Most Sacred Mountain in the World – Sri Pada (Rajamale Route)

Sri Pada, probably the most sacred and worshipped mountain in the whole universe, is a place where millions of pilgrims visit year after year. This is not just another mountain to be climbed but a place where people from many different religions, races and nationalities pay homage. This is a hallmark of the Buddhists where they worship the footprint of one (probably the greatest) of the great philosophers, mind you not just a religious leader, who had walked on this earth. However, there are a few other religious groups that believe this to be their religion leader’s footprint.

For the past hundreds maybe thousands of years countless number of people has visited this sacred place in the hope of getting some inner peace into their troubled minds. Not only those who seek some peace and quiet conquer this mountain but also adventurous travelers who need to test their stamina and add this mesmerizing peak to their ticked list. There are many others with so many reasons that come to this place in numbers.

Talking about Sri Lankans, they have been doing this journey from as far as we can dig into the history. The conditions had been so arduous and dangerous due to the sheer height and unforgiving terrain. However nothing has so far been able to stop the relentless trying and courage of the people and I’m very sure nothing will change that in the future either. From newborns to the great grandmothers and fathers this is a journey that needs to be achieved at least once in their lifetimes. It’s become a dream for many and even an obsession for some but everyone regardless of their age, physical & mental conditions and gender this is a must-do.

There are many people who have done and still do this journey as many times as possible. That is for many, something to boast about. To symbolize the number of attempts, there is a ritual they perform once at the summit. That is to ring a bell located at the peak depending on the number of times you’ve been there. For example, if that is your first time, you can ring the bell just once. If that was your tenth visit, you could ring it ten times. This is not a rule, but a simple and a long-lasting custom out of many by the pilgrims. Among them are some very interesting rituals performed by the devotees but I’ll leave you to search for them that are widely available in many reference books.

Recollections of my first visit to this sacred place are vague and sketchy. It occurred when I was a kid, probably around ten. Out of the few things I can recall are the overflowing people, Seetha Gangula (the stream that flows from the Sri Pada Mountain), darkness, extreme cold, never-ending steps and a rock hard fish bun whose exorbitant price made my granny’s eyes pop clean out of their sockets. She could only afford one and I can remember my teeth biting into the rocky bun and the pain which shot through the jaws all the way into the brain. We traveled in the night after a cold bath in the Seetha Gangula, climbing countless steps being chilled to the marrow making one of the team to lend his sweater to me. I had no idea as to why on earth we were doing that at the time. It all seemed very peculiar to see that many people trying to get to the top amid so many hardships. I was just another curious but childish kid who had no clue about this custom then.

Looking back I feel ashamed of feeling like that at the time. To this moment I’ve been to the Sri Pada five times, forgive me if I sound boastful. Out of them, except the first time I’ve done the other four times not because my family or anyone else but I really wanted to go there and feel the inner peace that course through my veins right into the mind and soul. It’s magical and I’m helpless if you ask me to put it into words. You gotta do it to be able to experience the sensational feeling runs through your mind. Those who have done it will surely know what I’m trying to get across to you.

There are six known paths to the top of the highest peak of the Samanala Mountain Range that is also the fourth highest in Sri Lanka. They are if I’m to list them according to the mostly used by the pilgrims:

1. Hatton Route.
2. Rathnapura aka Sri Palabaddala Route.
3. Kuruwita aka Erathna Route.
4. Rajamale Route.
5. Maliboda Route.
6. Dehenakanda aka Hapugasthenna Route.

This is also the ascending order in terms of difficulty as well. The distance ranges from 5km up to 14km depending on the trail. The shortest is believed to be the Hatton Route while the longest is the Kuruwita Route. The adventurous folks try to get to the top by all six routes while extra adventurous types keep searching for either to uncover the old ones or find new ways to reach their goals. That is one of my dreams as well, try and conquer this magical mountain in all six routes before I call it a lifetime and rest my bones. So far including the first time, I’ve been to the top thrice via Hatton Route (Check One of Them here) and once each via Rathnapura Route and Rajamale Route. What I’m trying to bring you is the latest of my journeys through the Rajamale Route.

