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Alagalla Mountain Range – defense location of yesteryear –By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Situated at the boundaries of Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces of Sri Lanka, Alagalla Mountain Range or “Potato Range”, the potato-shaped rock with its nickname “Potato Mountain” which offers spectacular vistas has served as a natural defense location from 1505 – 1815 against the Portuguese, Dutch and English invasions aimed at the Kandyan Kingdom. According to legends, during foreign invasions, people living in Kandy and environs had been hiding among the cliffs that border Hatharaliyadda and Thumpane (villagers situated in close proximity to the Mountain) and retaliated against the Portuguese, Dutch and British. The majority of battles against foreign invasions aimed at the Kandyan Kingdom by western nations during the period of their rule of maritime provinces of Sri Lanka had occurred at Alagalla Mountain, at Balana (View Point) situated between *Kadugannawa Pass and Potato Range during the rule ...