About this experience
Ritigala is a forested mountain in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle, and on its lower slopes lie the ruins of an ancient Buddhist forest monastery. The mountain rises across four peaks inside a strict nature reserve of over 3,000 acres, and the archaeological area alone covers more than 50 acres. It is one of the quietest ancient sites in the country, and one of the most rewarding for anyone happy to walk.
The story of the place reaches back to rock inscriptions from the 1st century BCE, carved at the caves where the first monks lived. Centuries later, in the 9th century, King Sena I endowed the monastery to the Pamsukulika monks, an ascetic order who lived apart from the comforts of the city. What survives from that time are the padhanaghara, pairs of raised stone platforms joined by a narrow stone bridge, set on massive retaining walls among the trees.
The visit follows a stone-slab path that climbs gently through dense jungle. The path is laid with carefully fitted blocks of hewn stone, and it passes broad circular platforms where walkers once paused before continuing. Along the way are flights of worn steps, the remains of a bathing pond, meditation platforms and a few caves, all shaded by the forest that has grown back around them.
Lakpura sells this entrance ticket together with a local guide service, so you arrive with your admission arranged and someone on foot beside you who knows the site. The guide helps you read the ruins, from the purpose of the double platforms to the life the monks led here. Ritigala is a walking visit on uneven stone, so comfortable shoes, water and a little patience in the heat are worth bringing.
