Glory of Uma oya and many more around Ettampitiya

Map around Uma oya falls -click to enlarge

Map around Gerandi falls – click to enlarge

Places of interest

• Ketawala ambalama
• Uma oya falls
• Bogoda bridge
• Halabe bridge
• Ampitiya Devalaya
• Ettampitiya ambalama
• Gerandi ella
• Kotugodella fort
• Hee gasa
• Kirioruwa ambalama
• Bandarawela ambalama
• Oboda ella
• Oboda ella RMV
• Dungolla ella
• Ampitiya Pattini devalaya
• Mahathotilla cascade
• Rampotha bodhiya
• Haldummulla fort
• Soragune Devalaya

Time to solve a mystery and this time it was a success. Uma oya falls was another mysterious fall marked on Sri Lanka road map just like Galagama falls. Somehow with the help of Priyanjan I did locate it on Google earth and paying a visit was the next step. I have been loitering around Badulla for some time now and on two other occasions I did cover up few places around Badulla, Bandarawela & Wiyaluwa. As usual with the help of Indaka and is blog I roughly planned out this trip.

Ketawala Ambalama

Early morning I reached Hali ela and took a bus towards Ketawala. At Ketwala junction there was an old ambalama which is used as a bus halt currently. It is said that this was once an ambalama along the ancient “Raja mawatha”.

Ketawala ambalama

Agassula peak may be next year

Uma oya fall

From Ketwala I took a bus to Godunna and got down at the turn off towards Wasanagama. From here onwards I hired a trishaw to take me to Uma oya. The road was in terrible condition and elephants had vandalized all the cultivations which the road ran through. We stopped somewhere close to the Bathmedilla anicut. This anicut across Uma oya is the main reason why paddy fields around Kandeketiya blossom. Around 100m’s upstream from the anicut there is a beautiful mermaid created by Uma oya. When it’s raining it should be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the region. We did climb on top of it and ventured upstream a bit before returning back.

Here is a part from a song to describe the beauty of Uma oya

තුමුල නමුණුකුළ ගිරි හිස
උදුල සඳ මඩල දුටු නෙත රැවටුනා තමයි…
කිමද ඒ තරම් ඒ ගැන හිනහෙන්නට කාරණා…
මූන රතුවෙලා දෙනෙතින් කඳුළු පනින තුරු එලියට…
ඔහොම හිනා වෙනකොට නුඹ ලස්සනයි උමා

along the elephant fence

Bathmedilla anicut

uma oya blocked

uma oya fall – uma oya dunhida falls

ඔහොම හිනා වෙනකොට නුඹ ලස්සනයි උමා

from top of the falls

plunging

top of uma oya falls

life is young

ventured upstream

Bogoda Bridge

From Godunna I returned back to Ketawala and took the Bogoda road which was in terrible condition due to road constructions. This temple is believed to be done by King Walagamba and the cave found here is said to be connected to Dowa. The Wooden Bridge is a masterpiece itself and everyone should visit this temple someday in their lifetime.

on the way to bogoda

Bogoda image house

locked

inside the image house

roof paintings

bogoda cave connecting to dowa temple and karandagolla temple

bogoda bridge

under repair

from the river

Halabe Bridge

From Bogoda with the guidance of a local I took a foot path towards this mysterious bridge across Uma oya. It has been restored recently and now it’s in good condition. It is said that this was initially brought to be placed somewhere around Chilaw/Halawatha and mistakenly placed here where no human settlements were found. There is a road from Ketawala – Ettampitiya road to this site but only a 4wd could tackle the last bit of it(7km’s).

on the way to halabe

path to Halabe bridge

Uma oya

looking from below towards halabe bridge

Halabe bridge Uma oya ketawala, hali ela.. this was originally made to be put in chilaw but was placed by mistake over uma oya. this is not used, only now they have cut a road from both sides.

lovely

Ampitiya Devalaya Deegalla

On the way to Ettampitiya one would come across this place close to Deegalla. There is an annual festival here where “Ang Edima” is done. My destination for the night was close to Ettampitiya. And it was indeed a long day where I needed an early nap.

Board at Ampitiya – click to enlarge

used for අන් ඇදීම

lovely road

dusk at Ettampitiya

Ettampitiya Amabalama

Early morning I reached the junction where the Ketawala road starts to snap another old Ambalama which is located along the Raja mawatha. This was also used by the locals as a bus halt.

