Nuwaragala, located in the dry zone, is of astounding beauty and is a mountain in the Pollebedda village, which is located near Maha Oya, Ampara. Due to a long-standing desire, our team, known as TM Travellers, decided to embark on a journey in search of this beautiful mountain. This is the story of our adventure.
Our team comprised Ashan, Gayan, Thilina, Buwaneka, Thiloka, Kasun, Ashen, Thilan, Kavindu, Sakun, Amintha, Hashiki, Shakila, Thilakshi, and Sharmila. The 15 of us hopped on the Mahinda Express, a bus travelling from Colombo to Maha Oya, in early March. It was 5.30 a.m. when we reached Mahaoya, where we had breakfast and began our journey towards Pollebedda. We managed to hop a ride on a vehicle going that way.
The journey begins
Our first stop was the ‘veddah’ village – or the home of indigenous tribes – in Pollebedda. We visited the chieftain’s house, before heading towards Nuwaragala with Gunwardana ‘atto’, the head of the ‘veddah’ tribe. He took on the role of our guide, and walked with us, giving us a clear explanation of all aspects related to our journey.
The first thing we came across was a paddy field, which we had to walk across. Soon after, we had to cross the Rambakan Oya. Beyond this were some fields being cultivated, and having walked past all this, we entered the forest. It was a very quiet and tranquil area, but also one where many an elephant roamed.
Our journey with its beautiful start took us to several streams and waterways. And despite being referred to as a hill climb, the first 6 km of our journey were on flat land, where there were not only wild elephants, but also wild bears. In the middle of this vast forest lives a herd of buffaloes. And from what is home to these wild creatures one can clearly see the Nuwaragala rock in the distance; a breath-taking scene.
Despite walking through a beautiful forest, this being the dry zone meant that we were defenceless against the harsh heat, exposed on bare rock at some points of our journey. We overcame these challenges and forged ahead, only to face the hardest leg of our journey: walking on rock, unsheltered, for 1.5 km. Climbing up and down the rock, the sun glaring down at us, was tough, but the route we took continued to be an enjoyable one.
There are many tales about the history of Nuwaragala. One of these is that the area was used as a fortress by King Saddha Tissa. Even today, when travellers conquer this mountain and need a place to rest at night, they find shelter in the cave used to keep the king in hiding. A notable feature of this cave is the pond atop it, made out of rock.
Reaching the summit
We reached the summit at around 3.30 p.m. The cave was embraced by the evening sun when we decided to end our day’s journey. The sights before us were astoundingly beautiful. One was the range of mountains in the distance. Another was flocks of birds flying towards their nests. As we took in these sights, the pond located on the top of the mountain beckoned to us and we didn’t hesitate to head towards it as we were exhausted from our travels.
The intense heat of the day had departed, the darkness of the night taking its place. And we were preparing our dinner, which was, to us, another remarkable experience. A night in a cave. The significance of the moment wasn’t lost on us, as we all were experiencing something new, and we mulled this over as we took a short break before we were to embark on another day of travel.
The following day, the sunrise brought with it a feeling that we had been transported to paradise. Saying goodbye to Nuwaragala that day was a sorrowful moment, but we had to head back home.
We encourage you too, to experience this beauty, but with care to not harm the environment in any way. During our visit, we made sure to enjoy nature, and not destroy it. It is also advisable to seek the assistance of a guide, as the area is home to many wild elephants. This will enable you to enjoy your journey while being safe.
(TM Travelers is a group of travel enthusiasts whose adventures take them to various parts of the island)