Attanagalla, Raja Maha Vihara

 

The Royal Temple of historic Attanagalla Vihara

The Attanagalla Raja Maha Vihara was built by king Gotabhaya during 249-262 AD. It was later reconstructed by king Upatissa ( 365-406 AD)

Attanagalla is a small town located in the Gampaha District, Western Province , Sri Lanka. Attanagalla borders the Kegalle district in the Sabaragamuwa province. The picturesque village of Attanagalla is situated on the west bank of the Attanagalu Oya. 

Attanagalla is well-known in the country due to two reasons. 

• historically: due to the Attanagalla Raja Maha Vihara
• politically  : The hometown of the Bandaranayakes 

          - Late Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranayake (prime minister)

          - Late Mrs. Sirimawo Bandaranayake 

                 (First woman prime minister of the world)

          -Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranayake 

                 (First woman executive president of Sri Lanka)

          -Late Mr. Anura Bandaranayake

                 (Speaker - Sri Lanka Parliament) 

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Location of the  Attanagalla Raja Maha Vihara.

Attanagalla Raja Maha Vihara can easily be reached from Colombo- Kandy highway. The temple is located on the Nittambuwa - Hanwella road ( 6km. from Nittambuwa).  The temple can also be reached from Pasyala.  

Hulangala | Selagama | Mathale | Mini-World's End | Mathale

Hulangala | Wind Rock | Newgala Viewpoint in the Mathale district 

What is 'Hulangala'? 

Hulangala meaning 'Wind Rock' in English is one of the few better known precipices in Sri Lanka; the most popular one being the World's End located in Horton Plains in Nuwara Eliya. Madolsima Viewpoint in Welimada is another attractive place. Hulangala is also known as Newgala because of the shape of the rock there. 

Watch the video for more details of a hike to Hulangala. 

The blogger's rout

The blogger together with a few friends reached the View Point via Kurunegala, Ridigama and Yatawatta. The journey from Yatawatta to the Selagama tea estate where the Hulangala viewpoint is situated is motorable, a distance of around 9 km. 

Entrance

You have to buy a ticket at the entrance to Hulangala. The price of a ticket for a local tourist is Rs. 100. Also you can arrange for a jeep at the entrance for which they charge Rs.6000. However, motorcycles are allowed. 

Hiking is the best

Most tourists prefer hiking while enjoying the beauty of the environment. The hiking trail falls through the tea estate.  There are several improvised resting places erected for the hikers. The properly maintained tea estate provides a novel experience to the hiker specially from the low country.

The Viewpoint  

Once you reach the viewpoint , you are sure to be  bewitched by the the beauty of the unique aerial view of the vast mountain ranges. The bluish mountains tinged with patches of green is a pleasing sight which leaves an indelible memory. The view point is about 100 m long smooth rock.

The estate authorities provide facilities for camping too. 

WARNING!

There is no protective guard fence at the edge of the precipice, just a painted yellow line. As the wind is sometimes strong you have to take extra precautions for your own safety, especially , if you take your kids with you. 

More details of Hulangala available here

Mulawella Rock | Sinharaja rainforest

Mulawella Rock | Sinharaja Forest 

Mulawella Rock is the fourth highest rock situated within the Sinharaja (Lion king) forest in Sri Lanka. The trail to the peak falls through the thick forest. One has to take all the precautions  for protecting oneself from leaches. The friendly guides of the park provides you with all the necessary information. 

The visitor also gets an opportunity to see a number of rare plants and different animal species. The pitcher plant is a common sight here. Also we could see a tree by the name 'waldurian'. 

The legends behind Mulawella 

There are several legends associated with the name of the rock. Some villagers say that this area was home to a kind of creepers called 'manmula vel' (vel in sinhala meaning creepers). It is said that those who step on them in a forest are sure to get lost. Hence the name 'mulawella' derives from 'manmula vel'. 

The viewpoint 

The viewpoint provides you a life time experience. The visitor can have a clear aerial view of the surrounding mountains and the forest from up there. 

Watch the Video below for more details.

Namal Uyana, The Pink Quartz Mountain

Dedugala in Bulathkohupitiya , Kegalle

 Dedugala is a small village situated within the Bulathkohupitiya Local Council area in the Kegalle district. 

The blogger together with five friends visited Dedugala on the 28th July 2025. We started the journey from Attanagalla on motorcycles. The distance from Attanagalla to Dedugala is 56 Km. We travelled via Urapola, Ruwanwella, Kaluwella and Bulathkohupitiya. The complete distance was a motorable one. We could reach our destination within one and half hours.

Old Dedugala town

On our way, we did not forget to visit the old Dedugala town. The town looks more like a ghost town today. As I came to know from a villager the reason for deserting the town was due to the transport and other difficulties people had to face.