Ana, Atha & Prasa had been with me (not forgetting the old Tony) for some unforgettable journeys recently. It’s been a great pleasure being able to travel with guys who share the same passion and their combined experience in life is a real bonus when it comes to planning and tackling difficulties. This time we chose Sri Pada mainly for two reasons. First to take Ana to this wonderful location for the first time and second I wanting to try a different way to the top. We carefully picked out the ideal time, accommodation, transportation and the route making sure the foundation stage of our journey was firmly placed. Then it was all down to our dedication, luck and the blessings of the Mother Nature which all fell nicely into place like a perfectly solved jigsaw puzzle.

Ana booked Fishing Hut, an isolated log-cabin-type place at the border of the Peak Wilderness with Baththulu Oya flowing right next. It’s like a paradise on earth surrounded by the lush greenery rain forest, set at the edge of a tea patch belonging to Moray Estate bordered by one side by the virgin flow of Baththulu Oya with an amazing view of the Sacred Mountain in the distance. Having been used by the English during the colonial era for trout fishing gave it the name Fishing Hut. The trout and fishing all have now become a part of the history but the isolated and peaceful environment is a stress buster for the workaholic. I’d wanted to visit the place so much after all the good things I’d come across about it. So finally being able to go and stay there for a couple of days was yet another dream come true for me. Additionally,climbing the Sri Pada through a trail not attempted before was a gem of an opportunity. I wasn’t gonna miss it for the world.

Tour Highlights:

1. Fishing Hut.
2. Sri Pada via Rajamale.

Day 01

We set off in the wee hours of 24th Saturday towards Del Housie aka Nallathanniya. It was during one of the Waterfall Hunts that I learned Nallathanniya was also called Del House. However in this journey it was revealed that the real term was Del Housie not Del House. I seem to learn new things quite a lot in my travels. The heavy rains that troubled more than three quarters of the country wreaking havoc had gone to a faraway land. The crescent moon shone up in the sky signaling perfect weather and someone had taken so much trouble to paste a few million diamond-like stars across the sky.

When we arrived at Kalugala junction it was still dark and we decided to take the old road via Laxapana to Maussakelle. The headlights made a big pool of light in front helping Ana maneuver the hairpin bends. We saw a couple of vehicles going to pay homage to the sacred mountain as this was Saturday. Arriving at a small Kovil with an abandoned tea factory below gave us a perfectly good view of the Seven Virgins and Laxapana Falls. The sky had turned off the halogen lamp and taken off the expensive diamonds she was wearing. Orange and pink glow appeared to the left most edge of the Seven Virgins notifying us of the arrival of the sun. The clouds were ablaze with bright yellow and golden rays reflecting on them while the sky was slowly getting into her more comfortable royal blue wrap. Tips of the naughty Seven Virgins got the first of the rays giving them a beautiful contrast between the top and the bottom. This called for a few pictures and we got down to be hit by a blast of cold air. It was scented with the freshness of the morning and we breathed in hungrily.

With it woke the ravenous worms in our bellies demanding for breakfast. We had no choice but to pamper them. The vegetable sandwiches tasted delicious. I’m no vegetarian but had always taken an effort to remain vegetarian during the previous visits to the holy mountain. Even that rocky fish bun I had in my first visit had nothing discriminating than a touch harmless vegetables as far as I can remember. I believe that it helps cleanse my mind free of wickedness and evil thoughts remaining vegetarian. It will also help you have a safe journey and do your rituals in peace. Some of you would want to differ but this is purely what I feel. Ana took great pains to plan our meals with no hint of meat of any kind. After a delicious breakfast (still wishing there were more of those lovely sandwiches) and a dozen or so pictures we got back into the vehicle and drove on.

Viewing point of Laxapana Falls…

Mighty Seven Virgins, note the tiny streak of Laxapana Falls

Enjoying the breakfast while dogs kept begging for scraps

Sun opens shop

Lighted

The road was largely devoid of any traffic and we turned onto the Del Housie at Maussakelle. The police check point was active once again and they will take care of your musical instruments for you should you have any with you. Remember, you are visiting a very sacred place and must give the respect it’s due regardless of who you are. It’s advisable not to do anything to destroy the peacefulness of the surrounding by your reckless behavior. We drove on with a placid Maussakelle Reservoir to our left. Mulgama Lower Falls still had a decent amount of water but turning on we saw the sorry state of Mohini. She looked as if someone had kidnapped not only her child but also her white Saree as well. She was practically naked save for a few strings of muslin cloth hanging loosely over her. We felt shy to get down so drove on towards Mulgama Junction. Just before we decided to stop for a plain tea. The shop had just been opened up for the day and ginger-flavored plain tea warmed our bodies by a few degrees.

