The Ritigaha Oya Valley

W. J. Samuel

HIDDEN BEAUTIES: Nestling in the misty, forested, foot hills of the Dolosbage mountain massif, is the sleepy

 little town of Bulathkohupitiya, about 50 miles from Colombo via Avissawella and Karawanella.

It is a mere 100 ft above sea level but within seven miles on a tortuous, narrow road you reach Dedugala where the elevation rises dramatically to nearly 3000 ft above sea level.

Here, nature lovers could escape from the hustle and bustle of our cities and savour a little bit of the up country air and you will be able to return to Colombo in time for dinner.

There is a bus service on this route. From Dedugala, a new road has been constructed to link with the Aranayake-Dolosbage/Nawalapitiya Road. The present condition of this roadway has to be ascertained. The police at the two ends - Bulathkohupitiya and Dolosbage - should be able to advise motorists.

The Ritigala Oya flows serenely, meandering downstream to join the Gurugoda Oya near Anguruwatta and unite with the Kelani Ganga near Ruwanwella. Before this convergence takes place, it reveals some sparkling roadside beauties - waterfalls.

This Oya rises in a forested area west of an abandoned estate called PEN-Y-LAN about 1 1/2 miles as the crow flies North West of Dolosbage.

This stream trickles down from a 3500 ft ridge between two estates - Kellie Group in the North and Windsor Forest in the South. On the eastern slopes of the watershed line the waters flow into the Maha Oya.

What is a watershed? It is a line of high land where streams on one side flow into one river and streams on the other side flow into another. It could also mean a turning point in the course of events.

Let us begin our beauty parade upstream with the Rukmal Fall about 13 Kms, east of Bulathkohupitiya. This is a 20m beauty with a lovely spray. Rukmal refers to a plant producing fragrant flowers.

Our next fall is actually a series of cascades called Ritigaha/Waharaka Fall about 9 km east of Bulathkohupitiya.

 Here a ledge of rocks narrows the river. The feeding brooks use from the Western spurs of the 3500 ft. mountain Dotal Oya.

The next enchantress is Rikille Fall (30m) about 5 km east of Bulathkohupitiya. A stream feeds the fall from Hunasaldeniya Mountain.

Kalupahana Fall is an unimportant water thread rising from forests near Kalupahana a settlement about 2 km from Glenella from where it is visible.

Dummale Fall (5m) next is not quite a road side beauty in the sense it is off the main Bulathkohupitiya-Dedugala road. To view it one has to take a road branching off to the forested Dulgala-Narangala mountain area about 3 km from the turn off.

This fall is steeped in history as I discovered from Dharman Wickremaratne’s wonderful Sinhala book titled ‘Sri Lankan Waterfalls’ in which the author lists nearly 400 waterfalls. This book is a must for nature lovers.

The author states in page 294. that this area was earlier called Katuhena and that the farmer name of the

stream was Thattibathgoda Ela. King Walagamba is stated to have sought refuge in the nearby forests after being defeated in a battle.

The king is said to have washed his eating vessel (Thatti) in this stream. I rather guess that the good king smarting and sulking in the forest after his defeat must have given vent to his frustration by polishing off large helpings of country rice!

On Poya days an apparition of the golden Thatti is said to be seen floating on this stream. This water course joins the Ritigaha Oya near Bulathkohupitiya.

Our last waterfall is the 15m Punahela Fall above the village of Punahela. This fall brings back nostalgic memories because I was born nearby on Ederapolle Group, Bulathkohupitiya.

My father was a dispenser on this estate for 45 years and my sister married the Superintendent. I have vivid memories of going hunting with them as a lad in the paddy fields below this waterfall. My father, a crack shot with his 16 bore shotgun, used to bag rather plump green pigeons (Bata goya) which my mother used to

 convert into delicious meat balls in her kitchen.

So why not our nature lovers, jaded businessmen, students and teachers go up the Ritigala Oya Valley, well off the beaten track? A word of advice here. Don’t expect star class hotels on this route. You will be well advised to pack your own food and drink in your vehicle.

I paid a visit to this area last year and found that Bulathkohupitiya has not developed at all. The only difference was that there were a large number of three wheelers. I engaged one three wheeler whose driver was very helpful in locating the various waterfalls on the road to Dedugala. At present this area will be affected by the southwest monsoon, so you could plan your trip for early August.

Pictures by Nuwan GALPAYA

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