Rufus Kulam - wildlife area outside national parks
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Rufus Kulam, one of Sri Lanka’s most picturesque lakes, is situated 36 km north of Arugam Bay and 18 km northwest of Sangamankanda Point by road, the latter being the easternmost point of Sri Lanka close to Lighthouse Bay, which is known as a surf break. Rufus Kulam can be reached via a 4 km long cul-de-sac, at the end of which you cannot see the lake. However, you have to walk only a short distance to the dam and tank. But you should be aware that this is a wildlife area, the largest risk being contacts with roaming elephants.
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Due to its remote location and the lack of tourist facilities, Rufus Kulam is one of the hidden treasures of Sri Lanka never visited by busloads.
Rufus Kulam is a comparatively small lake, measuring about 100 hectares. There is a Buddhist temple at the northern part of the dam. However, the main attraction of Rufus Kulam is its scenic beauty, with several rock-surface islets and small creeks framed by outcrop at the rugged eastern half of the lake, close to the dam, whereas the mellow flat open grassland at the western banks is bordered by the dense Kanchikudi jungle.
“Rufus”, though known as one of the favourite names in ancient Rome, is not a common name in Sri Lanka. In the case of this enchanting tank’s, it’s an abrriviation or corruption of “Rutherford”, the name of the British engineer who restored this small reservoir during the colonial period. “Kulam” is a common Tamil term for tank or for what is called “Wewa” in Sinhala language.
Rufus Kulam serves as a fishing ground of the local Tamil population. For a reasonable baksheesh, the fishermen, though usually not speaking English, will be kind enough to allow rare visitors a ride on their traditional canoes. Be aware, these flimsy boats can be attacked by mugger crocodiles living in the lake. Sometimes crocodiles can be observed at the banks of the lakes.
Local herdsmen drag cattle to the water. Herds of domesticated as well as feral buffaloes can often be seen at the lake, making another contribution to the idyllic scene.
Rufus Kulam is a wildlife area, too. In the late afternoon, wild elephants leave the nearby Kanchikudi Jungle to feed on the grass of the plains and drink and bath at the western bank of Rufus Kulam. Actually, this is the best place in Sri Lanka to observe wild elephants in their natural environment without paying for tickets and without renting a jeep, as Rufus Kulam does not belong to a national park. Actually, the Kanchikudi area, stretching 14 km to the east to the Pannalgama tank and 22 km to the south to Kitulana Lahugala National Park, is the largest forest of Sri Lanka’s dry zone without national park status.
Be aware, that the unique chances to come close to wild elephants completely undisturbed by safari jeep or any other traffic and without ranger, should not tempt you to take any risks. We highly recommend not to leave the rocks at the eastern part of the lake. For your own safety, it’s much better you visit Rufus Kulam accompanied by locals.
Rufus Kulam is a comparatively small lake, measuring about 100 hectares. There is a Buddhist temple at the northern part of the dam. However, the main attraction of Rufus Kulam is its scenic beauty, with several rock-surface islets and small creeks framed by outcrop at the rugged eastern half of the lake, close to the dam, whereas the mellow flat open grassland at the western banks is bordered by the dense Kanchikudi jungle.
“Rufus”, though known as one of the favourite names in ancient Rome, is not a common name in Sri Lanka. In the case of this enchanting tank’s, it’s an abrriviation or corruption of “Rutherford”, the name of the British engineer who restored this small reservoir during the colonial period. “Kulam” is a common Tamil term for tank or for what is called “Wewa” in Sinhala language.
Rufus Kulam serves as a fishing ground of the local Tamil population. For a reasonable baksheesh, the fishermen, though usually not speaking English, will be kind enough to allow rare visitors a ride on their traditional canoes. Be aware, these flimsy boats can be attacked by mugger crocodiles living in the lake. Sometimes crocodiles can be observed at the banks of the lakes.
Local herdsmen drag cattle to the water. Herds of domesticated as well as feral buffaloes can often be seen at the lake, making another contribution to the idyllic scene.
Rufus Kulam is a wildlife area, too. In the late afternoon, wild elephants leave the nearby Kanchikudi Jungle to feed on the grass of the plains and drink and bath at the western bank of Rufus Kulam. Actually, this is the best place in Sri Lanka to observe wild elephants in their natural environment without paying for tickets and without renting a jeep, as Rufus Kulam does not belong to a national park. Actually, the Kanchikudi area, stretching 14 km to the east to the Pannalgama tank and 22 km to the south to Kitulana Lahugala National Park, is the largest forest of Sri Lanka’s dry zone without national park status.
Be aware, that the unique chances to come close to wild elephants completely undisturbed by safari jeep or any other traffic and without ranger, should not tempt you to take any risks. We highly recommend not to leave the rocks at the eastern part of the lake. For your own safety, it’s much better you visit Rufus Kulam accompanied by locals.
Legends of the Kanchikudi Ara
Rufus Kulam is fed by the Kanchikudichcharu, also spelt “Kanchi Kudi Aru” or „Kanchikudiccharu“ oder „Kanjikuda-Ara“. The name translates to “porridge river”. The river is believed to have provided water to make porridge for the Sinhalese army of King Duttugemunu during his campaign against the Tamil king of Anuradhapura.
