Funday Times

Gaveshaka continues the fascinating trip across waterfalls in association with Lanka Council of Waterfalls

The story of the prince and the beautiful damsel
We know of the Lovers' Leap in Trincomalee. There is a waterfall too by the same name in the Nuwara Eliya District.

Lovers' Leap Falls is a beautiful 30m fall which commences from the streams and brooks of Sri Lanka's highest mountain, the Piduruthalagala (2524m). It flows over hard granite ledges and the water is collected in a tank and used for drinking. In dry spells, the flow is weak.

The fall is said to derive its name from the tragic tale of a prince, who while hunting in the jungle, lost his way. He was rescued by a beautiful damsel, and the two became inseparable lovers. But the match was not to the liking of the prince's subjects, so the two decided to leap from the top of the fall to their death. Superstitious villagers avoid the fall at night.

The fall is situated in Hava Eliya, 1.5km from Nuwara Eliya.
Kuda Falls (30m in height) is near Kirindi Falls and it is the difference in size between these two falls that gave rise to its name. Rain dramatically improves the fall but simultaneously floods the low-lying Kuttapitiya village. There is a minor hydro-electric power plant at the top of the fall. Not many visit the fall. It is obviously dangerous since several people have drowned at the site.

Galboda Fall can be found in Kuttapitiya above the Kirindi River in the Kaluwara dola in the Ratnapura District. The fall originates from the Galboda Canal (also known as the Hanguranketha ganga), in the Central Province wet zone. Annual rainfall here exceeds 4500mm, 60% of the rain coming from the south-west monsoon (dry season is January to February). Watawala, the area of Sri Lanka that receives the highest amount of rainfall on the island, is nearby.

Galboda Falls is 30m high but the width ranges from between 3m and 6m, depending on the season. At certain times of year, the water also cascades in two streams. Growing in the surrounding woodland is a rare species of orchid and the vicinity is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Among them are 12 species of reptile and four are only found in Sri Lanka. The upper section of the fall is unique in its biodiversity, thus it is of paramount importance to limit any potential danger to the area.

The name of the fall, (Galboda means 'fall adjoining the stone') is said to derive from the large boulder situated at its foot, though another theory is that the water here is heavier than anywhere else on the island.

The Gal Oruwa Falls' catchments are the aquifers of Sinharaja Forest. The stream flows between two boulders measuring 30m high 2m wide & 40m in lengths. There is a boulder at the bottom covering the fall on three sides, resembling a boat synonymous with its name-' Rock Boat'.

The fall cascades into this boat shaped abyss, emitting a fearful roar. The pool located at its base measures 25m x 2m. From here the gushing water flows through a subterranean passage for about 40m before emerging from beneath. From colonial times, the fall had been associated with lepers. In 1993 several of them were found at a medical clinic held at Sinharaja Pitadeniya.

Located in Lankagama Village, Galle Districts, Hiniduma Electorate, the fall can be reached along the Lankagama road nearby a hydropower project.
Diya Egirena Falls is a 30m fall which was previously known as 'Diyawegirena Falls', denoting its perennial flow, but underwent dialectal change to its present form. The plants in the surrounding Dedugala Reserve have valuable medicinal qualities but are being pilfered by unscrupulous thieves who sell them as ornamental plants.

The fall is located at Pallampitiya village in the Bulathkohupitiya Divisional Secretariat, Kegalle District. It is 96 km from Colombo, 24 km from Navalapitiya and 3 km from Dolosbage.

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