At Mulgama Junction, we turned to the left and stopped at a shop close by for a few provisions. There is closer to 12km from here to the fishing hut along a terrible road full of pot holes and jutting out rocks. A car or a similar type of vehicle will have a serious problem in this road whose condition got worse after the showers. Despite the bitter condition we enjoyed the scenery alike especially the Maussakelle Reservoir and perfectly plucked tea bushes glistening in the first rays of the day. In the far distance beyond the Maussakelle Reservoir lies urbanized Maskeliya town. After a couple of km, we entered Moray estate and reached the fishing hut turn into the right. The straight road will take you to the Moray tea factory and beyond towards the Peak Field Falls.

Entering Moray Estate

Beautiful day

Wondering towards the reservoir

Mist rising from the water

Perfect shadow

Gorgeous sky

Royal blue

All around green

Ana with his million dollar smile

The road goes through the tea estate with a splendid view of the reservoir and beyond that Gartmore Falls. There is a short stretch of concrete paved road that will make your battered vehicle smile. We soon arrived at the summer hut which overlooks the Maussakelle Reservoir and to the right is the silky flow of Gartmore Falls and above her the hills and upper cascades of the Gartmore Estate. We carried on without stopping for a picture and entered the dusty estate road. Beyond the tea cultivation is the Peak Wilderness Nature Reserve. We got a grand view of the Sri Pada after a while. The sky was blue and a few stray clouds hung mischievously here and there. The cone-shaped peak had a gorgeous color combination of green and grey where the rock was exposed. The yellow painted structure on the top could be seen clearly. Ana had a helluva job of maneuvering around the uneven road and finally we arrived at the entrance to the fishing hut.

There were signs of various wild animals fixed among the tea plants such as Leopard (according to Prasa, Running Coach), Porcupine, Sambar Deer, Rabbits and Wild Boar. It’d gone 10am and as usual we were early but used the time to get used to the environment. Already there were three vehicles parked signaling some visitors were staying. Fortunately for us, they were going back on the same day and no other group had made a booking during our stay leaving the whole of the fishing hut for us to enjoy. I’ve put a separate post on the fishing hut which surely is useful for the future travelers. However, I’ll just run through the setup of the location so that you can get a feel of it.

Landscape

A bridge along the road.

Sri Pada covered in the mist

Closer

Oranges

The cabins are close by

There are four accommodation options at fishing hut. They are Cabin 1, 2, 3 & 4. They are located among the taller trees hidden from the view giving the much required privacy and isolation. There is a workers’ hut as well where they keep stuff and even stay over. Baththulu Oya flows closer to all the cabins separating the estate from the forest reserve. When you look from the front, the cabin 3 is at the extreme left while the camp site to the extreme right. Between these two are the cabin 2 & 1. The workers’ shed is between the cabin 2 & 1. There’s plenty of space separating the cabins and the parking space is big enough to keep more than half a dozen vehicles. Each cabin has their own access to the river should they feel like a cold bath. They also have a splendid view of the holy peak which is outstanding especially in the night when the summit is all lit up.

The other group left around 11.30am wishing us a happy holiday and we went to our cabin to prepare ourselves for the stay. The beds are made of the wooden sticks so they are not perfectly balanced. The mattresses are good but covered with a waterproof plastic cover. This was a bit uncomfortable as the bed sheets kept slipping in and around in the night. That cover feels very cold and should you come into contact in the night in your sleep, it’s bound to jolt you out of your dreams. It was very quiet save for the rustling of the leaves. Water levels were low so that the river kind of stayed still without making a sound. The caretaker was John, one of the estate workers and boy, he could cook really well. Ana took charge of meal planning and gave him a pre-planned menu for the entire period. Vegetarian was the theme and I’m sure we must have been the only group to have gone like that. While the lunch was being prepared, we went for a bath in the river. The water was freezing but Ana and Prasa didn’t mind one bit.

