Ritigala being the tallest mountain in the north central region is the home for 70 rock caves that were inhabited since first century BC where monks have been living in caves or rock shelters. The inscriptions at Ritigala reveal that the site became a rock monastery for hermit monks where the rock monastery was founded by King Lanji Tissa to safe guard the followings of Panskulika monks that practiced extreme austerity.

Many of the ruins being restored by the Archeological Department which was previously damaged by South Indian invasions to Sri Lanka is a lesser known hidden gems of Sri Lanka that boasts of great wild life, historic value and cultural heritage.