Retracing waterfalls on the way to Ratnapura

Year and Month	27-December-2020
Number of Days	One
Crew	02
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Motorcycle
Activities	Hiking, Photography, Sightseeing, Nature Exploring, Waterfall Hunting
Weather	Sunny Day and clear
Route	Moratuwa-> Kuruwita -> Batathota -> Ratnapura -> Nivithigala
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Carry enough water Do not try in rainy days Ask the directions from local Beware of slippery rock faces Leech protection needed Beware of broken glass bottles Do not disturb the villagers Do not litter Leave only footprints
Related Resources	Report – Waterfalls around Wewelwatte
Author	Ranshan Fernando
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Retracing waterfalls on the way to Ratnapura

Dodan Falls

This 53m-high fall cascades in two sections. At either side of the upper segment, there are two elephant trunk-shaped stone arches. The fall’s source is the Devipahala Ela Canal, which flows through Demalegama village before pouring off a rock ledge. The surrounding wooded area contains herbal plants such as ruliya, hathmetiya, vitex attissima and helapeda. Diverse species of wildlife can also be found here, including wild boar and deer.

The site was used for the filming of a Sri Lankan motion picture, ‘Inspector Champa’. Local villagers believe the area may be of some archaeological significance too – the ancient caves of Batawita and Batalena in Kuruwita, where early humans once lived, are nearby. If the relevant authorities investigated, it is thought that many buried secrets could be unearthed.

Take the Colombo – Ratnapura road and turn right at Higashena bazaar, down Devipahala road. Continue for 5km to find the fall, which is situated along the route that also leads to Bopath Falls.

Text from Ashan’s report

The guard over there

The surrounding

Here we came

The view from the top

Cascades

Crystal clear

There are few

The water level is a bit low

Here is she

Fall

Another view

Rocks

Main part

The stream

Cascades

Beauty

Blowing

Another view

Bathing place

The beauty of the nature

There were people

Flowers

Surrounding

This might be amazing during rainy days

Final view of the stream

Bopath Ella – බෝපත් ඇල්ල

GPS Location – 6.801740, 80.369371

The name “Bopath Ella” has been given to the waterfall because of its shape. The water flows through a narrow gap in the rocks and then widens, forming the shape of a leaf of a “Bo” tree which is the Sinhalese name for sacred fig (Ficus religiosa). “Path” means leaves of a tree and “Ella” means waterfall. Virgin forests with a rich biodiversity surround the waterfall.

Bopath Ella is 30 metres (98 ft) high. It is formed from the Kuru Ganga, which is a tributary of the Kalu Ganga. Its mean rate of flow is 6 square metres (65 sq ft) per second, and its catchment area receives an average rainfall of 5,080 millimetres (200 in) annually. Water from the falls is used for paddy cultivation. Bopath Ella is also the most comprehensively studied waterfall in the country.

Bopath Ella is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka, since it is not far from the capital, Colombo, and is easily accessible. There have been unsuccessful attempts to use the waterfall to generate hydroelectricity. The path to the waterfall is lined with a number of shops and stalls, and it is somewhat polluted because of this commercialization.

Stories and myths

The waterfall has been used for bathing by ancient rulers of the country when they visited the nearby Maha Saman Devale in Ratnapura. It is also believed that the deity Saman has appeared here.

There are several myths associated with Bopath Ella. One such belief is that a local village girl jumped into the waterfall and killed herself when her lover abandoned her. He was reputedly a pilgrim from Colombo who failed to return to the pregnant girl. The girl’s ghost is said to haunt the waterfall and appears as blue light. Another popular belief among the locals is that there is an ancient treasure trove hidden in the waterfall and that one thousand human sacrifices are required to get it.

Source – Wikipedia

Here is she

Have to cross the stream

Closer view

Shape of Bo leave

Nature

More Views

Nature

Reaching there

Sudagala Falls /සුදාගල ඇල්ල

GPS – 6.807039, 80.381757

You can reach the waterfall on the way to Kuruvita – Batathota road where the famous Batathota cave located. This was a famous area among the villagers as a bathing place. There are safe places to have a bath and try to not to pollute the environment.