Ettampitiya ambalama

Gerandi Ella

After having breakfast at Ettampitiya I hired a trishaw and took the Gawela road for 10Km’s to reach this waterfall. There is a bus halt just before a hard right elbow bend. At that point there is a road to the left which one needs to take to reach this waterfall. Even after parking the vehicle there is a 300m hike along a foot path infiltrated with leeches. Reaching the base is very tricky and should be attempted with caution. This waterfall just like Uma oya fall is another beauty of this river and has a very unusual shape. There was a local guy who knows many stories about this region and we were lucky to meet him.

first glimpse of Geradi ella of uma oya

getting closer

top of it

upstream

wow

the view

rock formations

mushroom life

Ettampitiya Kotugodella fort

One needs to take the Bandarawela road until the Ettampitiya hospital is reached. Close to the hospital there is a road which goes uphill and ends at a tea estate(750m). On top of the hill top there are ruins of this ancient fort.

towards Kotugodella fort

what a view from the fort

Hakgala as seen from Ettampitiya

namunukula as seen from kotugodella

what remains

Portuguese Fort Kotugodella

Ancient arrow tree / Hee gasa

Few Km’s away from the hospital and towards Bandarawela there is a road side Bo tree and in front of it was a mango tree which the rebellions used to shoot arrows with messages. Unfortunately it was cut down during the road expansion process. I’m attaching a photo from Indaka’s blog here since I was unable to capture it.

there was an ancient Hee gaha at this point a year back. it was a mango tree which the kings messengers shot arrows with messages

Indaka’s photo with the mango tree

Kirioruwa ambalama

About 3km’s before Bandarawela there is a tea factory called Aislaby. One needs to take the road which directs towards the estate office. Few hundred meters along this road will lead to an ancient ambalama which is now restored.

landmark

kiri oruwa ambalama

Oboda fall

After reaching Bandarawela I hired a trishaw and headed towards Ellathota and from there I took the Oboda ella road. Few hundred meters on that road will bring one towards the base of the waterfall. This same stream forms a huge waterfall at Ellathota (refer the link).

Oboda fall bandarawela

another snap

Oboda ella RMV

Passing the waterfall we went ahead for about 3km’s and reached a modified temple. The most interesting thing was the image house with paintings belonging to Kandyan era and those paintings were in good condition.

Oboda ella temple sthupa

makara thorana at oboda ella RMV

lovely paintings

katu imbul gaha

more

statues

frescoes at oboda ella RMV

and more

couldnt stop clicking

lovely

the door

main statue

wow

Dungolla falls/ Doolgolla ella

From Oboda ella we took a by road which connected to Poonagala – Bandarawela road. 6Km’s on Poonagala road from Bandarawela Creig estate tea factory could be found and close to it this waterfall is located.

Dungolla ella on poonagala rd

close up

Ampitiya Pattini devalaya

From Bandarawela I took the Heel oya road and at Ampitiya junction this ancient devalaya could be found. There is an annual ceremony at this place too.

Ampitiya Pattini devalaya bandarawela

ruins at Ampitiya Pattini devalaya bandarawela

more

Bandarawela ambalama

After reaching back to Bandarawela I proceeded towards Etampitiya junction. Few hundred meters away from here and towards Welimada there is a road side temple (Left hand side). At the end of the wall of the temple Bandarawela Ambalama could be found. It has been restored recently.

Bandarawela ambalama

Mahathotilla cascade

From Bandarawela I took off towards Welimada and somewhere close to the Mahathotilla Bridge I got down to have a glimpse of this beautiful cascade.

Rampotha Bo tree

Close to Mirahawatta there was an archeology board directing to the left and it was directing towards a bo tree. After traveling 3km’s this ancient bo tree could be reached and for precise directions ask from any local you meet. It has a story related to some holy “Bamunas” which I cannot recall at this moment. This Bo tree is famous for its mysterious powers and hence many do visit it.

mathotilla cascade

direction board

Rampotha ancient bo gaha

paduru

Haldummulla Portuguese fort

From Welimada I returned to Bandarawela and took off towards Haldummulla and from there I took the road towards Needwood tea factory. It was a short hike from the factory to the pines plot. On the top of this pines plot ruins of the ancient fort could be found.

gommolli range seen from haldamulla

Haldamulla fort

hidden by nature

the wall

more pics

Soragune kataragama devalaya

From Haldumulla I took a trishaw ride through the winding roads and reached Sorague ancient devalaya. This is one of the most famous kataragama devalaya in the whole country and there is a huge festival at this site too. We did walk around and note a clay dhageba, kataragama devalaya with wood carvings, Sinhasanaya and few more historical buildings.

After an exhausting day I did not have sufficient time to reach Monaragala so I headed towards Badulla where my friend provided me accommodation for that day. It was a tiring journey but it was rewarding too. I’m happy that I found some time to turn this adventure in to words even after 8 months.

entrance at soragune

sinhasanaya

kataragama devalaya

close up

lovely

wood carving

narrow doorway

worshiping

clay sthupa