BENDIYA GALGE 1 (Lower)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A cave entrance without known shape and dimensions faces an unspecified direction and leads to the lower one of two rock shelters (Brooks 1995 Mss no 16) or a cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: ?; 1983: 175). ETYMOLOGY: So far, I saw this important, inhabitable cave (used as a shelter) or rock shelter (considered a cave) called, spelled or edited as Bendiya Galge (DERANIYAGALA 1980: 157), Henebedda cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1983: 175), Henebadda cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1983: 176). SITUATION: Somewhere in the vicinity of the village called Henebedda or Henebadda and Henebedde (note 1). CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974:?; 1983: 176) locates the Henebadda caves at an unspecified distance of two miles [about 3 km either along a route or in a direct line] to the west [of the village of] Potuliyadde or Potuliyadda N07°16': E081°27'). According to CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 175), the –>Danigala and Henebedda caves are in the same range of hills, which are among the … most fascinating feature of the [Gal Oya Ntional …] Park are the rugged ranges of hills that reach high above the rolling plaines. The Danigala Range [note 2] is the finest of all, its peaks rising over 2000 feet [610 m]. The veddahs of old chose this range for their home and lived in the caves atop it (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1983: 175). CULTURAL HISTORY - According to CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 175), the Henebedda [sic] caves were the homes of the Sitala Wanniya clan of veddahs while, a page later, it were the Henebadda [sic] caves, where the veddahs once lived (CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 175). DERANIYAGALA (1980: 157) Confirms that both the upper and the lower Bendiya Galge were occupied till 1911 by Veddah people. Archaeological excavation yielded historical findings in addition to prehistoric stone tools.A cave entrance without known shape and dimensions faces an unspecified direction and leads to the lower one of two rock shelters (Brooks 1995 Mss no 16) or a cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: ?; 1983: 175). ETYMOLOGY: So far, I saw this important, inhabitable cave (used as a shelter) or rock shelter (considered a cave) called, spelled or edited as Bendiya Galge (DERANIYAGALA 1980: 157), Henebedda cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1983: 175), Henebadda cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1983: 176). SITUATION: Somewhere in the vicinity of the village called Henebedda or Henebadda and Henebedde (note 1). CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974:?; 1983: 176) locates the Henebadda caves at an unspecified distance of two miles [about 3 km either along a route or in a direct line] to the west [of the village of] Potuliyadde or Potuliyadda N07°16': E081°27'). According to CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 175), the –>Danigala and Henebedda caves are in the same range of hills, which are among the … most fascinating feature of the [Gal Oya Ntional …] Park are the rugged ranges of hills that reach high above the rolling plaines. The Danigala Range [note 2] is the finest of all, its peaks rising over 2000 feet [610 m]. The veddahs of old chose this range for their home and lived in the caves atop it (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1983: 175). CULTURAL HISTORY - According to CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 175), the Henebedda [sic] caves were the homes of the Sitala Wanniya clan of veddahs while, a page later, it were the Henebadda [sic] caves, where the veddahs once lived (CEYLON TRAVELLER (1983: 175). DERANIYAGALA (1980: 157) Confirms that both the upper and the lower Bendiya Galge were occupied till 1911 by Veddah people. Archaeological excavation yielded historical findings in addition to prehistoric stone tools.