On our way to Nuwara Eliya, we encountered the magnificent Rawana Falls at Ella area. It is also known as Ravana Ella and is a popular national sightseeing attraction in Sri Lanka. The 25 meters high water falls that cascades from an oval shaped precipice is considered as one of the widest falls in the country. The falls were named after King Rawana who was related to the famous Indian epic Ramayana. The legend said that Princess Sita's husband Rama and his brother Laxmana sliced off the nose of The King's sister and in order to take revenge, The King kidnapped Princess Sita and hid her at a forested cave behind the falls. The Rawana Cave at the foot of the cliff measured 1370 meter above sea level has now turned into a touristic area. The evidence unearthed further revealed of human habitation dating back to 25000 years.
The pool beneath the falls was believed to be the place where Rama Queen took her bath.
The falls of Rawana when in wet and raining season, appear as if an Areca flower with withering petals.
The falls that are in the midst of wilderness, are part of the Rawana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary.
Many locals trust that water of the falls is safe to drink as it is from the mountain and not polluted. They bring the empty bottles and fill the water back home. We believed that the water is clean as well as proven by those crystallized stones collected from the falls.
Hills of greenery
Along the journey, we visited an old shrine which was quite ram-shackle in condition. Some structures are badly infested with termites. New structures have to be replaced promptly otherwise, the old buildings would be collapsed any time.
A new shrine hall is under construction.
At the spacious compound in front of the old temple, a new Stupa is just near completed and a sapling of Bhodi Tree is also planted. The devoted villagers began to do the blessing chanting.
The oldest structure here is the monks' residence which is badly in shape due to termites.
A little kid was asking snack from the monk while the loud speaker is used as an public addressing system transmitting the temple's chanting to the surroundings. Sri Lanka is most probably the only Buddhist country in the world using such system to propagate the Dharma and transfer the blessings.
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