Horagolla Nation Park - 27 July 2014

Horagolla Nation Park

Date – 27^th July 2014 (Half a day is ideal if you go with the family. It takes only 2 ½ to cover the whole park-ordinary visit).

Crew – Family

Horagolla National Park, a place I desire to visit but postponed simply because of the proximity. It is only 25km away from Ganemulla and can be reached either from Nittabuwa side on Kandy road or from Veyangoda side on Udugampola-Naiwala-Veyangoda Road. 

We left home at around 1 p: m: and bought lunch packets from famous “Pol Athu Bath Kade” in Nittabuwa. Park is siuated at Pinnagolla Junction on Nittabuwa-Veyangoda Road. This area is somewhat residence. Vehicles can’t be entered to the park; therefore parked in a bare land nearby the park entrance and informed a neighbor, seem to be friendly people. 

  

There is a passage (Adi Para) to enter the park and Horagolla wewa, a community built reservoir is there to welcome you. Tickets/passes can be obtained from Wild Life Conservation Office at the entrance; tickets are issued manually, which takes little long time. (According to officers; other parks issue computerized tickets/passes). If you requested, a guide is accompanied otherwise park can be visited along. Foot paths in the park are paved with stones and clearly guided by numbering to cover the whole area. There are about 33 acres in the whole park area. 

According to facts I found from the web as well as from Wild Life Officers; this park was donated by the Bandaranayake Family in 1973 and declared as wild life sanctuary. Later in 2004, this park was uplifted as a national park.

It was after long time I entered into a jungle and I was thrilled. Everybody enjoyed the nature. As this place called “Horagolla”, there were abundance of Hora trees scatted in the whole park. Tall trees cover the overhead and keep the most wanted darkness in the forest. (No or less sunlight in the ground, Netha is the happiest person among us….)There you can find benches inside the forest, which provide accommodation to tired visitors.

According to web articles; this place is rich of bio-diversity and thereby full of flora and fauna. Other than Hora; we saw Kithul, Godapara, Milla, Mara, Pah Kala, Kakuna, Nedun, Atamba, Ruk Attana, and Moonamal. But we’ve not seen much animals, Gollubella was the most common and noted a Butterfly, lizard and a monitor lizard in the park. However there were several bird noises were heard but not seen any of them probably due to our disturbances. A bird nest was seen with eggs inside but couldn’t recognize the owner. One end of the park is separated to grow some Mana and illuk grass and they maintain a breeding center for Stunted Deer (Olu Muwa).     

 

 

 

 

At the end of walk, there is a summer hut in the Horagolla wewa to take a rest. There is Small animal museum and a center for treat injured animal near by the Wild Life office, where some Animal Skulls and a crocodile skin are seen and Animal brought for treatment can also be visited. 

 




Special reasons to visit Horagolla National Park:-

• Smallest/lower country evergreen forest protected by Wild Life Conservation Department. 
• Bio Diversity of the Park
• Proximity to Colombo and Suburbs
• Place to relax in tranquilly and enjoy greenery
• Place to get an Idea about a forest; specially for children
• Good place to study, research and photography

Here can be found more pics about our visit:- 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97932574@N06/sets/72157646109268450/

Horagolla National Park Video:-

Pansal-01 - Dadagamuwa Temple – July 2014

Location: - Dadagamuwa Temple, Dadagamuwa-Weyangoda

Route: - Ganemulla-Udugampala-Naiwala-Veyangoda-Dadagamuwa (This place can also be reached from turning Kalagedihena on the Kandy Road)

Crew: - Family

Date: - 20 July 2014

Travel: - Car

Being in Gampaha District, there are lots of places closer by that can be visited. Dadagamuwa is one of these and Archaeological and Pilgrimage site in Dadagamuwa, Veyangoda.

Dadagamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya is one of oldest Temples in Sri Lanka. According to the history this was built by one of ministers came with Sangamiththa Thero in King Dewanampiyathissa’s era, called “Sumiththa” and believed to be a relative of Sangamiththa Thero.

The Bo tree in this place is one of the eight saplings of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya. The main monument in Dadagamuwa Temple is the “Watadageya”. This Watadageya is one of the ancient and architectural places. The Dagaba within the Vatadage takes the shape of a water bulb (Diya bubula). According to some Villagers and web articles; inner walls have paintings of Jathaka Stories and were restored latter part of 19^th Century. As per web articles, these original paintings belong to Kandy Era. The roof of Watadagaya consists of two tiers sloping in four directions. The top of the roof is crowned with a pinnacle. The remaining monuments in this place are “Nidangala” and “Padalassa gala”, show the archaeological importance of this Viharaya too.