Another legend has it, that during a period of severe drought and famine there was not left enough rice for only one single bowl of porridge. Due the plight of the locals, a king decided to build a tank in order to secure enough portions of porridge for future times.
Another legend has it, that during a period of severe drought and famine there was not left enough rice for only one single bowl of porridge. Due the plight of the locals, a king decided to build a tank in order to secure enough portions of porridge for future times.
Tragic recent history of Rufus Kulam and the Kanchikudi jungle
Prior to the civil war, the plains at Rufus Kulam were often the temporary home of gypsies. They are said to have camped here until the 1970s, when a priest named Father Cook helped them to construct simple lodges.
During the civil war, several camps of guerilla fighters were hidden in this jungle. An educational camp of about 200 separatist fighters trained child soldiers in this hungle, some of them seduced, others abducted from the villages in the paddy cultivation areas of the coastal plains.
In 1990, almost 200 bodies of killed Sinhalese and Muslim policemen from at least three different municipalities were found at Rufus Kulam. They had been murdered by forces of the separatist group LTTE. Those killed policemen had not fought against the LTTE, on the contrary, they served as security forces in LTTE-held territories due to an agreement with the central government in Colombo, which continued to pay the salaries to camouflage the de facto acceptance of control of the region by the terrorist rebel army. The mass murder was committed after a breakdown of peace negotiations. About 1000 policemen were fired by the LTTE, Sinhalese and Muslim and also those Tamil policemen that had previously worked for the central government. 600 of them were killed or are still missing. The burial ceremonies were held close to Rufus Kulam. High-ranking officials and monks from Colombo joint the ceremony. According to claims of LTTE sympathisizers, Tamil civilians in the area were killed prior to the arrival of the officials in order to present their bodies as proof of a successfull campaign to punish perpetrators.
In late 2006, an entire class of school boys and two teachers were abducted by the LTTE terrorists in Ampara District. The obvious aim was to recruite fresh child soldiers. In begin of 2007, the Special Task Force (STF), a militarily trained elite troops of the Sri Lankan police specialised in both preventing acts of terrorism peacefully and fighting against guerilla groups effectively, launched the operation „Niyathai Jaya“ („final victory“) in the Kanchikudi jungle and managed to occupy more than a dozen terror camps within the forest and to drive out the guerilla forces completely. One of the first camps attacked was Stanley Base. This campaign was part of the governments successful attempt to remove the LTTE completely from the Eastern Province, with the support of renegade Tamil fighters led by the former LTTE-commander in the east, Karuna, two years priot to the final defeat of the separatist army in the Northern Province. The STF police forces found several vehicles prepared with explosive charge for terror attacks within urban areas.
Soon after the civil war, special police forces had a camp close to the lake to protect the area from resurgence of terrorist acitivities. They were kind and helpful to allow foreign guests access to the lake and offered protection in this wildlife zone. But the camp has been resolved in the meantime.
During the civil war, several camps of guerilla fighters were hidden in this jungle. An educational camp of about 200 separatist fighters trained child soldiers in this hungle, some of them seduced, others abducted from the villages in the paddy cultivation areas of the coastal plains.
In 1990, almost 200 bodies of killed Sinhalese and Muslim policemen from at least three different municipalities were found at Rufus Kulam. They had been murdered by forces of the separatist group LTTE. Those killed policemen had not fought against the LTTE, on the contrary, they served as security forces in LTTE-held territories due to an agreement with the central government in Colombo, which continued to pay the salaries to camouflage the de facto acceptance of control of the region by the terrorist rebel army. The mass murder was committed after a breakdown of peace negotiations. About 1000 policemen were fired by the LTTE, Sinhalese and Muslim and also those Tamil policemen that had previously worked for the central government. 600 of them were killed or are still missing. The burial ceremonies were held close to Rufus Kulam. High-ranking officials and monks from Colombo joint the ceremony. According to claims of LTTE sympathisizers, Tamil civilians in the area were killed prior to the arrival of the officials in order to present their bodies as proof of a successfull campaign to punish perpetrators.
In late 2006, an entire class of school boys and two teachers were abducted by the LTTE terrorists in Ampara District. The obvious aim was to recruite fresh child soldiers. In begin of 2007, the Special Task Force (STF), a militarily trained elite troops of the Sri Lankan police specialised in both preventing acts of terrorism peacefully and fighting against guerilla groups effectively, launched the operation „Niyathai Jaya“ („final victory“) in the Kanchikudi jungle and managed to occupy more than a dozen terror camps within the forest and to drive out the guerilla forces completely. One of the first camps attacked was Stanley Base. This campaign was part of the governments successful attempt to remove the LTTE completely from the Eastern Province, with the support of renegade Tamil fighters led by the former LTTE-commander in the east, Karuna, two years priot to the final defeat of the separatist army in the Northern Province. The STF police forces found several vehicles prepared with explosive charge for terror attacks within urban areas.
Soon after the civil war, special police forces had a camp close to the lake to protect the area from resurgence of terrorist acitivities. They were kind and helpful to allow foreign guests access to the lake and offered protection in this wildlife zone. But the camp has been resolved in the meantime.
