The giant of Maduru Oya-Omunugala ඕමුනුගල (513m)

Year and Month	2017 February
Number of Days	One day
Crew	08-Chamara, Indunil, Prabath, Myself and four wild life officers
Accommodation	Not applicable
Transport	Car and Hiking
Activities	Hiking and Photography
Weather	Excellent
Route	Polonnaruwa->Aralaganwila (අරලගoවිල)->Kandegama (කන්දේගම)->Maduru Oya NP->Omunugala->Returned in same route->Polonnaruwa
Tips, Notes and Special remark	It needs permission to climb the rock as it is situated in Maduru Oya NP. Start the journey early. Better wear long attire. Carry a bottle to refill with water. We had enough water due to rain occurred 1 week ago. But these water streams must be dry during dry season. Except wild elephants. Road condition is excellent except few sections along Aralaganwila road. Historical information quoted from “The Sinhala Buddhist Heritage in the East and The North of Shri Lanka” by Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread The giant of Maduru Oya-Omunugala ඕමුනුගල (513m)

Maduru oya National park (මාදුරු ඔය ජාතික වනෝදයානය) is one of four national parks created in Mahaweli Development project. It is situated crossing two districts: Polonnaruwa and Ampara. There are few isolated mountains situated at Maduru Oya national park. Omunugala is the highest of it (513m). Omanugala has a historical back ground. According to Ellawala Medhananda Thero’s description “A beautiful waterfall is seen, and a dam (Avuna) was constructed at the foot of the mountain to direct water. Thus the name Hoya Avuna<Omuna may have come into existence.”

Omunugala peak is shown by black star. Black arrow shows the only approach. Currently this road doesn’t exist. Click map to enlarge.

Historical Background of Omunugala
According Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero Omunugala has a history from Pre Common times. The ruins show its gradual development over considerable centuries. He describes number of ruins at the foot of the mountain. And there are caves from base of the Mountain up to a level little below the summit. One inscription of a cave tells about General Nandimitra (නන්දමිත්රh යෝධයා) of King Dutugamunu. According to the description the largest cave is about 120’ in length.

I have noticed Omunugala in several times: On Dimbulagala, Thoppigala etc. And it must be best viewed from Kandegama rock/ Dhanigala-one of the popular destination of these days. It was a dream for me to climb this mountain/rock as it is situated at a national park. However I was able to resolve permission issue.
Prabath and Chamara came from Colombo and joined with me at Polonnaruwa. As usual we have started the journey early morning and drove up to Aralaganwila. Then we have selected Manampitiya-Aralaganwila road and passed Kandegama wild life office. This road runs through Maduru Oya NP and developed for Dayata-Kirula.
Four wild life officers with a civil defense member also joined with us and it was around 8.00 am when we started the journey.
Omunugala is a range of mountain with two peaks. It is a rock with sheer drop in three sides and can be approached only in one side. (Map reading tells it). It is situated about 2-3km from the main road inside Maduru Oya NP. This 2-3km is an almost plain where we came across number of water streams needed to cross. These water streams drain to NDK Lake. It was something unexpected at dry zone, might be due to heavy rain occurred 1week ago.
This journey was special for wild life officers as none of them have been at this rock before. The civil defense officer was supposed to be the guide but he said he also has been only at old Omunugala village and cave. Actually you can encounter wild Elephants at anytime but they had “Ali Wedi”-අලි වෙඩි. According to them there was an old village closer to this rock and removed after it was declared as a NP. The cave temple was the temple of that village.
First we went to visit at cave but watched it in distance and divert to climb the mountain. This stretch of journey gave us the chance to visit number of ruins and drip legged caves. All these caves situated closer to the base of the mountain. Most of the ruins were destroyed by treasure hunters. There are evidences of recent human activities as well. It was bit difficult to find a place to get on to the rock but eventually we did it. It was surprise to see another water stream pouring from the rock.

View of Omunugala from Dimbulagala (දිඹුලාගල).

View of Omunugala from Dhanigala/Kandegama ( කන්දේගම/ ධානිගල). Photo credit goes to Ashan.

Early morning beginning from Polonnaruwa.

Get blessings from Ayyiyanayaka Dewiyo (අයියනායක දෙවියෝ).

Passing Manampitiya Bridge

Along Manampitiya-Maduru Oya-Maha Oya road. This road runs through Maduru Oya NP.

View of Omanugala

Dhanigala / Kandegama mountain range. One of popular destination of these days.

Southern end of Dhanigala range

Starting the journey. Notice the plain where mountain range is situated.

Crossing water streams. These get activated following recent rain.

Sometimes it needed a jump to cross. Sometimes we got into the stream and crossed it.

Maduru Oya NP

Walking along flat area

Omunugala Range

Closer view of Omunugala

Other part of Omunugala range

Poultry is an illegal activity within a NP.

Going around the rock to view the cave.

Omunugala. And this is the plain where ancient Omunugala village was situated. It was removed after establishing NP. Cave is situated closer to right hand side of the rock. Rock can be only approached in left hand side of the photo.

Omunugala cave where temple was situated. We didn’t visit there.

Omunugala cave. Photo credit goes to Chamara.

Crossing a main water stream. It was amazing to see these kinds of water streams at dry zone.

Ruins

Five headed Cobra

Drip legged cave

It was like walking in Great Canyon

I have never been at a place like this.

Finally got on the rock

The upper surface of Omunugala ascended to east and highest point is situated towards east. Initial rock surface was a good view point where we could watch Dhanigala/ Kandegama rock, Maduru Oya-Maha Oya road, NDK Lake (Nagolle Dee Kodiunee), Kamburagala (කබුරාගල), Maduru Oya reservoir, Ulhitiya Mountain (උල්හිටිය කන්ද) , Kokagala (කොකාගල), Pimburaththawa lake (පිඹුරත්තාව වැව) and Dimbulagala. We went through Mana bushes and ended up at a long rock plain where you can pitch about hundred tents. There were some bricks at highest point of Omunugala is telling the story of an old stupa. This side faced towards Narakamulla (නරකමුල්ල) and Thoppigala (තොප්පිගල) area. And we could view the eastern coast as well.

Trying to identify surrounding structures

Good view point

Narakamulla side and Thoppigala popped up just above hills.

Maduru Oya NP. We could observe few Wadi from here. These are evidence of illegal activities inside the park.

NDK Lake. Pimburaththawa Lake is seen bit far.

Kamburagala /Topagala. Kokagala is seen far behind.

Maduru Oya reservoir and Ulhitiya Mountain.

Kind of unknown rock is seen in eastern side.

Going further up….

We kept our track closer to the edge of the rock. There was a Mana growth.

The rocky plain.

Debris of Stupa at the highest point Omunugala.

On top of Omunugala

Macro view

On top of Omunugala. This is a nice camping site.

This water stream originate from Omunugala

I am on top of the mountain

We spent about 2 hours on top of Omunugala. As it was around 4-4.30 pm we expected to come across wild elephants on our way back.
It was bit late when we crossed the plain and surrounding was dark when we reached the road. But it gave an opportunity us to capture nice moments of sun set. It was a day of my dream became true.