated it in his writings.

Schools

Ingiriya area contains 22 schools which are controlled by Provincial council as shown below.

School Medium G.N Division Active Grade
Ingiriya Gamini Madya Maha Vidyalaya Sinhala/English 620C,Ingiriya North 1 AB
Ingiriya Sri Sumanajothi Primary School Sinhala 620C,Ingiriya North 3
Urugala Sri Darmaloka Maha Vidyalaya Sinhala 619,Urugala East 2
Nambapana Kanishta Vidyalaya Sinhala 619A,Nambapana 2
Raigamwaththa Parakkramabahu Primary School Sinhala 620B,Raigamwatta 3
Kakulaliya Primary School Sinhala 618B,Kekulaliya 3
Handapangoda Maha Vidyalaya Sinhala 623B,Handapangoda West 1 C
Sagara Palansuriya Maha Vidyalaya Sinhala 622,Handapangoda South 1 C
Isipathana Kanishta Vidyalaya Sinhala 625,Arakawila 2
Maputugala Maha Vidyalaya Sinhala 621A,Rathmalgoda 1 C
Menerigama Primary School Sinhala 625A,Menerigama 3
Batugampala Primary School Sinhala 624,Batugampala 3
Kalupahana Kanishta Vidyalaya Sinhala 618,Wagawatta 2
Manana Sri Ghanarathana Primary School Sinhala 620F,Dombagaskanda 2
Pelpitigoda Primary School Sinhala 622,Pelpitigoda 3
Kandanapitiya Primary School Sinhala 626,Kandanapitiya 3
Kurana Primary School Sinhala 627,Kurana South 3
Dharmaloka Primary School Sinhala 623B,Handapangoda West 3
Eduragala Tamil Primary School Tamil 620E,Eduragala 3
Raigamwaththa Tamil School Tamil 620B,Raigamwaththa 2
Raigamwaththa Saraswathi Tamil School Tamil 620G,Raigamwaththa 3
Perth Tamil School Tamil 618,Wagawatta 3

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Religious Places

Ingiriya Deepaloka Temple

There are many places of worship in and around the city. Buddhist places of worship are more in number, which is to be expected since Buddhists constitute the great majority in the area. Nevertheless, there are few places of worship in the town related to other religions also.

Raigamwatta Kowil
Urugala Sri Thapodhanarama Temple

Temples

Name Address
Sri Devarakkitharamaya Temple Wagawatta, Poruwadanda
Sri Sandagiri Temple Arakawila, Handapangoda
Sri Wickramasinharamaya Temple Maputugala, Poruwadanda
Sri Wijaya Bodhiraja Temple Imagira, Ingiriya
Sri Thapodhanarama Temple Pingodella, Urugala, Ingiriya
Sri Poorwarama Temple Dombagaskanda, Ingiriya
Soliraja Temple Ganethenna, Poruwadanda
Thilakaramaya Temple Poruwadanda
Sri Sanghikaramaya Temple Rathmalgoda, Poruwadanda
Ganeviharaya Temple Handapangoda
Sri Sudharshanaramaya Temple Manana, Poruwadanda
Sri Piyadassanaramaya Temple Kurana, Kotigala, Handapangoda
Sri Sudharmaramaya Temple Kekuladola, Batugampola
Sri Madurasama Temple Nimalagama, Poruwadanda
Sri Gangathilaka Temple Puhuwala
Sri Jayasooriya Temple St.Peter’s Colony, Ingiriya
Sri Nandarathanaramaya Temple Pelpitigoda, Poruwadanda
Deepaloka Temple Ingiriya
Sri Poorwaramaya Temple Kandanapitiya, Bope, Padukka
Siri Nikethanaramaya Temple Kekulaliya, Poruwadanda
Sri Wijayasunandaramaya Temple Panangala Watta, Poruwadanda
Sri Sambodhi Temple Arunagama, Poruwadanda
Sri Ruwanbodhi Temple Boralugoda, Poruwadanda
Sri Sudhampaya Temple Bodhirajagama, Ingiriya
Sri Isipathanaramaya Temple Madakada, Bope, Padukka
Madakada Aranya Senasanaya Madakada, Ingiriya
Bodhinagala Aranya Senasanaya Dombagaskanda, Ingiriya
Nagalena Wiwekaramaya Temple 20 Acres, Ingiriya
Sri Jinarathanaramaya Temple Arakawila, Handapangoda
Sri Shailatalaramaya Temple Wagawatta, Poruwadanda
Kemanandaramaya Batugampola
Sri Sambodhi Aranya Senasanaya Madakada
Sri Subodhi Meheni Aramaya Kurana

Kowils

Name Address
Sri Muththumari Amman Kowil Wagawatta, Poruwadanda
Sri Kurunchi Mahamari Amman Kowil Raigamwatta, Ingiriya
Ingiriya Sri Paththini Kowil Ingiriya
Raigamwatta Sri Paththini Kowil Raigamwatta, Ingiriya

Churches

Name Address
Ingiriya Church Ingiriya

[7]

Notes

  1. ↑ Census and Statistics Report 2012
  2. ↑ Ingiriya Distance Sign
  3. ↑ Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat
  4. ↑ 2012 Annual Rainfall Report
  5. ↑ 2010 Ingiriya News Bulletin
  6. ↑ 2012 Horana Educational Zone Office
  7. ↑ Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat

References

External links

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