Other than the old monuments, there is Standing statute of Lord Budha, which is 120 ft tall, is built recently. Viharaya is situated in flat land closer by a huge paddy field and scenery is eye-catching. One side of the Viharaya is boarding to a small Water Stream and it’s full of “Theppili” Fish. Other than these, Trees of enlightenment of all twenty-eight Buddhas have been planted around the Standing Statute of Buddha. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Katharagama Pilgrimage – April 2014

Katharagama is a pilgrimage town, not only the Buddhists but multi religious sacred place, where Hindu and Muslim devotees also visit throughout the year. www.kataragama.org is the official web site of Katharagama Devalaya, provides information about Katharagama devalaya, Katharagama deviyo, its history, popular places for devotees to visit etc.  

      It’s more than 300Km’s from Ganemulla, where we can go on Galle Road (A2), via Matara or otherwise from Rathnapura, Udawalawa side, which is 70km’s less  than Matara side. Since new Expressway is open, we travelled via Matara, got into the Expressway from Kaduwela and ended from Matara, took only 2 ½ hours for me, where I drove at only 80km/hr and stopped over the Arcade for ½ hour.

It was Saturday and Sunday the 26^th and 27^th of April 2014, Sunny days. As predicted, Katharagama was not busy with crowd. Netha found a place to stay on Bed and Breakfast basis; it’s on the Tissamaharama-Katharagama road and has same distance about 8kms to both sides. It is “Kodigahawewa Forest Resort” on the C2 road, Julle Pallama, Tissamaharama, a cottage type Resort. This place outlooks to the Lake Kodigahawewa, which is a small scale water reservoir and over that to a hill called the Kodigahawewa Jungle, seems to be a protected area by Forest Conservation. Charges are reasonable and chalets can be accommodated by large families. http://www.kfresort.lk/ and http://www.ecolodgeslanka.com/products.htm provide more information and gallery about the hotel and the location. 

On the way to Katharagama, A2 road goes from Matara onwards. We stopped over Talalla, a small village on the coast. This place was not much popular but landscape and scenery is amazing. We stopped in a place, where the sea is bit inlet to the land and rocky. Once I was backed I searched more about Talalla on the net and found that it’s a fishing village and perfect for who seek tranquility and relaxation and tourist know this place more than locals.

 
 

There are times for the Katharagama Devalaya Puja Service, As Netha suggested; we planned to attend the service at 6 p: m: Buddhist devotees first go to the Kirivehera and then to the Devalaya, following the same tradition, we do also worshiped Kirivehera and then attended the Devala Pujawa. Devotees attend Devala Pujawa with trays of fruits and garlands, since we go to Kiriveheera first and its little distance away from the Devalaya, makes bit difficult to carry trays from the Kathagama Puja Town Area. But there are informal gangs in the Puja Town Area, who arrange transport of fruit trays on calls to the Devalaya area.  This really eases the process and they are also reliable, even-though they look rowdy.  We stood along with other devotees holding trays of fruits for the procession of pujawa in sacred shrine of Katharagama Devalaya. Procession brings in the Kapu Mahaththya and he conducts the Pujawa.

 Early in the following day, we went to the Tissamaharamaya Raja Maha Viharaya, a sacred place we use to go on our Katharagama Pilgrimages. We bought lotus flowers from Mal Kade in the Puja Area and first visited Dagabas and offered flowers and lighted lamps. This Stupa was enshrined frontal bone of relic of Lord Buddha. However article I read on web says enshrined relic is subject on debate (http://amazinglanka.com/wp/tissamaharama/#axzz34QHzxCNy). One of the reasons of visiting Katharagama in this time is to vow (Baraya) to get selected our Loku Duwa to Holy Cross College. One vow was done at Katharagama Devalaya and other one we thought to have at the sacred Bo tree in Thissamaharama Viharaya. There were only few people at the Bodhiya and one family washed altar around the Bodhiya.  We also joined with them and washed. Flowers and lighted lamps were offered at the Bo Tree and stanzas were recited solemnly. Netha was very happy about the progression because all were done before the sun rose up. 

 

 
 

We had the breakfast at hotel, bread and string-hoppers were available especially with fresh Lake Fish, “Koraliya”. Koraliya curry was cocked and it was very hot and tasty. Hotel has about 35 acres and the stretch along the lake is landscaped, we relaxed in the garden about an hour. People who love tranquility do really value this place, if you like you can do fishing, bird watching, walk around the lake and photography. There are quite a few animals can be seen, like Elephants, bear, crocodile and many more birds etc. But Architecture of chalets and hotel premises are not up-to the standards.