Around 12.30pm, we returned to the hut to find the laid table. There was Samba Rice with Dhal, Gotukola, Coconut Sambol and Papadam. We made short work of the food and devoured a cashew nut chocolate before going for a nap. It was cold and we slept soundly till 3.15pm when Ana woke us up for coffee.

Path to our cabin

Heavenly

There it is

Doesn’t look much but adequate for our purpose

Main structure

Leisure hut

Ana posing in front of where the usual travelers had left their mark

Tree house too

Leisure and tree huts

Our verandah

Dining area

Two rooms and the bathroom

One of the rooms with bunk beds

The other

Going for a stroll

Another viewing platform

Not the Bogoda Wooden Bridge

Nicely maintained

Towards Hut No. 1 and beyond camp site

Just look at this

Still covered

Entrance to the camp site

Above ground

Steps to the top

Nice place

Baththulu Oya calm and placid

Another view

Framed

Viewing hut and the bridge

Finally the veil was lifted

We were treated by this view

Prasa showing his skills

Baththulu Oya another angle

Doing the hardwork with a smile

From the tree house

Calm water but very cold

Doing the house keeping too

Beds are made

Washroom

Insisted to go up the rickety steps

Shaky legs

From our hut

This is the Hut No. 2

Main structure

Front

Summer huts

Other side

Very cold

Where our guys had a bath

Still water

John doing the cooking

Ana already munching on a papadam

Hungry

Steaming cup of coffee was all I needed and we then took a stroll towards the Rajamale trail head. There’s no electricity or mobile reception at the fishing hut which is always a relief. However if you want to make a phone call, walk up to the entrance gate (about 500m from the cabin) and then turn into the left uphill road that leads to the trail head after a km or so. As soon as you turn, there’s a signage saying mobile reception is available to that point with the service providers’ names. While others made calls, I spent previous fading light to take pictures. Walking up proved to be a bit too much so decided to cut the stroll in half and get back to the hut.

John and two other people were preparing for the night. There were four hurricane lamps and a Petromax lamp as well to light the cabin. The authorities were providing the kerosene for them as well unlike old days. Cutlery and gas (both cylinder and the cooker) are also provided. We enjoyed a rest in the open verandah-like area while they got busy with dinner. It was Rice once again with Canned Polos, Leeks, Beans, Mango and Papadam. It too was tasty. While Ana went to bed early, we kept experimenting with our point-n-shoot cameras to take some good shots of the lit holy peak. The upper lights along Hatton route were clearly visible while one from the Rathnapura side as well. The huge Buddhist Flag kept flashing while patches of mist covered the summit every now and then. No camera could have a better sight than with your own eyes. So we savored this magical moment to the maximum. None of us felt the cold staying out with our cameras and Atha’s tripod. Around 8.30pm, we felt tired and sleepy. As the following day had greater prospects, we decided to go to bed. The blankets helped to retain the warmth but a few times I was unlucky to feel the icy cold plastic cover. We slept like logs till I heard scraping and moving noises coming out of our room. I was all of a sudden as white as an A4 with fear.

Hey	Innocent look

Another

Almighty yawn

John getting the firewood ready

Rabbits

Our cabin

Going for a walk

Winding roads

Ana showing the tongue

Sacred mountain in the distance

There

Porcupines too

Here’s the junctin where the road forks. The left to Fishing Hut and the right to Rajamale Trail

Prasa feeding the fish

One of the few mobile reception spots and Ana making full use

The road

The team

No Hunting

Ripe

Preparing sandwiches for tomorrow

Final touches

Hurricane lamps

Lighting the petromax lamp

Taking pics

Getting the dinner ready

Polos

Mango

Leeks

And Beans

Tasting

Hmmm… Just what the doctor ordered

Nice and quiet

Crescent moon

Day 02

I pulled the blanket down and listened hard, but nothing came. The phone showed the time as 3.23am. Gosh, what on earth am I supposed to be doing? Prasa was sleeping like a grizzly bear snoring so loudly as if a chainsaw cutting into a teak trunk. I got down trying to figure out what was the noise. The hurricane lamp in our room sent a faint beam of light which did very little to light the surrounding. Then I heard shuffling feet and clearing of the throat. Ana was already up and about. “Good morning!” I greeted him and he was already getting ready to make coffee. I too badly wanted a cuppa and in a little while both Atha and Prasa, having sawn the day’s quota of wood, joined us. By 4am we had all finished our morning coffee and got out to take a look at our target.

