Moneragala: Temples, Traditions and Cultural Heritage

In Buttala stands Yudaganawa Raja Maha Viharaya, an archaeologically and historically significant site in Moneragala District. Other places in the district tell of religious traditions, historical legends and the distinctive features of individual sites.

Cultural Heritage and Traditions

Kiri Vehera is located in Katharagama, 800 metres north of Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya. It is believed that King Mahasena had Kiri Vehera built. The Bodhi tree behind Kiri Vehera is also linked to a tradition: it is considered one of eight saplings from the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura, planted in the 3rd century BCE. Thus, a traditional attribution for the construction of the shrine and a separate tradition about the tree coexist at the same site.

Dematamal Viharaya holds an important place in the Buttala Divisional Secretary’s Division of Moneragala District and is associated with historical legends from the time of Kings Dutugamunu and Saddatissa. Its paired guardian stones are considered a rare creation at the site and are recognised as a tourist attraction. The legends and the guardian stones offer different insights into the site’s history and distinctive features.

The Esala Perahera in Buttala

The Esala Perahera is held annually at Yudaganawa Raja Maha Viharaya. The 2025 event included traditional dances from the up-country, low-country and Sabaragamuwa traditions, as well as elephants. If you plan to attend the Esala Perahera, check the festival dates and programme for the relevant year in advance.

Rock Formations and Directions

The Galabedda pond is a rock formation known as Kellanne Vala. The pond’s name thus also refers to a distinctive rock formation at the site.

Buduruwagala can be reached via a four-kilometre road opposite Buduruwagala School. The school is about four kilometres from Wellawaya on the Wellawaya–Tissamaharama road. These details provide directions for the journey; check the route locally.

Uva Province: Regional Context

In the wider destination of Uva Province, the Buduruwagala Regional Museum displays antiquities of archaeological and historical value. The exhibits include items from the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy periods. The museum thus adds objects from different historical eras to the region’s attractions.

The proposed Sri Lanka’s Tea Cultural Landscape is located partly in Uva Province. Its scope includes tea plantations, factories, plantation bungalows, churches and Hindu shrines. It also includes railway infrastructure along the Main Line, which runs through Badulla. The proposed status forms part of how this cultural landscape is classified.

In Uva Province, Dunhinda Falls is about five kilometres from Badulla; the waterfall is 64 metres high. Access involves a walking trail of about one kilometre. Along the way, visitors may see wild birds, butterflies, monkeys and deer; visitor conditions can vary seasonally. Diyaluma Ella Falls is also in Uva Province. It is 171 metres high and is described as Sri Lanka’s third-largest waterfall.

Dowa Rock Temple is a protected cultural heritage site in the central highlands of Uva Province. Its main attractions include a 12-metre-high Buddha statue carved from rock and an ornate gateway. In the wider destination of Uva Province, Muthiyangane Raja Maha Viharaya is also considered one of Sri Lanka’s 16 sacred sites. Yala National Park extends through Uva Province into Monaragala District.

Discover more destinations: Kataragama, Galge, Kuda Oya, Buttala, Badulla

For the broader travel overview: Uva Province.