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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



rougher description than the similar entrances at Madukanda, 

 Kurunturmalai, Tiraviyamalai, &c. The upright stones y 

 instead of having guardian goddesses carved on them as at 

 these places, have simply a rough outline cut into the surface.. 

 The steps are of brick. 



There was also an ornamental pillar, octagonal in shape, 

 with a figure of a dog with his paw resting on a ball cut on 

 one side and that of a crow on the other, and at the top the 

 Buddhist wheel and other designs. This has since been 

 removed to the Assistant Government Agent's compound at 

 Vavuniya, where it now stands.* 



To go on northwards to the Mullaittivu District. The 

 next Buddhist monastery is found close to the ancient 

 Sinhalese tank which is now called Pandarakulam, in the 

 forest at a short distance to the west of the field. It possibly 

 dates from the second or third century A.D. Its Sinhalese 

 name is unknown. Similar ruins are to be found throughout 

 this neighbourhood, and there is good reason to believe that 

 the main road by which, in pre-Christian times, travellers 

 proceeded from Anuradhapura to the east coast of India 

 passed down this valley. There appears to have been a 

 regular chain of monasteries marking the route from Pada- 

 wiya northwards through the Wanni.f 



I went to see these ruins in 1889. The rocky hill on which 

 they stand is known as Tiraviya-malai ("Treasure Hill"), 

 because, as usual, it is said that treasure is buried there. 



It is a half or three-quarters of a mile on the other side of 

 the minor road to that on which Pandarakulam lies. The 

 hill is formed out of huge black rocks. Ascending this I 

 came across the ruins of a temple (pilima-ge) built in four 

 parallel rows of rectangular pillars, nine of which pillars 



* Diaries of July 13, 1887, April 19, 1889, and November 5, 1889. 



f Sessional Papers, 1886, page 443. The port of embarkation was probably 

 situated 9 or 10 miles south of Mullaittivu on the Chemmalai lagoon. 

 Travellers by this route would pass Ruwanmaduwa, Ariyamadu, and 

 Kanchuramoddai, Otiyamalai, Kurunturmalai, at all of which places there 

 are ruins of Buddhist monasteries. Pandarakulam, however, would be 

 xather out of the way. 



