Buttala is often considered the gateway to a multifaceted Sinhalese region. This holds particularly true, as many travellers make a stop here to prepare for exploring the surrounding area. This locality on the island stands out primarily for the numerous attractions scattered throughout the region. Its forests, wildlife, temples, and fields make the region and town a magical and unmissable destination. Despite its turbulent past, Buttala remains remarkably popular for its incredible vistas, fascinating narratives, ancient treasures, and above all, the resilience of its repeatedly tested people.

History

Buttala carries behind it a long and complex history: spanning from ancient Sri Lanka to the post-war period. Its origins trace back to the 2nd century BCE. At that time, the region fell under the dominion of the legendary Sinhalese king Dutugamunu.

Ancient Sri Lanka

The 6th-century Buddhist chronicle "Mahavamsa" recounts that the forces of the young monarch Dutugamunu made a stop at Buttala. These troops were advancing northward toward the capital of the Rajarata kingdom: Anuradhapura. Their objective was to overthrow the king Elara of the Chola empire.

At that time, Buttala was positioned on the northern frontier of the kingdom of Ruhunu. It served as an advanced military base for the Sri Lankan royal forces to reach Anuradhapura and functioned as the rice supply centre for the king's armed forces. A role that earned it the nickname of the "rice bowl of Sri Lanka" and became the basis for its name's etymology. Buttala derives from the combination of "Buth," meaning "rice," and "Hala," designating "centre." Other ancient chronicles suggest the locality was originally named Gushtihala, meaning "centre of war," which later became Guttahala and finally Buttala.

Post-War History

In Sri Lanka, colonization represented an extended period of desolate and brutal warfare.

During the 3rd Kandyan War, also known as the Uva Rebellion, Sri Lanka experienced some of its bloodiest and most atrocious battles. The British completely suppressed Sinhalese rebel uprisings. As punishment, these European colonizers executed every able-bodied man from Uva over 18 years of age. They also reduced their homes to ashes, leaving women and children without shelter or resources. In this vein, these foreign invaders destroyed the entire irrigation network of the province's hundred thousand rice fields. They burned and poisoned crops and plantations, and slaughtered livestock. It was an enormous sweep-and-eradication operation.

Faced with such devastation, it seemed impossible that Buttala could ever recover from its war wounds.

That said, the British did not bring only terror to Sri Lanka, particularly to Buttala. In 1981, the English group Booker Tate PLC established the island's largest sugar plantations across several thousand hectares and its most significant processing factory. More specifically, this was at Pelwatte. Through this development, the company lifted the local population out of deep poverty and created over 5,000 jobs: from farmers to factory workers. Rice and sugar cane became the region's dominant crops.

In 1992, Buttala received another breath of life. This Sri Lankan town was admitted to a village revival programme. Various projects were conceived, including the construction of new roads, a town centre, affordable housing, water and electricity systems, as well as rural development initiatives.

The establishment of an independent state and private sector involvement, coupled with the opening of this new administrative division, allowed Buttala to finally emerge from hardship.

Today

"Welcome to Buttala!" This is what comes to mind upon first seeing the grand arch at the town's entrance. It forms the gateway to a region of multiple attractions. But before venturing forth, Buttala itself is worth exploring. This town is an essential stop to stock up on supplies and refreshments. You'll find a modest supermarket, numerous shops, restaurants, and banks.

Once prepared, head toward Buttala and its surroundings. Exploring its dozens of peaceful villages invites discovery of the island's rural life. You can delight in stunning views across vast rice paddies, but especially its sugar cane plantations. Along the way, plan a tour of the sugar processing factory with prior authorization.

After the agricultural landscapes, you can admire the beauty of its verdant nature: pristine and lush. On the roads, scenery alternates between countryside vistas and tropical nature. You'll see chena fields, dense then thorny forests, flowering trees, and rare timber around the fields. It's an unparalleled spectacle.

That said, Buttala offers far more than travel scenery. It boasts numerous sites and attractions of interest, the most celebrated being:

Yala National Park

Approximately 25 km from Buttala, this protected reserve harbours multiple ecosystems and highly diverse fauna. You'll have the opportunity to pass elephant checkpoints by offering tropical fruits as passage and explore its five blocks.

The Buddha Statue at Maligawila

This is the largest and oldest Buddha statue in the Abhaya Mudra position in Sri Lanka. This limestone monument dates from the 7th century and measures just over 11 metres in height.

The Dambegoda Bodhisattva Statue at Maligawila

This small locality is home to another Buddhist statue. This one depicts a Bodhisattva (Buddha-to-be) just under 10 metres tall. Legend has it that around the 10th century, this statue was mutilated into several pieces and scattered in all directions. Around the 1950s, archaeologists reassembled these fragments and carefully mounted them like a puzzle.

Yudaganawa Rajamaha Viharaya—The War Theatre

This is a complex containing several antiquities such as statues of King Dutugamunu, places of worship, monasteries including devalayas (sanctuaries for venerating deities), a boundary pillar between the southern and central-north kingdoms, and an enormous stupa with a circumference of approximately 316 metres. The Yudaganawa region is said to have been the theatre of battles of the Sri Lankan royalty during Dutugamunu's reign.

Budugallena Forest Monastery

Visiting this temple constitutes an expedition characterized by fulfilment and peace. The starting point is the Budugallena temple. Then you continue on a hike deep into the jungle toward the monastery. You ascend 117 steps and arrive at an ancient sanctuary inviting meditation.

Dematamal Viharaya

This historic site was the spiritual refuge of Tissa, fleeing conflict with his brother Gemunu. His brother later arrived to capture him, but Gemunu respected the temple's sacred character and refrained from disturbing it. He waited until Tissa emerged briefly from the monastery to set an ambush. And so Tissa was ambushed. The monks present then cared for this wounded and frightened monarch. Tissa begged his brother's forgiveness, and thus this temple became the place of reconciliation between these two brothers.

Beyond these attractions, Buttala is worth visiting for its seeping caves with a white statue perched atop the complex, the meditation chamber with its sand pathway, Rahathankanda or the Mountain of Solace (a hermitage and temple), the river of giants, the suspension bridge, and the Weli Ara reservoir, the Handapanagala reservoir, ancient Habessa caves, a jungle trek featuring wild elephant observation, the river of precious stones, and a yogurt factory producing buffalo milk yogurt.

When to Visit?

Buttala has a warm oceanic climate with tropical dominance. The island has no true dry season. It rains frequently overall, though winter months see the most abundant precipitation. The annual average temperature is 15.8°C with 1,005.3 mm of rainfall.

In summer, there is more sunshine than rain on the horizon. March remains the driest month, though showers still occur (45.4 mm). April, however, is the warmest month with an average temperature of 16.9°C. January is the coldest month (14.7°C), and October is the wettest (127.8 mm).

This makes the best months to visit from March to September, adding December to the list. That said, the notion of a favourable period depends on each traveller. In any case, Buttala has no truly unfavourable months for a local visit.

Buttala is located in the south-eastern part of the island, in the Monaragala district within Uva province. From Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, you can take a taxi to reach the town centre. The journey takes approximately an hour and a half.

If you wish to reach this Sinhalese town from the larger cities on the peninsula, you have several options: bus, train, taxi, or car rental. In any case, distances are considerable. Approximately 250 km from Colombo, the capital, 45 km from Ella, 50 km from Arugam Bay, and 27 km from Yala (Galge).