Sri Pada mountain peak was illuminated with the lights along the Hatton route. The mist came in and out blocking the view but mostly we had a better picture. You can get an even better view closer to the hut number one so Atha and I walked towards it leaving Prasa to help Ana organize the day. Our plan was to leave at 6am so we had to get everything ready in time. Thanks to our headlamps, we managed to get closer to the hut number one and set up the tripod. When we reached there, the view was even better. We could see a larger part of the mountain and spent more than half hour taking pictures. However, our not-so-complex point-n-shoots couldn’t get the desired effect of the long exposure shots but it couldn’t discourage us from trying. We got back to find John too had arrived and busily making Kadala for breakfast. Our water line was cut off and John said that it must have been the Sambar Deer. He’d spotted two of them near the entrance and they had apparently kicked the pipeline loose.

Cluster of gems, the Uda Maluwa seen from Fishing Hut

Closer, note the Buddhist Flag

Closer

While he went to check on it, we packed the stuff we needed for the hike. Soon the water was back and we washed ourselves while John made tempered grams for breakfast with garlic, onion and chilies. Chef Ana and Assistant Chef Prasa had made two different sandwiches to take with us. Tomato & Chutney Sandwiches and Tomato & Seeni Sambol Sandwiches. We got everything into the vehicle and after a hearty breakfast drove onto the trail head which is about 1-1.5km away. It was 6.20am when we arrived at the summer hut marking the trail head set amid the tea estate. Looking back towards fishing hut we saw this beautiful sunrise. Of course we only saw the colorful clouds painted by the most creative artist in the whole wide world. They were pink, orange, purple, red, gold and grey. Just imagine the color combination being unfolded in front of your eyes. This was a real treat and we spent about 10 mins taking pictures when out of nowhere everything vanished as quickly as they arrived. In a way it was good as this change brought us back into the earth from heaven.

What an amazing sight

Mountains outlining the picture

Burning Sky

End of the show

Little bit more

Summer hut

Newly built

Getting ready

Lawrence of Arabia or Yasser Arafat?

Running Coach

Our vehicle is over there

Going uphill

Uphill Journey

Ana was impatient to get to the summit so hurried us on but after a short time we realized that the oxygen levels are so thin and breathing was not so easy. In the end we settled for a slow but steady rhythm. First few hundred meters were through the tea estate before we entered the jungle. We soon arrived at the head of the jungle trail to find, to Prasa’s horror, leopard poo. There was so much and Prasa simply refused to go in front thereafter. We kept going feeling the chill but after a while we got used to the condition and kept going. There was a huge tree fallen across the path and an earth slip too. From there onwards, it was a steady climb. The path had gotten wider and due to the dry conditions, only a handful of leeches disturbed us. If you are doing this in the wet season, leech protection would be a must. We climbed for nearly two hours taking regular 15-60 second breaks. Sometimes they got dragged into minutes.

Our first target was the Sandagalathenna, a place set amid the forest but clear of any trees,  maybe the size of couple of volleyball courts. Anyone hiking via Rajamale stop here to rest and it’s an ideal camping site. However thanks to our reckless and destructive travelers camping here is not allowed now. Just imagine being here on a full moon Poya day admiring the majestic Sri Pada. Back to the four hikers laboring uphill panting like hunting dogs. We soon reached a somewhat flat area with a small rocky surface. Lowering our backpacks onto the ground we breathed a sigh of relief and looking in front saw the holy peak through the trees. It was simply breathtaking and looking closer thanks to the zoom capability, we could see the people coming down after the morning rituals. We rested about 10 mins while Atha making Jeewani for dehydration. The trick is to sip it before you get dehydrated or cramps paralyze you. After a couple of mouthfuls of them, we resumed our journey with renewed energy and courage. The sight of Sri Pada revived our bodies and our goal. Atha and Prasa had been on this trail before about a year and half ago. It’d been in wet conditions and they had been relentlessly attacked by the leeches. They further claimed the path had got wider and we saw the trees had been cut off using chainsaws not so long ago.

