GALE DEVIYA GALGE, Ranagiriya

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A small cave - shelter under an overhanging rock, with the front enclosed by a wall of brick or dried clay is sacred to the god Gale Deviya (note 1). It is, however, not definitely known which of caves on –>Ranagiri is the cave of Gale Deviya (note 2). PARKER (1909: 180) suggests Gale Deviya Galge is one of the higher caves. SITUATION: At an unidentified location somewhere on the hill Ranagiri and Ranagiriya (note 3), an isolated outcrop of gneissic rock (DAVY 1821: 419), about 40 or 50 m high. PARKER (1909: 179, 181-182) places Ranagiri not only nearly two miles (about 3 km) above the village of Nirammulla (note 4). CAVE DESCRIPTION: PARKER (1909: 180): As at most of the detached metamorphic hills of Ceylon, there are several large natural caves, due to weathering and flaking of the rock, on the sides of Ranagiriya, which retain evidence of their former occupation as residences of Buddhist monks, or temples ; but all are now abandoned to the forest, and to the bears and leopards hich sometimes take shelter in them. PARKER (1909: 184, figure 42): A small cave - shelter under an overhanging rock, with the front enclosed by a wall of brick or dried clay CULTURAL HISTORY - folklore / religion: PARKER (1909: 179-180) discusses the travels of the god Gale Deviya and his friends. At one stage of their journey, they … were pleased with the general convenience' of a large Buddhist cave-wihara [vihara] or temple which they found established under a rock on the slope of the hill, and wished to take possession of it; but the sixty monks who occupied it refused to hand it over to them, and began to chant 'Pirit' or sacred stanzas, for protection against evil in general and demons in particular, as a spell to keep them out. If they could persevere in this course, and continue the chanting without intermission for seven days and seven nights, demons would have no power over them. In the meantime the Gale Deviya could not harm them while the magical verses were being epeated. So he said to his minister Kuranibucja, -Kill these monks for me.- But the monks went steadily on with the Pirit, and Kurambucja could not touch them unless he could make them stop. It must have been an interesting spectacle. Six days passed, and the demons had made no progress whatever. At last, on the seventh day, the resourceful Kurumbuda threw down into the midst of the holy men the quarter of a bull, at which all the monks started, and raised their hands higher than their shoulders in astonishment, and said with disgust, -Ish!- It was a little word, or hardly a word, but it was fatal to them. The Pint was stopped for an instant, and in that instant Kurumbuda plucked off their heads, and drank their blood. Gale Deviya then took possession of the cave and the hill, which has ever since been his headquarters in Ceylon, his 'Mula-gala' . He wanted to live at this place because it was in the great Pallekaele Forest, nine gawus long and nine gawus broad [note 5], without village in it. Here he could live undisturbed by the busy world around. Over this forest he placed his minister Kurumbuda Devata, in charge as Mura-karaya, or Guardian, with his residence at Kurumban Kanda, a hill in the northern part of it.epeated. So he said to his minister Kuranibucja, -Kill these monks for me.- But the monks went steadily on with the Pirit, and Kurambucja could not touch them unless he could make them stop. It must have been an interesting spectacle. Six days passed, and the demons had made no progress whatever. At last, on the seventh day, the resourceful Kurumbuda threw down into the midst of the holy men the quarter of a bull, at which all the monks started, and raised their hands higher than their shoulders in astonishment, and said with disgust, -Ish!- It was a little word, or hardly a word, but it was fatal to them. The Pint was stopped for an instant, and in that instant Kurumbuda plucked off their heads, and drank their blood. Gale Deviya then took possession of the cave and the hill, which has ever since been his headquarters in Ceylon, his 'Mula-gala' . He wanted to live at this place because it was in the great Pallekaele Forest, nine gawus long and nine gawus broad [note 5], without village in it. Here he could live undisturbed by the busy world around. Over this forest he placed his minister Kurumbuda Devata, in charge as Mura-karaya, or Guardian, with his residence at Kurumban Kanda, a hill in the northern part of it.