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yEmbilipitiya
kingdom of Ruhunu. Wellawaya is simply a
small crossroads town and, apart from the
nearby Buduruwagala carvings, there’s not
much of interest in the area. Roads run north
through the spectacular Ella Gap to the Hill
Country, south to Tissamaharama and the
coast, east to the coast and west to Colombo.
1 Sights
oBuduruwagala mONUmENT
(admission Rs 200; h6.30am-6pm) About 5km
south of Wellawaya, a side road branch-
es west off the Tissa road to the beautiful,
1000-year-old, rock-cut Buddha figures of Bu-
duruwagala. Surrounded by smaller carved
figures, the gigantic standing Buddha (at
15m, it is the tallest on the island) in the cen-
tre still bears traces of its original stuccoed
robe, and a long streak of orange suggests it
was once brightly painted.
̈ The Central Figures
The central of the three figures to the Bud-
dha’s right is thought to be the Mahayana
Buddhist figure Avalokiteśvara (the bo-
dhisattva of compassion). To the left of
this white-painted figure is a female figure
thought to be his consort, Tara. Local legend
says the third figure represents Prince Sud-
hana.
̈ The Other Figures
Of the three figures on the Buddha’s left-hand
side, the crowned figure at the centre of the
group is thought to be Maitreya, the future
Buddha. To his left stands Vajrapani, who
holds a vajra (an hourglass-shaped thunder-
bolt symbol) – an unusual example of the
Tantric side of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The
figure to the left may be either Vishnu or Sa-
hampath Brahma. Several of the figures hold
up their right hands with two fingers bent
down to the palm – a beckoning gesture.
The name Buduruwagala is derived from
the words for Buddha (Budu), images (ruva)
and stone (gala). The figures are thought to
date from around the 10th century and be-
long to the Mahayana Buddhist school, which
enjoyed a brief heyday in Sri Lanka during
this time.
An ancient stupa has recently been uncov-
ered halfway along the road from the junc-
tion to the carvings.
̈ Practical Tips
You may be joined by a guide, who will ex-
pect a tip. A three-wheeler from Wellawaya
costs about Rs 500 return. Some people walk
from the junction of the main road, which is
very pleasant but also long and very hot. The
route crosses a series of delicate lakes. Keep
an eye out for local birdlife, including many
egrets and herons.Archaeological Museum mUSEUm
(h8am-4.30pm Wed-mon, closed poya days & public
holidays) F This museum, on the corner of
the main road from Wellawaya and the road
to the Buduruwagala Buddhas, has stone
an d terracotta artefacts from nearby Budu-
ru wagala. The artefacts are interesting, but
si gnage is generally in Sinhalese only – and
so meone needs to replace the blown light
bulbs!4 leeping & EatingS
T here’s a flurry of restaurants and snack
stands across the road from the bus station.Little Rose g UESTHOUSE $
(%567 8360; http://www.littlerosewellawaya.com; 101
Ti ssa Rd; incl breakfast, s with/without air-con Rs
30 00/2000, d with/without air-con Rs 4000/2500;
aW) Just 500m from the bus station, this is
yo ur best option if you’re staying overnight
to wait for onward transport. This country
ho me is in a quiet rural setting, surround-
ed by rice paddies and run by a welcoming
family. Good, inexpensive meals are available.
A three-wheeler from the bus station costs
about Rs 120.8 Getting There & Away
Wellawaya is a common staging point between
the Hill Country and the south and east coasts.
You can usually find a connection here until
midafternoon. For Tissamaharama, change at
Pannegamanuwa Junction (Rs 88).
Buses leave when full.DESTINATION FARE TIME
Ella Rs 67 1hr
Embilipitiya Rs 118 2½hr
monaragala Rs 74 1hr
Tangalla Rs 160 3½hrEmbilipitiya
% 047
Embilipitiya is sometimes used as a base for
to urs to Uda Walawe National Park, as it’s
on ly 23km south of the park’s ticket office.
Ho wever, with the increasing range of ac-
co mmodation around the park itself, there’s
mu ch less reason to stay in this otherwise
busy agricultural town.