Around the Walawe-Kolonne-Rakwana frontiers

Waterfalls near and far

Text and Pic: Gamini G. Punchihewa

Waterfalls cascading down from majestic hill tops and down those saddling hill slopes of the picturesque mountain frontiers of Kolonne-Rakwana nestling in the other scenic but enthralling tourist attractions of nature's bounty in this Walawe basin and off its beaten track are really a cynosure to behold.

A king's joke ends in tragedy

The closest that falls down the rapids of the lower reaches of the Walawe ganga is at a riverine spot called Abarana Ella (the falls of the ornaments of queens of the dim past) when kings and queens ruled over the realms of Ruhuna Rata in the deep south. To us living in Embilipitiya in this vast Walawe 'Rice Bowl' studded with sprawling rice fields is not a far cry.

This fascinating riverine spot is located off the Pelmadulla-Embilipitiya-Nonagama Highway about 12 miles away, near Hedawinna-Pallerotte from where a deviation has to be made off the Muravasihena Branch Irrigation Field Channel. About one mile away from there, the trudge is by foot through the farmers' bountiful rice fields and their settlements. Then across the field irrigation channel of the Liyangastota constructed down the lower reaches of this meandering Walawe ganga.

Another route is to come through Ridiyagama Tank (off Ambalantota), where there is a Circuit Bungalow. From there one has walk on a rugged pathway one mile away to reach Abarana Ella. It is also accessible via Nonagama Junction on its main highway, where the distance to Hedawinna (the deviation to reach Abarana Ella) is about four miles which is quite accessible to any type of vehicle as it is on its main highway.

Here is a small but beautiful waterfall cascading around a rockoutrop that peeps out in its middle. From there it falls in a murmur, then gallops over other larger rock boulders finally falling into a boisterous rockpool, thereafter joining the main stream of the Walawe ganga. Its height is about 4-5 feet. During the rainy season, (October-January), this tiny water fall is in full activity that the din of its roar could be heard from even a distance.

Abarana Ella's Hoary legend...

Abarana Ella is wrapped in a hoary legend reminiscent of a certain king called Vijaya Bahu of the 12th century A.D., reigned in this part of Ruhuna Rata. He had to wage a war in another foreign country.

So the king took leave of his two consorts and told them that if he were to win the war, he would put up a white flag on the ship he was sailing back, if he lost, a red flag would be hoisted. However, news reached them that the king had won his victorious war. So in high glee, the two consorts attired in the best of their royal costumes heavily decked with glittering jewels, golden earrings awaited the arrival of the king to welcome him. But in another few moments, there came up a red flag, when the two queens were plunged into despondency and utter frustration, as there was no way of living on the loss of their beloved king. So the two consorts in their full costumes, adorned with jewellery ran towards the Walawe ganga, plunged themselves into the flowing waters, only to frown themselves in a watery grave. Later when the king came to know of this tragedy, and repented for the practical joke he had had played on them.

He too in unbearable grief, jumped into the river and was drowned in the same evil fate that overtook his two consorts. Old timers living on the riverine of this Walawe ganga, when gemming they had come across some remnants of the submerged jewellery and other valuable treasures. Even a gold-plaited kris knife was among the finds.

Kolonne-Rakwana

Naturalists, authors, poets of old aptly named such lovely waterfalls as 'Fountains of Paradise'. Now let me take the readers to the awe inspiring mountain frontiers of Kolonne-Rakwana lying close to the Walawe basin from Embilipitiya. Close to the 13th mile post of this Embilipitiya-Kolonne-Rakawana mountain road stands the famed medieval castle like Walauwa of the by-gone dauntless Maduwanwela Dissawe. He ruled with an iron fist in his own domain of the sprawling Kolonne Korale. He never stooped down to the British rulers of the day.

This palatial Walauwa about 500 years old is a protected monument under the care of the Archaeological Department. Dynamic but doughty colossus Maduwanwela Dissawe was chivalrously named as "Black Prince/Kalu Kumaraya" after a snubbing confrontation he had with a visiting Prince of Germany who brazenly called himself as 'a Prince of Germany'.

