” Nuwara” is usually called city But there is a remote village in our country called by that name. That is the “Mandaram Nuwara”. In the past period, trips to Mandaram Nuwara had become a fashion among the youth. But after the covid Pendamic , it has disappeared. We are going to talk about a village in the Nuwara-Eliya district surrounded by a beautiful mountain range, which often has a rainy sky.
How to go..?
Although the village is difficult, everyone knows the way. From Kandy, passing Rikilagaskada through Haguranketha and going towards Padiyapalella, you will find Elimale Junction. From there, you can reach beatifull Mandaram Nuwara after traveling for about 11 kilometers on a side road. It is possible to travel to the village even with a small vehicle like a van.
If you are coming from Nuwara-Eliya, the road to Mandaram Nuwara via Kandapola is more beautiful. Many beautiful views can be seen on this road that runs through the Tea state.Its distance from Nuwara Eliya is 40 km.You have to walk from near the abandoned tea factory in Mandaram Nuwara. Its distance from Kandy is 54 km.
This mountain area is called Mandaram Nuwara because the sunrise is later than other nearby villages and the sunset is earlier. Due to this, the sun rarely falls on the village.There is a cool climate with frequent rain showers. The reason for that is that the village is hidden by a large mountain range in the direction of the sunrise.
This village belonging to the Nuwara-Eliya district is located in a valley between the four mountain ranges of Piduruthalagala, Gonapitiya, Kabaragala and Udagabbala. According to ancient divisions, it belongs to Kandurata Pasrata Hevahata country. The question that arises in the mind of anyone who comes to Mandaram Nuwara is why the sun seen on the way is not in this village. This village was called Mandaram Pura during the time of Udarata Kingdom.
Mandaram Nuwara
With the passage of time, the name of the village has become Mandaram Nuwara. It is a beautiful village located in a low land surrounded by mountains. A small bazaar can be seen there. Gradually, the rural life style disappeared and the urban life style seeped into this village as well. Villagers are replacing their self-sufficient subsistence life with modern tools. The main livelihood of the villagers is farming. Upland vegetable plantations built on the mountain slopes in the Helmalu method can be seen everywhere.
Farmers tending to the crops and applying water is a sight that visitors to the village can often see. Tea state on the hillsides are visible in the distance. Until the 1980s, Mandaram Nuwara had a very cold climate, but now it is said that the cold climate here has reduced slightly. The reason for that is because the mountains are cut and farmed. It is said that in the past, the villagers here put on cold coats and lighted bonfires to ward off the cold, just like in Nuwara Eliya.
About a hundred years ago, the tea land cultivated by the English in this village has been given to the villagers for farming. Today, you can see the old tea factory which reminds of the tea plantation era. It is very difficult to reach those farmlands located between mountains. It is customary for them to pack fifty kilos each in sacks after harvesting and walk to the bazaar for vehicle.
Tourists who like to climb mountains and enjoy the beauty of nature have flocked to this village in recent times. Therefore, the tourism industry had become the source of income for a significant number of people here.
Food and accommodation are provided at household level. A few small shelters have also been opened here. It is located at the end of the village and is a reserve belonging to the Nuwara Eliya site section of the Department of Forestry, so it is illegal to build camps and light bonfires there without permission.
Kolapatana Ella
Kolopatana waterfall is a place visited by almost every tourist who comes to Mandaram Nuwara. It is located in a very beautiful forest environment. Although it is not a very high waterfall, falling from the Rankotanagala mountain range, a large body of water flows from it during the rainy season.
To enter the waterfall, from the guardhouse belonging to the forest conservation department located nearby, Rs. 100 ticket should be obtained. All things carried by travelers should be handed over to them. Tourists going there can only carry a few limited equipment such as a water bottle, camera etc. No alcohol, polythene or luggage is allowed there. To get to the waterfall, you have to walk about two kilometers on a small footpath.
This road has fallen through a mountain range. Even though the road is difficult, the beautiful view of the trees and waterfalls on both sides of the road is a wonderful inspiration. Going down to the waterfall or bathing in it is prohibited. If you walk down from the viewing point to where the waterfall falls, you will see a very beautiful water pool. The clean water here is crystal clear.
Beraghana Ella
A person going to Mandaram Nuwara can introduce Bera Gahana Ella as another beautiful place to visit. To travel to this waterfall, you have to travel a short distance on the road to Kodiaragala and turn around in the middle of the forest. The footpath for that is very difficult. It is said that this waterfall got its name because the sound heard when the water falls is similar to the sound of drums. It can be seen that the sound reverberates because the rock is dug into the rock.
Many other waterfalls like Kabaragala Falls and Gonapitiya Falls make the environment around Mandaram Nuwara beautiful.
Kodiya Aragala
There are wasp nests in the surrounding rocks, so you have to walk carefully without making too much noise. Here you can see sub-montane forests as well as cultivated and abandoned wastelands.
Kollangala
This is a rock on a hill in Mandaram Nuwara. It is called by that name because the villagers believe that there is a human figure engraved on it. The villagers say that it is a sign of treasure, but we see that this is a sign caused by the natural flaking of the stone.