Anandakulama Tissa Forest Hermitage - near Trincomalee
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Due to the many rock shelters in this area, today's Anandakulama Tissa Forest Hermitage in Andamkulam, a suburb of Trincomalee, was an abode of Buddhist monks already in the early Anuradhapura period. The modern monastery is at the foot of the rocks. But the landmark of Anandakulama alias Andamkulam is a modern Seated Buddha statue placed on a steep, prominent balancing rock on the crest of the hill. An even larger Standing Buddha, also newly erected, can be seen at the foot of the hill, within the precincts of the Anandakulama Tissa Forest Hermitage. The Buddha is advanced by his disciples in two lines.
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"Anandakulama" or "Andamkulam" is also the name of both a small range of hills and of a tank at its foot. The latter is also called Andamkulam, just like the adjacent village area. "Kulam" is a Tamil word for "tank" or "reservoir", corresponding the Sinhala term "Wewa". "Andam", often transcribed "Antam", is a Tamil word, too, though a loanword derived from Sanskrit "anantam", which originally means "without ending". The prefix "an-" for "without" is known from many Indoeuropean languages, and "antam" is etymologically related to the English word "end". In Tamil, which originally is not Indoeuropean, but integrated many words of the Indoeuropean language Sanskrit, "Andam" got the meaning of "Universe", although it also a term for "ovum" or "egg". However, "Ananda" in Sanskrit and Pali has a different meaning, it refers to "perfect happiness" or "supreme bliss".
However, the village of Andankulam, like many places in Trincomalee District, suffered terror attacks during the period of the Sri Lankan cicil war. In 1986, separatist guerilla fighters armed with automatic weapons killed two farmers and furthermore burned eight houses and two trucks in this area.
The Buddhist Anandakulama Tissa Forest Hermitage, also known as Sri Thissa Raja Maha Viharaya, is situated 5 km (3 miles) east of Trincomalee by road. Actually, it's only 2 km west of the Kanniyai Hot Wells, as the crow flies, but it cannot be rached by car from there, as the Andamkulam Hill lies between Kanniyai and the Buddhist temple. The very peak with the the said Buddha statue, however, can well be seen A12 highway near Kanniyai. The hill should not be climbed without a local guide, as this area around it can be frequented by wild elephants that are attracted by the lakes.
However, the village of Andankulam, like many places in Trincomalee District, suffered terror attacks during the period of the Sri Lankan cicil war. In 1986, separatist guerilla fighters armed with automatic weapons killed two farmers and furthermore burned eight houses and two trucks in this area.
The Buddhist Anandakulama Tissa Forest Hermitage, also known as Sri Thissa Raja Maha Viharaya, is situated 5 km (3 miles) east of Trincomalee by road. Actually, it's only 2 km west of the Kanniyai Hot Wells, as the crow flies, but it cannot be rached by car from there, as the Andamkulam Hill lies between Kanniyai and the Buddhist temple. The very peak with the the said Buddha statue, however, can well be seen A12 highway near Kanniyai. The hill should not be climbed without a local guide, as this area around it can be frequented by wild elephants that are attracted by the lakes.
