Rumassala -famous for medicinal herbs
Rumassala, known to colonialists as Buona Vista, is the subject of
many legends. It features in the Ramayana, as the home of the beautiful
queen Sita, hidden in the jungle nearby. Hanuman who was sent to fetch a
medicinal plant for a wounded soldier, was unable to find it and brought
the Himalayan mountains on which it was said to grow. He dropped a chunk
of the mountain in Unawatuna ('here it fell'- this is how the name
Unawatuna came to be ) to form the present mountain, where many
medicinal plants still grow. There is a major magnetic anomaly near
Unawatuna, which Arthur C. Clarke attributes to a meteorite strike and
it is said that satellites lose their orbits with unusual frequency
overhead.
The Portuguese had a dreadful reputation in Sri Lanka as looters and
pirates and are said to have given false light signals from Rumassala to
lure unsuspecting Arab trading ships onto the rocks.
According to the legend of the Rama Rawana war, Rama's brother
Luxhmana was injured and Hanuman was sent to the Himalayas to fetch
medicinal herbs. Hanuman forgot the name of the herb but he brought a
chunk of the peak containing herbs.
Rumassala which is located close to the main harbour area is
therefore an important marine archaeological site, while the watering
point on Rumassala was important during the colonial period.
The reef supports a number of traditional fishermen using traditional
methods such as hook and line fishing.
The reef and secluded beach is popular among locals for recreation
and is visited by tourists from nearby areas.
The beach area near the reef is a popular picnic and recreation area
for locals. Tourists from Galle and Unawatuna also visit the area for
snorkelling on the reef and use of the beach. Diving operators based in
Unawatuna also conduct diving tours to the reef.
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