THEN
- Ishtreepura (also spelled Ishtripura or istri pura) means an area of women in
Sinhalese. This was one of the places to which King Ravana hid Sitadevi as a
precautionary measure. He was forced to take this action due to Hanuman’s
advent. There are lots of intruding tunnels and caves in this area.
NOW
- Ishtreepura seems to be a part of a great ingenious network of paths, which
is interconnected to all the major areas of King Ravana’s city. Most of the
tunnels are yet to be fully explored.
Ravana
Cave & tunnels prove beyond doubt the architectural brilliance of King
Ravana. The tunnels served as a quick means of transport through the hills and
also as secret passages.
It
is believed that the tunnels networked all the important cities and dairy
farms. A close look at the tunnels indicate that they are man-made and not
natural formations. This Buddhist shrine at Kalutara was where once King
Ravana’s palace and a tunnel existed. Existing tunnel mouths are situated at –
Isthripur at Welimada, Ravana cave at Bandarawela, Senapitiya at Halagala,
Ramboda, Labookelle, Wariyapola/ Matale, and Sitakotuwa / Hasalaka.
