Pannalgama reservoir
Pannalgama is a monument village in Ampara district. There are many ruins of the ancient Digamadulla kingdom. Few such sites have been declared as protected archaeological sites and many more are yet to be explored. One such place is Pannalgama Aranya Senasanaya, a living forest hermitage of meditating Buddhist monks. The hermitage lies eastern slopes of the mountains north of the reservoir. To reach the place we have to travel nearly 10 Km into the road ‘Siyambalanduwa’. In the road which leads to the area, there is a beautiful pond and we can see sugar cane fields on both sides of the road. It gives a beautiful experience while passing through. We can see the ‘Hingurana Sugar Factory’ too.
There are two more ponds in Pannalgama besides the view of the Pannalgama hill. It is a 2500 years old hill. We are not permitted to climb the hill after 04.00 pm considering the wild elephant encounters. It is known to be the biggest rock in Ampara. There are many 1000-1500 years old trees which can be seen, also along the pathway to the hill. Even they are taller than the hill. There is a cave where Buddhist monks are living in and a viharaya too. There are many strange insects which are known to be indegenous also can be found in this area, as it is a very ancient place that is well preserved till date. There is a pond on the top of the hill which is related to many historical incidents. This place is much related with Buddhism and a perfect place to meditate if you are a peace seeker. It gives us a calm atmosphere. One of the most mesmerizing tourist destinations to be visited in Srilanka.
