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A popular tourist attraction located in Gampola ‘ Ambuluwawa ‘ – By Malsha – eLanka Ambuluwawa Mountain Hill is a popular tourist attraction located in Gampola, Sri Lanka. It is known for its panoramic views, beautiful gardens, and the iconic Ambuluwawa Tower that stands at its summit. The Ambuluwawa Tower, also called the “Tower of Peace and Harmony,” is a multi-religious symbol featuring architectural elements inspired by various religious traditions. The Ambuluwawa Mountain Hill is often visited by nature enthusiasts, hikers, and those seeking stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The hill is covered with lush greenery and offers several walking trails for visitors to explore. It’s a great place to relax, enjoy nature, and appreciate the scenic beauty of Sri Lanka. Please note that my knowledge cutoff is in September 2021, so there may have been changes or developments regarding Ambuluwawa Mountain Hill since then. Where is the Ambuluwawa? ...

Jul 8, 2023 Posted by In Articles, Malsha Madhuhansi Tagged , , , , , ,
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Ceylon Tea Museum – vintage Hanthana Tea Factory By Arundathie Abeysinghe     Kandy is a mandatory stop in tourist itinerary. Breathtaking vistas, salubrious climate, culture, arts, handicrafts, Kandyan hospitality and scenic attractions have all contributed to Kandy as a famous tourist destination. Dotted with verdant tea estates in the surrounding hills, *Hanthana, *Nilambe, *Hewaheta, *Pussellawa and *Gampola as well as situated at an altitude of 650 meters – 1300 meters of tea cultivation, Kandy is known as a ‘mid-grown’ tea region. In 1867, Tea cultivation started in Sri Lanka in Kandy in *Loolcondera Estate. The weather in Kandy providing a conducive environment for ‘Kandy Tea’, a bright infusion with a coppery strong tone as tea estates in Kandy are clustered in valleys where the wind is less fierce and sheltered from monsoon winds. A few years ago, the first Tea Museum in the world was set up in Hanthana ...

Mar 27, 2023 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , , , , ,
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Stories Behind Names of Places in Sri Lanka GANNORUWA – By Dr. Nimal Sedera Source:-Dæhæna  One interesting feature in most of the names of places is Sri Lanka is that they are linked to the Kings and Queens that ruled the nation. King was close its subjects. The country had been divided into many parts and there were Kings in these provinces. Kingdoms have moved to many places within this small Island for very short periods. Dambadeniya and Gampola are such examples. With regards to my note this month, Gannoruwa is a significant place in our history. This place is located between Peradeniya and Kandy, bordering the river Mahaweli. Known for its fertile earth, today, it is a centre for agricultural activities linked to the Department of Agriculture. It is historical for the final battle that prevented the western power Portuguese entering the Kingdom of Kandy was at this point ...

Feb 1, 2023 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , ,
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Belumgala – defense fortress of Kandyan hills – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Located in *Kadugannawa Gap approximately 10 kilometers from *Pilimathalawa, Belumgala Rock offers spectacular vistas of the environs as far as the eye can see including surreal vistas of Kadugannawa valley. Many visitors hike the adjacent small rock, believing it to be Belumgala, mistakenly. Belumgala is visible from *Pahala Kadugannawa viewpoint too. Also spelt as “Balumgala”, the mountain was thus named due to its strategic location as a place of defense. Considered as a silent defender of Kandyan hills, Colombo-Kandy Road can be seen clearly for many kilometers from the summit of Belumgala. As the location was a great boon for Sinhalese soldiers tracking enemy invasions, the mountain was known as “Belumgala” (meaning viewing mountain in Sinhala) for centuries. During the *Kandyan Kingdom, Sinhalese soldiers had been dispatched to this location and it had served as a major checkpoint when ...

Aug 10, 2022 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , , , , ,
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Dawson’s Tower – accolade for exemplary service By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Anyone traveling from Colombo to Kandy on Colombo-Kandy Road has to travel through many bends, some of them hairpin bends and sharp gradients when traveling up the Kadugannawa Pass to reach Kandy. At the last and sharpest bend, the road forks and one road goes through a rock tunnel and the other road goes above the tunnel. Before approaching Kadugannawa town, there is a tall while column to the right of the cliff which many consider as a war memorial. This enormous obelisk is a tribute to Captain William Francis Dawson, an imminent engineer of the Royal Engineers during the British Colonial Era who planned the construction of Colombo-Kandy Road under the direction of British Governor Edward Barnes (1824 – 1831). This huge white color obelisk similar to a lighthouse is 38 meters above the road and is a ...

Dec 4, 2020 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , ,
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Kadugannawa Pass and Rock Tunnel – gateway to hill country By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Kadugannawa Pass and Rock Tunnel are important landmarks on Colombo – Kandy Road. Kadugannawa is considered as the gateway to UNESCO World Heritage Site Kandy as well as Central Highlands. Highest point of the climb of Colombo – Kandy Road is known as Kadugannawa Pass, a lookout point of the Kandyan Kingdom to monitor invading foreign forces in the 16th and 17th centuries from the lowlands of Sri Lanka. Kadugannawa had been an outpost of the Kandyan Kingdom and many battles have taken place in this historic town in the past. Known as Gala Vidapu Thena by locals (meaning the rock that was pierced in Sinhala), the Rock Tunnel had been a symbol of Colombo – Kandy road from time immemorial. Kadugannawa Pass is situated between Kandy Valley and *Kegalle Valley and for centuries this pass ...

Nov 21, 2020 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , , , ,
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