Rumassala

Rumassala is a massive hill outside the Galle harbour. During the colonial era it was known as Buona Vista which means 'pleasant view.' The legendary chronicle 'Ramayana' proclaims that Rumassala is a chunk of Himalayan Mountains in India. The Rumassala hill gives a beautiful view of the southern coast of Galle.

People used Rumassala as a point to fill their crafts with fresh water. Now it has become a service centre for ships and craft. The Rumassala forest has a vast collection of bio diversity. It is yet another home to mammals, birds, insects and reptiles. Some of the indigenous and endemic animals, plants had survived in the jungle.

The epic Ramayana reveals a beautiful folklore. King Rawana and Rama were occassionally in the battlefields. Many soldiers of Rama's army got wounded and were injured.

Therefore, Rama got the Monkey king 'Hanuman' to bring a few medicinal herbs from the Himalayan Mountains.The herbs were namely mritasanjeevani, bidhalayakarani, suvarnakarani and sandhani. But Hanuman couldn't recognise those listed herbs and brought back a part from the gigantic Himalayan Mountains. On finding the herbs, Hanuman threw away the rest of the mountain part.

Today this part of the Himalayan Mountain is known as Rumassala.

There is no doubt that there are medicinal herbs. The Japanese peace pagoda was gifted by the Japanese bhikkhu Nichidatsu Fuhi Thera.

Compiled by Husna Inayathullah