On our way back, bought Fried Koraliya fish from the seller on the Tissa Lake bund and stopped over Yalata Tissa Vehera. This place is not visited by many but has same historical value. The relic enshrined is not yet found, and it’s believed to be a larger Stupa than the present size due to large granite pinnacles. 

Katharagama is a place where we use to visit every year and believe that it blesses us. Next visit is also planned to redeem our vows. I have thought, we should plan the next trip to go on a different route and visit other sacred places in and around Kathragama and Tissamaharama.     

Negambo Beach – Family Spent

We haven’t had been out from home for a long time. We kept running hither and thither in same schedule throughout last couple of months.  It was Saturday the 22^nd of March 2014, decided to have a home away. This was not pre-planned. We had a look on travel related webs to find a location on West coast, but couldn’t….so then got packed to the car and headed towards Negambo…the popular Sandy beach on the west coast…which is around 30 Km’s away from Ganemulla.

We got into the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway from Ja-Ela and drove to Katunayakaye and then to Negambo on A3. The left-hand side of the Expressway opens to Muthurajawela Marshes and Negambo lagoon. The glimpse of the beauty of the nature is amazing and wonderful. If you are on Katunayake expressway keep your heads on left (from Colombo side) between Katunayake and Ja-Ela, It will be eye-catching scenery.

   

It was around 6 in the evening, we were in Negambo, headed to Poruthota Road; towards hotels area in Kudapaduwa and Eththukala. There was a 3 storied building, looked like a budget hotel. We stayed on B&B basis and rate was also reasonable. It’s “Dream Sea Garden Hotel”. Since it was out of the season, hotel was not occupied much. 

We all were in hurry to get into the beach even-though it was dark. Our elder doni was excited, because of the darkness in the beach. We all ran to the beach, nobody was nearby but there was a musical show on the sands few meters away. Netha wanted to build a castle in sands, doni and myself build something similar, which needed a name tack. It was really enjoyable. Then what to do was the question on all our minds, one came up to go for the musical show….all walking in the sinking sands pushed hard….saw few small gangs enjoy with drinks on the beach. We had “Vade” and enjoyed few dancing tracks and came back to the hotel.     

Dinner was out of the hotel, came out to find a restaurant, what a party mode on the road; there are all and most were restaurants and pubs…music was all over…tourists were enjoying the night. Our place was “Honkey Tonkey Two Restaurant”. We had a great dine. Menu was delicious; fried rice, hamburger, grilled mallet and grilled tuna together with vegetable soup and beer. This restaurant provides personal service by the owner itself; it’s friendly and a welcome place.  

Next day, early in the morning we were again in the beach. Sand castle was again built somewhat bigger but not in the ordinary shape, I walked in the beach to the north and took photographs, listen wave crash on to shore and enjoyed the hard hits of heavy waves. We all enjoyed, specially our 2 donis were trilled. We didn’t get into the sea and not dive. But there were lot had baths, swims, fishing and sailing with fishermen and more people (tourists) on the beach getting sun.

 Negombo offers some of the better beaches on the west coast. Since it draws tourists who stop over for a day on their way to or from the airport, city and the beach side is full of hotels and restaurants. The stretch of the beach; where we were, is maintained by hotels. There are fishermen and fishing boats on the shore in other parts. Beach park is one of the interesting places among visitors (where had the musical show).

The Dream Sea Garden hotel, we stayed is a budget hotel. Rooms are clean and staff is friendly. It is on the beach and can enjoy the scenery of the ocean and the beach from the room. As I said rates are reasonable.  Honkey Tonkey Two Restaurant is also provides delicious foods at a reasonable rate and you can have a personalize menu. They are family based and friendly too, but you don’t find liquor at the restaurant and beer is brought from the outside on request. But it’s a very good place to enjoy the meal.

 

We had the breakfast from the hotel, it was very basic, fresh juices, toasted bread with butter and egg together tea or coffee. This may be due the fewer crowds at the hotel in the off season. We checked-out from the hotel around 11.30 in the morning and on the way back visited Negambo Dutch Fort. It was in a narrow strip between sea and the lagoon. It is ruined and only clock tower and entrance is left.

 

This was very enjoyed outing…relaxed, tasted, viewed, felt and learned lot in the stay at Negambo and the way in and out from the beach city.