Had the treasure hunters been here with the blessings of the powers that be? The path was largely bordered by bamboo and Nelu, favorite snacks of the jumbos. Unfortunately many of them, especially the tuskers had paid with their lives for the greediness of the human kind. The water streams were dried out but we saw one about a km before Sandagalathenna. Around 9.30am, we came out to the open area of Sandagalathenna. It’s a rocky surface with a few patches of grass and the border consisting mainly of bamboo. There were a couple of Buddhist flags put up on sticks and they were flying in the air as if saluting the gorgeous looking Sri Pada. There wasn’t a hint of mist or clouds and we had this unbelievably rich color picture in front of us. This sure is heaven, the grey and green pointed peak set against a shiny blue sky dotted with a few milky white clouds. Below us were surrounded by the light green bamboo and plants. The ground was a mixture of sunburned grass and deep black rocky platform. Against all this stood four mesmerized hikers staring up at the sacred mountain with wide eyes and open mouths. A couple of birds chirped in the background and apart from that no other sound came. We were scared even to move a muscle not wanting to disturb the peacefulness of the place.

Entering the jungle path

Leopard poo

Fully eco friendly

Through the thick bushes

First of many breaks

Golly!

Bending the backs

Prasa leading the way

Much needed break, see the turn off around the fallen tree

Tree cover from the sun

Uneven ground

“Is there more to go?” Ana wondering out loud

Clear blue sky through the trees

First glimpse

Typical Yasser Arafat symbol

Sadu! Sadu!! Sadu!!!

We gotta get there

Mini Sandagalathenna, a tiny space before the Sandagalathenna

Making patterns

Bamboo border

More garbage bins

More of them

Door to heaven

Blooming

Dead tree art

Dew

Just lost for words

I don’t know what to say

Here we are at Sandagalathenna

Flying in the wind

Heaven on earth

He couldn’t have been happier, see the million dollar smile

Posing

Time to get going

We had a biscuit and some more Jeewani. Sun was up and gearing up for a fiery noon. Thankfully the path apart from Sandagalathenna was nicely shaded by the trees making it a treat for not only the body, but also the mind. We cut our break short and got underway. I had my time clock set inside the brain counting off the minutes. There were deadlines to meet but I kept them all closer to my heart not wanting to make others panicky should we got behind the schedule. Ana, as usual, a systematic person, was keeping a close eye on the time and passed on the remarks but I was unmoved. My target was to take him to the summit, that was all that mattered. The way got narrower and steeper as we went on. Sri Pada kept looking at us waving her arms at us encouragingly. She got bigger and prettier as we closed in. After another hour or so we came to a height from where we could clearly see the Maussakelle reservoir below and miles beyond. Maskeliya town and many hills were there in the distant while a mist appeared to the left. Further up we got the first glimpse of Peace Pagoda below at Gangulthenna. Not a week before we saw the Peace Pagoda in Walapane on our way to the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, Kurundu Oya Ella.

Soon we knew that we were within touching distance of the Mahagiridamba or the final part of the Sri Pada. Mahagiridamba is roughly consisted of one thousand steps set in the steepest part before the peak. Rajamale trail joins the Hatton route at the Mahagiridamba saving many steps below and the open path that pilgrims have to take being scorched, if done in daytime, by the sun. That is the main reason why most people opt to hike either in the evening or night. It’ll also give them the opportunity to witness the sunrise as well. If you are wondering how we knew that we were close to the steps, well it was the smell. Not a very good one though, it was the stinking smell of human excrement and urine. Many so called pilgrims disgorge themselves at the entrance to the Rajamale trail thinking it is a natural toilet even though there are toilets built along the Hatton route at decent intervals. It’s a real pity that people don’t understand the value of keeping places, especially such sacred ones, nice and clean. Not only that we witnessed so much thrown food either side of the route as well. It was such an unpleasant sight and the smell coming from rotten garbage destroyed the beauty of the place. To make matters worse there’s plenty of polythene, such as biscuit wrappers, toffee wrappers, soft drink bottles, etc. The impact on the virgin rain forests is so great that at this rate we will have nothing but plastic-filled deserts. Therefore may I take this opportunity to request from everyone who visits this sacred place to try and help keep the environment clean please?