This haughty German Prince in all his insolence introduced himself to Maduwanwela Dissawe thus: "I am a prince from Germany I have booked this stage coach for myself only". Maduwanwela Dissawe had in himself a proud independence of his own. In a wrath of frothing anger retorted thus: "You may be a German Prince, I do not care about it at all, I am the 'Black Prince of Lanka. Kalu Kumaraya', I am taking this coach for myself".

Having said so, in his arrogance of inborn nature, he ordered the coachman to drop behind the prince and his retinue, when the haughty German prince had to eat his own humble pie, had to get down from the coach, when immediately dauntless Maduwanwela Dissawe road away in the coach like a gallant knight. 'The prince and his part' had to face a humiliating defeat as they were forced to go by bullock cart to reach their destination in Rakwana. After this dare-devil encounter, colossus Maduwanwela Dissawe was named fittingly Black Prince/Kalu Kumaraya.

He is still held in legend in this great wilderness of the Kolonne-Rakwana frontiers. In trekking to reach our next destination of Duwili Ella Waterfalls, one has to go past this Maduwanwela Walauwa. Lying opposite the Stone Archway leading to the Walauwa abutting the main road, there is a gravelled road leading to Kiathalabokka Anicut one mile away motorable up to the Kiathalabokka anicut. On this trip I am happy to recall in taking two Cardiologists- Doctors Chamdima and wife Naomali Amarasena, coming all the way from Colombo to marvel these 'Fountains of Paradise'. Besides their heavy toll of surgical work, they are lovers of nature, during a holiday they always make a trip to commune with nature's wonders. The photos taken by Dr. Chandima Amarasena are faithfully reproduced on Duvili Ella Falls in this article.

We parked the car under the forest canopy of a farmer's cottage which they obliged willingly. On reaching the kithalabokka anicut enroute Duvili Ella, there is a concrete stone bridge. From there is a tortuous narrow pathway riddled with stone outcrops. From there is a rugged rough track of pot-holes, crags, lined by giant Kumbuk trees whose giant roots peeping out in an arduous zig-zag way entwined with giant jungle creepers overhanging serving as a tunnel, we had to bend down and creep through its dense entwines arduously. When trodding the feet, one has to be cautions of one's step and keeping a firm foothold without being slipped into the abysmal below.

With an sundering bellow, we marvelled in wonder and grace this be witching Duvili Ella Waterfalls. The nature of this Duvili Ella Falls is in throwing up snowy sprays, as the name itself implies like shooting up gusts of dust.

Then in another big shout rushing over rock outcrops of boulders and whirling pools to join her main stream of Andalu Oya flowing by swiftly. There is still another waterfall by the same name of Duvili Ella located down the upper reaches of Walawe ganga in the Balangoda frontier.

It is also named as Walawe ganga Falls East. It is accessible off Kaltota - 20 Km., from Balangoda. Eberhard Kautch (a German national) in his wonderful book titled "A Guide To The Waterfalls of Sri Lanka", says of route to be taken thus: "There is a narrow walking path up and down through scrub and over boulders traversing the steep steps of the Valley, upstream along the river 2 Km. You make your way in single file slowly and tediously, for a false step would mean certain death".

Irrigation bungalow

On this same mountain highway of Embilipitiya-Kolonne-Rakwana), before approaching Vijaya Riya looking up one could have a bird's eye view of the section of this Vijaya Riya waterfalls roaring in streamers like falling into a rock-pool moving in a whirlpool. The tormentors pathway leading to Vijaya Riya waterfalls from this point is hazardous, steep-rugged slopes, crags in a serpentine way. My first visit on this tortuous path was in the late 1970s and in later years in the company of our famed wildlife, heritage, photographer of international repute-Nihal Fernando of Studio Times.

In recent years, a mini-hydro-power plant has been constructed in harnessing the waters of this Vijaya Riya. Just going past the little township of Vijaya Riya (after passing the Vijaya Riya Maha Vidyalaya), there is a metalled road constructed as an access way to this mini-hydro power plant.

(To be continued)