Bambarakanda is by far the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. The fall lies at the southern slopes of Horton Plains National Park in an evergreen pine forest in the area of Kalupahana. Concerning the amounts of water, this is only a thin horsetail waterfall during most of the year. Under extreme dry conditions, the waterfall can sometimes be almost invisible, when the Walawe Ganga tributary Kuda Oya forming the Bambarakanda Fall is almost dried out.

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Since it has been reerected in the 1990s, the marvellous Maligawila Buddha statue is the largest free-standing figure of the Buddha from Sri Lanka’s antiquity. The limestone statue, which is most likely from the 7th century, has been found lying on the ground and broken in pieces as late as in the early 1950s. Several attempts to reerect it failed, but now it can be seen in ist ancient glory again. Concerning artistic quality, the Maligawila Buddha statue is one of the three best ancient giant Buddhas in standing posture, the other ones being the Aukana Buddha and the Gal Vihara statue from Polonnaruwa. Did you know, that one of the most comprehensive articles on Maligawila can be found nowhere else than on our website. Find it here...

With a circumference of more than 300 meters, Yudaganawa near Buttala is the largest stupa in the southern plains of Sri Lanka. It is built not as a hemispherical dome but in the Kotavehera type, this means, it’s cut at one third of the height, with a small stupa placed in the center of the upper level. Previous stupas at the same place, presumably smaller ones, are said to have been built hemispherical originally.

Local tradition has it, that Yudaganawa is the location where Prince Saddatissa fought against his elder brother, later Anuradhapura King Dutthagamani (2nd century BC). The term „Yuda“ means „battle“. Their mother, Viharamahadevi, and the Buddhist Sangha managed to reunite the two brothers, a stupa was erected on the battlefield in commemoration. However, the giant stupa that can be seen today, is more likely from the Polonnaruwa period (13th century AD).

Badulla, capital of Uva Province, is not a major tourist destination, although it’s the terminus of Sri Lanka’s famous highland railway line. Most foreigners prefer to leave the train in Ella. Bandarawela and Haputale, too, are more popular with tourists and provide a wider range of accommodation. For those having enough time to visit the town of Badulla, there is one great attraction a few kilometres to the north of the city. Dunhinda Ella formed by the Badulu river is one of Sri Lanka’s most scenic waterfalls and can be reached via a 2 km long jungle path. To the south of the city is Spring Valley, a tea plantation area, which gives access to Badulla’s backyard mountain, Namunukula.

Inside Badulla town, there are four main attractions. The Muthiyangana Vihara is one of the 16 Buddha-visited places of Sri Lanka and thereby one of the most important Buddhist temples. The Kataragama Devale, devoted to the warrior got known as Murugan in southern India, is a mainly wooden temple building in the typical style of the Kandy period. It is a Sinhalese Buddhist place of worship but also sacred to Hindus. There are several Hindu shrines of the local Tamil community, these are less worth visiting for their architecture but genuine places of worship allowing foreigners to join impressive Puja ceremonies. Last not least Badulla has several churches of the colonial period. The oldest one is St Mark's Church from 1857, it was built in memory of Major Thomas William Rogers, a famous hunter, who died after being struck by lightning near Haputale. Locals say, this was the result of his bad Karma due to the many killings of elephants.

Buduruvagala at the southern foot of the central highlands, situated about 7 km southeast of Wellawaya, is a group of seven rock-hewn Buddhist statues. Actually, it’s the largest such complex with the tallest rock-cut Buddha sculpture in Sri Lanka (16 m), though Gal Vihara in Pollonaruwa is more artistic and more impressive. The Mahayana inspired statues of Buduruvagala date back to the 9th or 10th century. Despite Sri Lanka’s Buddhist records and self-perception that it has been a Theravada Buddhist country since the introduction of the religion, Mahayana was present on the island during most of ist history, particulary during the second half of the first millennium. The art oft the south of the island from that period is predominantly Mahayanistic.

The tallest statue, which is in the very centre, depicts a Buddha, presumably the Buddha Dipankara, who is the first Buddha known by name. The other six statues are arranged in two groups of three symmetrically. The high crowns signify they are Bodhisattvas.

The central of the three figures to the Dipakara Buddha's right is saviour Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion. He wears a high crown. This is the figure with the best preserved coloured stucco in Buduruvagala.

To the left of this white painted figure is the only female figure of the group, depicting Tara, the embodiment of Avalokiteshvara’s compassion. This is Sri Lankas only ancient rock-cut statue which represents a female.

The third figure to Avolokiteshvara’s right cannot be identified with certainty. It could represent Bhrikuti in such a group of three, but it’s not indicated as female. Another assumption is that this smaller figure represents Prince Sumedha, a traveller searching for wisdom who is the main character of a Mahayanistic sutra.

The crowned figure at the centre of the other group is Bodhisattva Maitreya, who is also venerated as the future Buddha in Theravada Buddhism. His Pali name is Metteya.

Several of the statues hold up their right hands with two fingers bent down to the palm, this beckoning gesture known as Katamukha Mudra is very common in Buddhist art of southern Sri Lanka.

To his left stands Vajrapani, easily identifiable, as he holds a vajra, a thunderbold scepter in the form of an hourglass. This tatnric symbol is very uncommon in Sri Lanka’s art and otherwise never depicted at rock-cut statues on the island.

The other figure, which has the most delicately carved face of all seven statues, is presumably the Bodhisattva Manjushri.

Some of the statues still bear traces of stucco and colour, indicating that the robes were originally stuccoed and painted.   