Back in the jungle

Flowers

Shady path

Kept up with us

Break

Contrast

More	Couldn’t get enough of

Dead but artistic

Sniper on the path

Ooops

Look at the spikes

Never ending scenery

Path narrowing down

Towards Yaka Andu Ella

Maussakelle

Hmmm	Had to keep topping up

Narrow and uneven

Close up

There’s the Peace Pagoda

Zoomed

Just before the trail

Final push

My internal clock chimed saying that another milestone reached. We were now almost at touching distance of the sacred mountain. However, the trick is not to get overly excited or when behind schedule not to get demotivated either. As Lord Buddha preached, take the middle path. We just kept it nice and easy, slow but steady. Atha and Prasa kept pushing ahead of Ana and me. We two kept it simple taking frequent but very tiny breaks every fifty steps or so. About midway through Ana suggested a cup of plain tea and we sat on a bench waiting for one at one of the shops. The sugary and watery lukewarm plain tea did very little to revive us and we got going. The final shop came and we rested our feet. Couple of people were haggling over the price of lotus flowers with the shop owner. They were going three for fifty rupees but they felt they were being cheated. We had no problem and got up for the final push. As we were taking the turn, there was the Ehala Kanuwa where especially kids and young ones paste a mixture of lime on a wooden pillar made of a real Ehala Tree. Moving on,  just below the Bhagawa Cave, the forest had been cleared and a blue tin structure had been built to cater for a Dansala (a typical Sri Lankan tradition, giving out food for free to the people during Vesak & Poson Poya days). The garbage container was overflowing with rotting left over food and polythene covers. Why on earth do something as good as this if you can’t or don’t take the trouble to remove the garbage? You are not going to be blessed or merited just because you give out food for free while destroying the environment.

We then reached the Bhagawa Cave which in the good old days was used by the pilgrims as a shelter when all the structures were not there especially on the top. Now the forest patch and the creepers have been cleared exposing the stone scriptures and the picture of King Nishshankamalla carved next to them. How practical and sensible it was to clear the area around is something very debatable. How good it was when the cave did look like one covered by the lush greenery? We then took the last set of steps to the summit. Up on the lower part of the peak were Atha and Prasa smiling down at us feeling really happy that we managed to get there in the end. We kept calling Ana “Dandu Kodu” as this was his first time to the sacred mountain. Usually the young is called “Kiri Kodu” when they do this for the first time and for the old  the term is “Dandu Kodu”. Kiri (milk in English) is fresh and new so that is used for the young. Dandu (sticks in English) is used to reflect on the experience and age thus using it for the old. So Dandu Kodu Ana accompanied by the rest of the team went up to the extreme summit leaving our baggage, shoes and caps as it was the custom.

It was not at all busy and unlike other times, we had the whole of the summit pretty much to ourselves despite this being a Sunday. We went and Ana rang the bell once to announce his first attempt at the mountain. Hopefully there’ll be another time for us to take him to the summit via a different route. Then, we climbed the short flight of stairs to where we worship the sacred footprint of Lord Buddha. There was a police officer and an army soldier there on guard but no one else. When busy you hardly get to come near the place let alone worship it but Mother Nature had different plans for us. Kneeling on the rocky flow in front of the footprint that is not visible to the pilgrims as it is covered for protection, was a feeling every human being must experience at least once in their lifetime. Even the wind was so mild and we were helped by the soldiers.

We were lucky to have had the place for us and touched the rock under which lies the sacred footprint of Lord Buddha. Atha and Prasa had worshipped before us and Ana followed me doing the rituals. Then we walked around seeing the huge bell placed on the top (do we really need that big a bell taking so much space of the already cramped summit is another debating thing) and the lamp below. After half hour or so, we decided to make it back. We (Ana & Me) arrived at the top at 12.05pm (little over 5.5 hours later, nearly half hour earlier than I had planned in my mental clock) and started our descend just after 12.30pm.

