Go wild in Tissa

Ganga PRADEEPA

When we hear about Tissamaharama we feel that it is a sunny and difficult journey. But actually it is the golden city in the Southern province which has many attractions for a visit on your valuable holiday.

The season’s festival “Go Wild in Tissa” organised by the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce and Ruhunu Tourism Bureau in Tissamaharama commenced on December 27 and concluded on the 29.

When you reach Thissa you can visit Yala National park, Kirinda, Tissa temple, Yatala temple, Ramba viharaya, Hummanaya blow hole, Ussanagoda, Bandagiriya tank, hot water springs at Madunagala, Bata Atha agricultural park and boat safari on Walawe river and also Tissa Lake.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is 309 km south of Colombo on the South East of the island. It is well known for its extensive the area of 1,259 sq km, and for its careful wildlife preservation in the country. It is one of the best parks in the world to observe and photograph leopards in the wild and it is famous for its high density of leopards, perhaps the highest in the world.

peacock were dancing in front of peahens

The male leopards in Yala are very confident and are often seen walking the tracks during the day.

You are also sure to see elephants – grumpy lone males during the dry months and large herds in the wet season. Sloth bears are also a big draw. You will also see mammals such as wild boar, several species of deer and wild buffalo.

When we were entering Yala by jeep we saw two wild boars were drinking water near the entrance and they looked at us as the receptionists. Oh! It was a nice welcome for us after a long six hour journey from Colombo.

After a few minutes we saw a plethora of reptilian species and platoons of crocodiles. A big crocodile near the small lake, changed our peace of mind for a few seconds. Wow! How enthralling it was!

As is common in Sri Lanka there is a huge diversity of stunning bird life including migratory species such as the flamingo. It is also one of the few places in the world where the severely endangered black necked stork can till be seen.

Other than these animals we were lucky to see three bears together. It was a rare scene because Yala National Park has about 20 bears. On our two hour safari we saw five elephants with one of them approaching our jeep.

Three bears together

It was an exciting incident and a strange experience for us. My companions Sajitha, Kanchana, Sagarika and I were shocked, but we kept silent because we knew if we shout it would startle the elephants which would be dangerous to say the least.

The uniqueness of the park is the sheer diversity of the habitat: dense jungles suddenly give way to lagoons and open plain areas and the park has a simply beautiful sea front.

If you go there you can also see Chital Deer, Wild Buffalo, Darter, Black-naped Hare, Green Bee Eaters, Painted Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Parakeets, Sambar deers, Grey langurs, Indian Peafowl, Monitor Lizzards, Grey Herons, Jackals and several species of birds.

The bird population is profuse, stunning and in November-January, the fantail peacocks everywhere are unforgettable. This Yala safari is enjoyable early in the morning or in the evening. Jeeps can be hired from the Independent Safari Jeep Association.

The guides are employed by the conservation and wildlife societies and must accompany all visitors to the park.

An elephant was approaching our jeep

Actually I forgot to blink for a second. If I blinked I could miss some animals and the sceneries. We saw nearly fifty peacock and the nice part of this safari was these peacock were dancing in front of peahens to take there attraction. But most of the peahens ignored there beautiful dance and escaped from the peacock.

Go wild in Tissa was a pleasant surprise and I can say it was one of the highlights of our tourism industry also. I would recommend it to everyone who like to travel there and take unforgettable experiences like us during this season.

Ramba Viharaya

The Ramba Viharaya was set up during the time of king Mahanaga. The ruins of ancient buildings, shrine rooms, Buddha and other statues is evidence that a large number of Bhikkus lived there. The are had been overtaken by robbers later and the shrine had become the target of treasure hunters.

Kirinda

The Queen Viharamahadevi was cast adrift in the sea as a sacrifice. She found herself on the Kirinda coast to be saved by King Kavantissa. The ancient temples, ruins and caves which housed female bikkhus are within the sanctuary itself, and the pada yathra pilgrim’s route from Batticaloa to holy Kataragama passes through it. From the rocks, a statue of an early queen looks out over the sea; representing a part of Sri Lanka’s heritage and a dynasty that reigned for centuries.

Yatala Temple

Wild boars were drinking water

The oldest dagoba in Tissa is the Yatala temple, built 2,300 years ago by Yatala Tissa, the brother of King Devanampiya Tissa. He constructed it to mark his miraculous escape from a assassination attempt by his sister-in-law.

That he was given refuge in Tissa for his wife to give birth made Yatala Tissa swear that he would build this temple after establishing his kingdom here. He built many more buildings in his capital, including a palace and monasteries.

Tissa tank

A boat ride on the Tissa tank is a popular activity. This ancient reservoir was constructed in the 3rd century BC by an early Sri Lankan king.

A tour of the lake today includes a trip around bird watcher’s delight with its many bitterns, herons and egrets.

Rekawa The turtle conservation project

Rekawa is located on the border of two climatic zones there is a high local level of biodiversity. As well as the mangrove forests, the local vegetation consists of scrub jungles, medicinal plants, fruit trees and a wide variety of wildlife including 150 resident and migratory birds, 27 species of mammals, 23 species of reptiles, many arthropods and aquatic life (Kapurusinghe T 1994 unpublished report)

Although coral mining is illegal in Sri Lanka, the coral reefs immediately offshore of Rekawa beach have been mined by the community for the production of lime. The mangrove forests have been extensively cleared to provide firewood for the lime kilns.

