A wild elephant attack on Wannila Aththo's hut

The traditional house of the indigenous leader Vanaspathi Uruwarige Wannila Aththo, located in the Dambana indigenous village near Mahiyanganaya, was attacked by a wild elephant last night (02). It is reported that this sudden wild elephant attack has caused significant damage to the house structure.

Sri Lanka's indigenous leader Uruwarige Wannila Aththo resides in a mud-plastered hut, which is known in the Vedda language as "Pelkotaya" or "Mandiraya". These small huts, completely different from the luxurious mansions found in modern society, are constructed using wood, mud, and straw or illuk grass sourced from the forest for roofing. Various local and foreign guests who come to visit Wannila Aththo are welcomed, and special discussions with them are also held in this traditional environment close to nature.

The Dambana indigenous village, which was subjected to the wild elephant attack, is located a very short distance from Mahiyanganaya town, and if traveling by vehicle, it can be reached in a short period of about twenty minutes.

If coming from Colombo, one can reach this village by traveling along the A26 road, which is the Kandy-Mahiyanganaya road, then proceeding from Mahiyanganaya town along the Mahiyanganaya-Padiyathalawa road and turning at the Dambana junction.