Waterfalls in Ayagama and Gawaragiriya

Waterfall hunting in Ayagama and Gawaragiriya area was done in 2014 with low water level. But it was not successful as some instances I had to satisfy with only rock wall. As monsoon has shattered all over the country I decided to visit at same waterfalls hoping their full view.
I added Dumbara Ella (දුම්බර ඇල්ල) at Dumbara to my list but unable to find. This Dumbara and Ella are different from famous Dumbara and Ella. Enter to Dumbara from Ella (come across in Panadura-Rathnapura road after Ingiriya) just after Ella Paththini Dewalaya (ඇල්ල පත්තිනි දේවාලය). We approached Gawaragiriya from Dumbara. This road is scenic and winds through rubber patches of Dumbara estate.

Enter to Dumbara from Ella. We have crossed Kalu Ganga.

Beautiful Dumbara-Gawaragiriya road through rubber estates

Dumbara estate

View from Dumbara

View from Dumbara

This time our vehicle. Rented from travel logic.

Close to Gawaragiriya we have noted a cascade through forest patch. I have a doubt whether it is Niwun Ella (නිවුන් ඇල්ල) which I couldn’t find in 2014. Though literature says Nidan Ella is situated at Gawaragiriya area I couldn’t find.
Our first place of visit was the highest of these waterfall bunch-Meemana Falls/ Miyunu Falls

Meemana Falls / Miyunu Falls (මීමන ඇල්ල/මියුණු ඇල්ල)
60m tall this beautiful fall is situated at Mahagedara Watta (මහගෙදර වත්ත)-Gawaragiriya. It is situated right behind Kolambawa Grama Niladhari office. There is a foot pathway to top as well as bottom of Miyunu Falls behind this office.
The water stream called Diya dola (දිය දොල) starting from Horana Kanda (හොරණෑ කන්ද) forms Miyunu Falls.
Famous poet called Mr. Meemana Premathilaka (මීමන ප්‍රේමතිලක) has lived closer to this waterfalls and poet a poem about this beautiful waterfalls. This poem is named as “Nil Diye Nalagana” (නිල් දියේ නලගන). Therefore this fall is also called Meemana Falls to respect Mr. Meemana Premathilaka.
Meemana Falls has two parts. First we moved to the top of the fall and then descend to the base of the fall. Base pool seems to be a dangerous place to get in.

Foot pathway is behind this office/Montessori

How it was 4 years ago

Painted coconut shelves

On top of Meemana Falls/ Meenu Falls

On top of Meemana Falls/ Meenu Falls

Minor cascade above Meenu Falls

Meenu falls with low water level in 2014

Meenu Falls/ Miyunu Falls

Meenu Falls/ Miyunu Falls

Meenu Falls/ Miyunu Falls

Meenu Falls/ Miyunu Falls

Upper part of Meenu Falls

Water diversion after the fall

Our next place of visit was Manel cave (මනෙල් ගුහාව) situated at Gawaragiriya. We came back to the junction we turned for Meemana falls and drove towards Gawaragiriya. After passing Gawaragiriya we turned to right and continued along a gravel road for about 500m. Next turn was to left, but we parked our bike there and started to walk to reach new construction site of a temple. There was a foot pathway starting from construction site and reached Manel cave after walking about 500m uphill. This is one of a calm and quite places with a cave and Buddha statue, ideal for meditation. We walked along the foot path and ended up at a water stream.
What I got to know this cave had some ruins and treasure hunters have excavated it. There was an archaeology board as well.

Walk to Manel cave

Walk to Manel cave

Buddha statue at Manel cave

Buddha statue at Manel cave

Top of Manel Cave-In a dry day one can reach the top of the cave.

Buddha statue at Manel Cave

Excavation behind the cave by treasurer hunters

Looked out from cave…

Looked out from cave…

Crossing the road

Forest reserve around the cave

View of the cave from side

Doggies

Thoranakotha Mountain was seen closer to Ayagama

Next two waterfalls were Minee falls and Ritigas Ella situated at Gangoda Kanda road-Ayagama. We have reached Pallekanda (පල්ලෙකන්ද) area and drove along Gangoda Kanda (ගoගොඩ කන්ද) road about 3km to reach famous falls called Minee Ella. Sri Punyawardhanarama (ශ්‍රී පුණ‍යවර්ධනාරාමය) temple is the land mark.