Rekawa Kalapuwa is a large lagoon of 250 hectares, which is surrounded by mangrove forests. The neighbouring villages of Netolpitiya, Medilla, Marakolliya, Kapuhenwela and Wellawatugoda also border the lagoon and the fishermen from these villages depend on the lagoon fishery.

The fishery consists of several species of fish and the more economically viable shrimp. Community members have been involved in the removal of shells for lime production and sand for use in the construction industry.

However, today, shells and lagoon sand are difficult to collect and this has lead to local dependence on other resources (Ganewatte et al. 1995).

A causeway has been built across the narrow westerly section of the lagoon. The causeway has increased accessibility to the village of Kapuhenwela but has reduced the natural exchange of sea and lagoon water.

This has lead to a change in the quality of lagoon water causing a recent dramatic reduction in the lagoon fishery’s productivity. In order to maintain catch size many local fishermen now use nylon nets, a practice that has contributed to the over-exploitation of the lagoon fishery.

The degradation of the fishery has meant that lagoon fishermen have had to look to other resources for income generation.

The 2 km of Rekawa beach immediately westwards of the Rekawa headland provides nesting habitat for populations of 5 species of marine turtle. For at least 20 years, local villagers have collected almost 100 % of the turtle eggs laid on Rekawa beach and some adult females have also been harvested.

Simpson’s Forest

Tharindu ILLEPERUMA

Simpson’s Forest is a small sub- montane forest patch in the Hunnasgiriya mountain extending towards the Wattegama Elkaduwa Road, located at an elevation of about 1300 m above msl. This triangular- shaped forest patch, which looks like a gallery forest, was protected as a watershed by a former planter named Simpson.

This trail goes though a tea plantation interspersed with exotic plants such as Grevillea robusta, Erythrina spp, Eucalyptus spp and a small forest patch of Albizia spp, Toona spp and many fern species. The forest gap area is dominated by Bu-kenda, Kenda at lower elevation and Katu-Kitul a palm especially adapted to sub-montane areas.

To Simpson forest you can go by vehicle or if you like you can walk along the Wattegama narrow road. But if you go by vehicle you have to be careful because it was too difficult and narrow for to pass.

Reach to the forest road you have to drop your vehicle near to the tea estate and you have to walk along the footpath trough the tea estate. While walking you can see the beauty of Hunnasgiriya mountain and the mist every where.

After few steps we reached some ruins which is called Coffee Bungalow. The remnants of this bungalow, which is believed to be more than 150 years old, commonly referred to as the Coffee Bungalow is the other interesting feature found on the way to Simpson’s forest. Simpson’s forest is a refuge for a variety of birds species including several endemics such as the Sri Lankan Hill Myna, Sri Lanka White Eye, Hanging Parrot, Yelleow- fronted Barbet as well as Sri Lanka Frogmouth and the Crested Tresswift among others.

Two birds of prey viz the Black eagle and the Crested Serpent Eagle are also a frequent sight at this location. This is also a habitat for the Giant Squirrel and two large and beautiful butterflies, the Blue Mormon and the endemic Tree Nymph.

The path to Simpson’s forests offers a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape of the area, showing the undulating terrain of the scattered mountains, valleys, gaps and stunning rocky outcrops. The two major cities of the hill country namely Kandy and Matale can be seen clearly.

You will experience the effect of changing micro climatic conditions while walking through this forest patch.

When we go to this Coffee Bungalow we can see Hunnasgiriya mountain very well. The elevation at the summit of Hunnasgiriya is 1490m msl. The higher elevation levels especially above 900m msl are covered by sub montane forest.. The trek to Hunnasgiriya peak traverses through the estate road along which a few waterways cross the road.

Tea is planted up to an elevation of 1200m feet and scattered tress such as Thorny Dadap, African Tulip, Eucalyptus Spathodea spp and Grevillea spp. Can be seen among the tea bushes. During most of the day the vegetation at higher elevation is covered by mist, hence a lush growth of moss and fern can be found on tree trunks, as well as on the ground.

At the summit a panoramic view of the surrounding area can be seen including the Knuckles range, Victoria reservoir, Kandy, Hantana range, Bible rock and Valleys atc. Black eagle and Black Bulbul are some of the bird species found at the higher Dunuwiliella a cascading waterfall.

Priyankara Hotel Blend of natural and modern comforts

Ganga PRADEEPA

Priyankara Hotel at Tissamaharama, a five and half hour’s drive from Colombo was opened in 1995 as a three star hotel. It is a fine place for visitors to the South Lanka who come to see the glittering landscape at Tissamaharama and Hambantota.

This hotel has 30 deluxe rooms with private balconies that overlook the emerald green acres of paddy fields and the sparkling streams. The rooms are a perfect blend of natural aesthetics and modern comforts. You’re sure to catch the sight of a few of the exotic birds at the nearby bird sanctuary making a friendly appearance every now and then and each morning your wake up call will be their harmonious chirping.

The restaurant serves both Sri Lankan and international cuisine. The swimming pool situated between the restaurant and the paddy field, adds glamour to the hotel where you can relax and unwind in the blue waters of the pool.

At the entrance to the hotel is a lobby. It is decorated with blue and white colours of combination giving a beautiful view to the guests. The three storeyed hotel complex has its atmosphere enriched with greenery and large escape of paddy fields.

The staff always treats the guests with courtesy. “This is a family owned property and we have very good demand from both Sri Lankan and foreigners who visit Yala, Bundala and places of religious significance at Tissamaharama” said the Hotel’s Managing Director Priyankara Wickramasekara.