Here we are at the beginning of Mahagiridambaya

The notice at the foot

Feeding on the rotten food

They’re bound to die of food poisoning

Ready for the last bit

Distant views

Next generation on the up

More breaks,

Colorful

Two generations met on the way up

They keep coming back

Dead moth?

Nope very much alive

Hard going

Just before the last set of steps

Ehala Kanuwa

Ana the Banana Man

Bhagawa Cave

King Nishshankamalla

Devoid of any vegetation now

Towards Maskeliya and beyond

Sandagalathenna in the middle

We’re here

Everyone comes with a purpose

Watching

He too

New Bell

More additions

Burning throughout

Cramped space

The Peak of the Most Sacred Mountain in the World

Downhill Journey

As we were coming down, a thick cloud of mist appeared enveloping the entire area. We could only see the steps for about 20m. This remained all along our return journey, giving us the protection from the sun. We made good time and got to the path in no time. About a km into the trail we stopped for a sandwich.

Arriving at Sandagalathenna around 1.30pm we stopped for a break. Looking back, there wasn’t a hint of the Sri Pada mountain. She was fully covered by the fog and we hit the trail once again. The last couple of kms turned out to be very challenging and exhausting. The path was so steep, unlike going up, the downhill journey tested our already battered limbs to the almost breaking point. After what felt like an eternity, we came out of the forest, but in fact it had only been two hours since Sandagalathenna.

Let’s go

Mist coming thick and fast

The path getting foggy

Back on the trail

Enjoying home-made sandwiches

Obstacles

Getting covered

Dead Nelu plants to the left

More	Silhouette of the bird

Back at Sandagalathenna

Tiny couple

Final stretch

One of my favorite things to photograph

Note the shopping bag on Prasa’s hip. He kept collecting all the polythene and plastic stuff all the way

Dead but life inside

Mini Sandagalathenna

Dusty Mushroom

Steep downhill

Thick ones

Beautiful

Maintained well

Towards our destination

Prasa with the collected plastic things, note even a rubber slipper was found

Breaking News!

Trail Head

By 3.30pm we came to the vehicle and rested our feet and bodies while making phone calls. Mobile reception was good here. We then arrived at the fishing hut and went for another cool dip in the river.

While the chill was getting unbearable we spent the rest of the evening reflecting on the climb. The dinner was served around 7.30pm and we hit the sack immediately after as our plan was to leave early the following morning.

Towards Hut 1

The best out of all

Front view with Baththulu Oya in front

Very nice

Low water levels

Tiny ones

Yawning monkey back again

Day 03

As usual despite the cold weather, which dropped below 12 degrees Celsius, we were up by 4am and started our return journey. After a hearty breakfast we bid farewell to John, our caretaker and the holy mountain that was now nicely visible. Driving along the estate road was a test but Ana had very little trouble. We arrived at the Moray estate summer hut with the view of Maussakelle reservoir as the sun was coming to office. The Gartmore falls looked spectacular and the two long thin lines of upper cascades got the first rays of the day. After a short picture journey we left for Colombo.

Sensational, ain’t it?

Silhouette of the mountain

Gartmore Falls

Summer hut at the view point

Against the sunrise

Moussakelle

Moray Tea Factory, the concrete winding road leads to Peak Field Estate and falls

Perfect ending…

Well folks that’s about it and this was a journey that will be in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Every bit of it we enjoyed thoroughly while Mother Nature looked after us as if a mother protecting her kids.

Just for you to get an idea, I’ve posted some pictures of the cabins at Fishing Hut. Unfortunately, there are no indoor pictures of No. 1 & 2, but the exterior will help you get an idea. I’d recommend them according to the numbers from 1 to 4. It all depends on however the number of people and your budget. For detailed information check out the link I’ve posted given on the notes.

I guess I’ve taken up so much of your time but hope it was worth the trouble.

With this, I’ve reached the sacred mountain via three routes and got another three remaining unless someone finds some more paths.

Do try and visit Sri Pada via Rajamale trail as well if you haven’t already done so.

So, time for me to say goodbye. I’ll see with the next adventurous fairy tale.

Until then, keep traveling and be safe.

Take care!

Sri…