Buddhangala monastery

Buddhangala near Ampara is one of the earliest Buddhist hermitages of Sri Lankan history. It was established in the 2nd century BC by Chitra; a princess of the Digamadulla area of ancient Rohana. Some say it was inhabited by reclusive monks even before Monk Mahinda introduced Buddhism in the Anuradhapura Kingdom in the 3rd century BC. A meditation center has been reestablished in th 20th century. The caves and ruins and modern monastic buildings spread across five flat gneiss rocks. Buddhangala is a rewarding half-day trip for visitors of Gal Oya National Park.

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