The official commencement of the archaeological excavation at Ritigala Banda Pokuna was held yesterday (20th) under the Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. H. Sunil Seniviratne.
The event was also attended by Dr. Nilan Cooray, Director General of the Central Cultural Fund; Dr. Sumedha Mathota, Director (Development); and the Assistant Director of the Ritigala Project, Venerable Godamune Pannasīha Thero, along with several other dignitaries and officials.
The excavation is planned to be completed over four years.
The ancient Banda Pokuna, located within the Ritigala Archaeological Reserve, holds biological significance as a natural ecosystem and great archaeological and architectural value.
Situated on the border between the Palugaswewa and Kekirawa Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the North Central Province, the Ritigala archaeological site is considered, like Dambulla and Sigiriya, to be the result of geological transformations such as land erosion that occurred over thousands of years.
Following the inauguration of the excavation work, the Minister also undertook a site visit and tour of the Ritigala archaeological grounds.