Beside the tall statue in the centre, there is a carved hole in the shape of a flame. The inside wall of this carved shape is said to be wet and to smell like mustard oil. The occurence of the smell is considered to be a miracle, as there is no  explainable source of oil at the rock.

The modern name ‚Buduruvagala‘ is derived from the words for Buddha (Budu), image (ruva) and stone (gala). The original name of the temple is unknown.

Our website is proud to present the most comprehensive online article on Buduruvagala. Check here...

Uda Walawe is one of Sri Lanka’s four most popular national parks. Uda Walawe and Yala are situated to the south and Minneriya and Wilpattu are to the north of the central highlands. Yala and Wilpattu cover larger areas and they are famous for leopards, whereas the main attraction of the smaller parks Minneriya and Uda Walawe is observing wild elephants. Thus, for holiday makers in southern Sri Lanka who want to take part in an elephant safari, Uda Walawe is the first choice. In contrast, Minneriya is in the Cultural Triangle can be reached from east coast beaches such als Pasikudah and Nilaweli.

However, there is another diffence between the elephant parks of Minneriya in the north and Udawalawe in the south. The elephant gathering in Minneriya is more spectacular, but it only takes place during the northern hemisphere summer months. In contrast. Uda Walawe is not attracting migratory elephants. It has a permant and constant population of will elephants. The density of the elephant population is high and you can see the gorgeous beasts in large quatities throughout the year. You will not see one big herd at the reservoir like in Minneriya, but smaller groups of up to a dozen individuals and more than one such herd during your safari.

Attached to the Uda Walawe National Park is the baby elephant camp called „Elephant Transit home“. Elephant babies that lost their mothers are nourished here and prepared to return to the wild as adolescents.

Learn more about Uda Walawe in our comprehensive article here...

Wrapped in the tranquility of the Tangamalai bird sanctuary near Haputale, Adisham Hall is a former colonial country house built in 1931, which was coverted into a Benedictine monastery in 1961. The British planter and trader Sir Thomas Villiers named his country mansion after his birthplace, which was the village of Adisham in Kent, England. For his dream home in the typical English Tudor style, he  purchased 2.5 hectared of land in the lonesome and peaceful Golden Hills („Tangamalai“) With a breathtakingly panoramic view of the Uva bassin in the southeastern part of Sri Lanka’s highlands. Sir Thomas Villiers spared no expense to embellish his country home with antiquities and luxurious furniture. Adisham Hall soon became a meeting place of the colonial upper class Ceylon.

The English garden and parts of the country house are open to the public on Sundays and Poya Days. The interior of the sitting room and library are well preserved. The colonial stairwell and the rooms inhabited by the monks can not be visited. A chip of a bone of St. Sylvester is enshrined in the altar of the chapel of the St. Benedict Monastery Adisham.

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The Bogoda Bridge near Badulla was built in the 16th or 17th century in the early Kandy period. It is the oldest surviving wooden bridge in Sri Lanka and the most beautiful specimen. The structure is standing on a single pier which is from a tree trunk of 11 metres height. All parts of 15 m long Bogoda Bridge exept from the roof tiles were constructed from wood, even fixing materials such as nails are wooden. Durable woods such as Kumbuk and Jackfruit logs were used for the construction and precious timber such as Ceylon Ebony for the decorations. The construction also served as an Ambalama, a traditional shelter for travellers and pilgirms. The wooden fences of the bridge are embellished by tytraditional Sinhalese decorations. Bogoda Bridge crossing the Gallanda Oya was important for traders and pilgrims travelling from Kandy to Badulla, which were then the two most important cities of the Sinhalese controlled territory in Sri Lanka.

Divurumpola, situated between Nuwara Eliya and Badulla in Uva Province, is a Buddhist temple with a Hindu shrine. Though some Buddhist Viharas do not accept worship of gods within their precincts, Hindu deities are venerated in many Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka. Particularly Vishnu and Skanda in their local forms of Upulvan and Kataragama are held in high esteem by Sinhalese Buddhists. However, there is something special about the Hindu shrine in Divurumpola, as it is one of the very few Buddhist temples where Vishnu is represented as Rama, his royal incarnation. Rama is the main character of the Indian epic Ramayana, that bears his name. It’s the most disseminated Hindu text in Asia, held in high esteem in Buddhist und Muslim Southeast Asia in particualt. Though the many crucial episodes of the Ramayana took place on the island of Lanka, the epic is not as popular in Sri Lanka as in other parts of Asia. As a matter of fact, some Buddhist scholars in ancient times criticized the Ramayana epic. But in the Buddhist monastery of Divurumpola, Lord Rama has a new shrine. The reason is, that Divurumpola is now said to have been the place where Sita’s fireordeal once proved her innocence. The place attracts Hindu devotees from India.

To learn more about this famous episode of the Ramayana epic, the Agni Pariksha, please visit our main Divurumpola article here...

Close to the Ella-Wellawaya road (A23) in the Ella Gap is a popular waterfall, which is usually called Rawana Ella or Ravana Ella. But higher above it, there is smaller waterfall not visible from the road. In a narrow sense, only this less-known waterfall is Rawana Ella or Ravana Ella due to the close proximity of the Ravana cave, which is believed to have been one of the places where Lord Rama’s consort Sita was held in captivity by Lanka’s demon king Rawana. The correct name of the waterfall near the road is is “Bambaragama Ella“. It is devided into several cascades, summing up to a total height of about 25 meters. During the local wet season, the shape of the waterfall resembles that of an areca flower with withering petals. We were lucky to see the waterfall in full flood when visiting it the day before yesterday.