Distance from Ampara – 45.8 km (59 minutes)

Aranthalawa Buddhist Monks Memorial Temple is built as a tribute to all the Buddhists monks that were killed at the massacre that occurred at this location on 2 June 1987. It is situated along the Ampara – Uhana – Maha Oya Highway in Nuwaragalatenna in Ampara district. A total of 31 young Buddhists monks, not even in their teens, including the chief monk and 4 civilians were killed here.

In 2003, the Helabima Organization along with the Special Task Force (STF) built this memorial. In 2013, a local artist built a memorial museum at this location using the same bus in which the monks traveled on that fateful day. A new monument with the statue of the Chief Priest Venerable Hegoda Indrasara is built by the road.

Getting to Aranthalawa Buddhist Monks Memorial Temple

From Ampara travel along the Ampara – Uhana – Maha Oya Highway passing Uhana, Weranketagoda, Gonagolla, and Mangalagama up to Nuwaragalatenna to reach the Aranthalawa Buddhist Monks Memorial Temple.

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