ISTRIPURA CAVE, Kosgolla

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An extensive or an estimated 400 feet (122 m) long cave … displaying much stalagmite (DERANIYAGALA 1955) or cavern festooned with stalagmite (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974) contains not only speleothems but also a large subterranean lake (DERANIYAGALA 1955). IDENTITY: The Istripura galgé near Mulhalkälé (DERANIYAGALA 1955: 301) is obviously the same as the third Istripura cave near the village of Kosgolla in the valley overlooking Mulhalkalle (Watumulla) (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 241; 1983: 243). This -Kosgolla cave- (Nuwara Eliya), however, is not to be confused with the likewise speleothem- rich –>Kosgalla Cave (Ratnapura) or –>Kosgala Caves (Ratnapura). SITUATION: In way or another, the Istripura cave at Kosgolla is not far (about 4 km in a direct line south) from –>Istripura Cave (Pannala) and somewhere in the vicinity of the village of Kosgolla (N07°07': E080°53'), which lies about 3 km in a direct line approximately north-east of the villages of Mulhalkelle / Mulhalkele (note 1) and Wtamula / Wattamula / Watamulla (note 2), which themselves lie on the road from Kandy (N07°17'47”: E080°38'06” WGS84) generally south-east and at travelling distances of 37 miles (59.5 km) and 38 miles (61 km) respectively between Hanguranketa (N07°10'38”: E080°46'43” WGS84) and Ragala (N07°00'28”: E080°51'14” WGS84). SITUATION 1955: DERANIYAGALA, P E P (1955: 301) places Istripura galgé near Mulhalkälé. SITUATION 1974: CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 241; 1983: 243) locates the third Istripura cave … near the village of Kosgolla in the valley overlooking Mulhalkalle (Watumulla) on the Kandy - Hanguranketa road. It lies on the right bank of the Kurunda oya [note 3], which flows into the Mahaveli due north about six miles [10 km] as the crow flies. CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 154): Highly impressive caves … at Kosgalla (sic) lie at a travelling distance of 5 miles (about 8 km) from the rest house at Ratnapura. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1955 (DERANIYAGALA, P E P 1955: 301): This extensive cave diplays much stalagmite, and possesses floor deposits containing bones, Podomus shells and lithic artefacts cemented together. It also contains a large subterranean lake.CAVE DESCRIPTION 1974 (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 241; 1983: 243): This extensive cavern […] is festooned with stalagmite. The subterranean monster, which contains, among other things, a large lake, is 400 feet or so [122 m] in length –certainly one of the largest in the country.plays much stalagmite, and possesses floor deposits containing bones, Podomus shells and lithic artefacts cemented together. It also contains a large subterranean lake.CAVE DESCRIPTION 1974 (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 241; 1983: 243): This extensive cavern […] is festooned with stalagmite. The subterranean monster, which contains, among other things, a large lake, is 400 feet or so [122 m] in length –certainly one of the largest in the country.