Funday Times

Stamp News 260 by Uncle Dee Cee
Capturing Sri Lanka’s natural beauty
Our stamps capture the natural beauty of the country from time to time. The latest such stamps are a set of four depicting our beautiful waterfalls. This is the second time waterfalls in Sri Lanka have been featured in stamps. The first time was in 1989 when four stamps were issued on 11 August. These stamps had colourful pictures of Ravana, Dunhinda, Diyaluma and Laxapana waterfalls.

What does a waterfall mean? Geologists have identified waterfalls as cascades of water streaming down mountain tops. They are created by meandering rivers on plateaus, by a divide on a rocky mountain or by rivers dropping steeply down from the top of a rocky surface, into the sea.

The central hills in Sri Lanka with a panorama of mountain tops right round, provided the geographical and geological conditions for the creation of waterfalls. At least 272 waterfalls have been identified in Sri Lanka. Among them, the tallest is Bambarakanda, 790 feet in height. Sabaragamuwa province alone has 90 falls, according to records. Although these have been preserved over the ages, environmental problems created by man have caused many of them to disappear in recent times. It is the duty of every one of us -young and old - to protect and safeguard these national treasures.

The recently released stamps feature four more well known waterfalls. The values of the stamps range from Rs 2.50 to Rs 50. Rs 2.50 stamp features the Ramboda falls situated on the Kandy-Nuwara Eliya road. Its source is Pidurutalagala, our highest peak and its water finds its way to Kotmale Oya. It is 109 metres high and 954 metres above sea level. In the area, it is popularly known as ‘Arangi Ella’.

Ramboda pass is also situated in close proximity to the famous waterfall. A familiar sight to the passers-by, one has to take the rather difficult approach road on foot at the turn from the main road in order to get a full and clear view.

Saint Clair’s falls seen in the Rs 4.50 stamp, is known as ‘Diya eli rejina’ (Queen of the waterfalls) and is the widest waterfall in Sri Lanka. The 80 metres high fall is situated close to Dimbulla junction on the Hatton-Talawakelle highway. It has got the name from the tea estate through which it meanders to the point of the fall.

Planters called it the ‘Bride’s veil’. It is also known as the ‘small Niagara’ due to its resemblance with the world renowned Niagara falls in the USA. The cascade falls as two separate sheets of water - the first is 240.9 feet wide and the second 139 feet wide. The source of the fall is Kotmale Oya, a tributary of the Mahaweli.

The closest waterfall to Colombo, Bopath Ella has been selected for the Rs 23 stamp. This splendid waterfall in Sabara-gamuwa is situated four kilometres from Higgaswatte near Kuruwita on the Higgashena-Devipahala road. It adorns Kuruganga, a tributary of Kalu Ganga. Its source is Samanala Kanda (Adam’s Peak). The 99 foot high falls had been discovered by a French explorer around 1860 when it was known as Kuruwila Ella. The white stretch of sandy soil is a special feature of Bopath Ella making an ideal spot for a leisurely picnic.

Another beautiful sight is Devon falls selected for the Rs 50 stamp. This 97 metres high waterfall is visible to travellers bound for up-country on the Hatton-Nuwara Eliya highway as they approach Dimbula. The waterfall cascading down the steep slopes of the Great Western mountain range, is 151 meters above sea level and is named after the Devon Estate through which the Mahavila Oya runs with its source in the Hatton plateau.

It is the geological situation of the hard rocky granite surface that causes the Devon falls to drop so steeply. Close-by is the well known Mari Amma kovil. It is interesting to note that on 17 April 1988. stuntman Anthony Kumara Bandula set up a record by being the first man to come down the falls using only a rope.

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