BALLAWALABOKA GALGE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A rock shelter of unidentified nature, shape and dimensions. ETYMOLOGY: Ballawalaboka Galge (SARASIN & SARASIN 1908) translates literally into Ballawalaboka Rock Shelter (gala = rock, ge = home, house). Brooks (1995 Mss no 12), however, took it as an Ballawala-Boka Cave (spelling differs). SITUATION: SARASIN & SARASIN (1908) locate Ballawalaboka Galge at an unspecified distance north of the village of Nilgala (note 1). CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: ?; 1983: 175) locates the Danigala Range (note 2) within the Gal Oya National Park and place Danigala itself on the crest of a hill four miles (6.5 km) along a steep, winding jungle path without identified direction from Ratugala (note 3). Brooks (1995 Mss, item no. 12) had learnt the Ballawaha Cave lies at the southern end of the Danigala chain of hills. APPROACH (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974, 1983: 176): At a travelling distance of twelve miles (19.3 km approximately north-west) towards Bulupitiya (N07°15': E081°20'), a jeep track to the right (wihout direction) runs six miles (9.6 km) through talawa country [talawa, rolling park land] to Nilgala on the banks of the Gal oya (note 4). CULTURAL HISTORY - archaeology: Excavation yielded historical findings (SARASIN & SARASIN 1908; DERANIYAGALA 1980: 155).A rock shelter of unidentified nature, shape and dimensions. ETYMOLOGY: Ballawalaboka Galge (SARASIN & SARASIN 1908) translates literally into Ballawalaboka Rock Shelter (gala = rock, ge = home, house). Brooks (1995 Mss no 12), however, took it as an Ballawala-Boka Cave (spelling differs). SITUATION: SARASIN & SARASIN (1908) locate Ballawalaboka Galge at an unspecified distance north of the village of Nilgala (note 1). CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: ?; 1983: 175) locates the Danigala Range (note 2) within the Gal Oya National Park and place Danigala itself on the crest of a hill four miles (6.5 km) along a steep, winding jungle path without identified direction from Ratugala (note 3). Brooks (1995 Mss, item no. 12) had learnt the Ballawaha Cave lies at the southern end of the Danigala chain of hills. APPROACH (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974, 1983: 176): At a travelling distance of twelve miles (19.3 km approximately north-west) towards Bulupitiya (N07°15': E081°20'), a jeep track to the right (wihout direction) runs six miles (9.6 km) through talawa country [talawa, rolling park land] to Nilgala on the banks of the Gal oya (note 4). CULTURAL HISTORY - archaeology: Excavation yielded historical findings (SARASIN & SARASIN 1908; DERANIYAGALA 1980: 155).