Dodanduwa

Dodanduwa is a coastal village situated in Galle District, Southern Province of Sri Lanka, integrated into Hikkaduwa Urban Council.^[1]

Dodanduwa දොඩන්දූව Dodandoowa
Village
Forest monks's chapter hall (to Island Hermitage)
Dodanduwa Location in Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 6°5′48″N 80°8′44″E
Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Southern Province
District	Galle District
Hikkaduwa Urban Council	Hikkaduwa
Population  (2001)
• Total	6,200
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time)

Dodanduwa is known for a Buddhist Island Hermitage where monks follow the strict Sri Lankan Forest Tradition (meditation and loneliness).

The town is located approximately 14 kilometres (9 mi) north of Galle and 140 kilometres (87 mi) south of Colombo. Prior to the Second World War, Dodanduwa was known as the commercial centre for Salt Fish or Jaadi.^[2]

Transport

Road

Located on the A2 highway (Colombo-Galle-Hambantota-Wellawaya) a part of the Colombo-Galle road.

Rail

Dodanduwa railway station is the 45th station on the Coastal Line and is located 101.5 km (63.1 mi) from Colombo.^[3][4] The station, constructed in 1900, has one platform and all non-express trains running on the Coastal Line stop at the station.^[5]

Education

The Sri Piyaratana School at Dodanduwa is the first Buddhist School in the country, and was inaugurated by Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero in 1869.^[6][7]

Buddhist temples

• Island Hermitage
• Shailabimbarama Maha Viharaya
• Morakola Gangarama Temple
• Kumarakanda Maha Viharaya^[8]
• Rajarama Purana Viharaya

See also

• Hikkaduwa
• Thiranagama
• Galle Fort
• Kanneliya Forest
• List of towns in Southern Province, Sri Lanka