Minee Ella-මිනී ඇල්ල (6.664197, 80.285929)
Minee Ella is about 10m tall waterfall with 15-18m width formed by Heen Ganga (හීන් ගoග). It flows in two steps. Early name of the fall was Gamith Kanda Falls (ගමිත් කන්ද ඇල්ල). Because of certain deaths happened, it is called Minee Falls:
1. Couple of teacher with psychiatry have committed suicide from this fall.
2. A drunken boy has fallen from the fall and found dead.
3. A couple has committed suicide from this fall
4. Herd of cows were caught into fast flow of Ritigas Falls following rain and found dead at this fall.
Ritigas Ella falls is situated upstream of Minee Falls. Minee Falls seems a famous drinking pot as we saw some empty bottles nearby.

Directions to Minee Falls.

Minee Falls-side view

Minee Falls-side view. Note it flows in two steps

On top of Minee Falls

Minee Falls-Front view.

Minee Falls-Front view.

I am at Minee Falls

I am at Minee Falls

Minee Falls in 2014

Ritigas Ella Falls (රිටිගස් ඇල්ල) (6.67543, 80.280892)
Ritigas Ella is a reward for us. It is situated upstream of Minee Falls. We continued along Gangoda Kanda road about 1.5km further and turned to left side in front of a bus stand. Then we passed a small landslides on side of the road and came to the end of the road. It is bit hard to go by motor bike along this due to it’s acute angles. At the end of the road small foot pathway starts to a mini hydro power plant where beautiful Ritigas Ella Falls situated.
We had a chat with a villager there. According to him this falls has water throughout the year. Water diversion done before the waterfall. Ritigas Ella is about 25 m tall falls in two parts.

Land marks- At the end of the road Black arrow shows the direction of foot path.

Functioning mini hydro power plant.

Ritigas Ella Falls

Ritigas Ella Falls

Ritigas Ella Falls

Ritigas Ella Falls

There is another fall about 10m height down stream of Ritigas Ella. I would like to name it as Ritigas Ella-2. Water diversion is above this falls for mini hydro power plant. If you want to come to the base of this fall, have to go to this second power plant and walk along the water st

Water diversion before Ritigas Ells-2

On top of Ritigas Ella Falls-2.

Next two waterfalls are situated at Ayagama-Kalawana road. After having lunch at Ayagama, we drove along Ayagama-Kalawana road and passed 8th kilometer post.
There is an uphill road to Pussalakanda (පුස්සලකන්ද) after passing 8th kilometer post. After about 500m drive along this road you will come across a foot pathway in left hand side through a tea patch then to an old house. Approach to Sipirimala Falls is situated behind this house. (Get directions from locals)

Siprimala Falls (සිපිරිමල ඇල්ල)
As a woman called Sipiri (සිපිරි) has committed suicide from falling this waterfall is the reason to give name Sipirimala Falls. Sipirimala falls is 22m tall and formed by Kesba Dola (කැස්බෑ දොල).
Once we reached the fall a pouring rain has fallen. We have crossed the water stream to other side to get a shelter under a boulder. This rain lasted about one hour to show the maximum beauty of the fall. Luckily water level of the stream hasn’t gone up much.

Sipirimala Falls

Sipirimala Falls

Sipirimala Falls

Sipirimala Falls

Sipirimala Falls in 2014

After enjoying the beauty of Sipirimala falls in rain we came back to Ayagama-Kalawana road. Last catch of the day was Miniran Falls. Though we found the exact location we had to spend much time to view the waterfall. According to the description it is situated just behind the house of Mr. U.W.Piyasena. But nobody call it as Miniran Falls.

Miniran Falls (මිනිරන් ඇල්ල)

This is situated at Peelawaththa (පීල්ලවත්ත) village which come across at Ayagama-Kalawana road. Exact location is just beyond 8^th kilometer post. You have to get down along the tea patch situated closer to 8^th kilometer post. As this tea patch is a private premises (Belong to Mr. Piyasena) they don’t like much people to cross it to watch the fall.

But he voluntarily came to show us the fall as we are so curious about the fall. Another rain has fallen once we reached the fall to add the beauty.

A branch of Kalu Ganga-Pimbura River (පිඹුර ගග) forms this 4m tall waterfall. As graphite mines were abundant around this fall in old days it is called Miniran Falls. We were able to notice another small cascade above Miniran Falls.

පීලි at Peelawaththa

පීලි at Peelawaththa. This is a bathing place.

Miniran falls

Miniran falls

Miniran falls

Miniran falls

Miniran Falls in 2014

Side view of Miniran Falls-2014

Minor cascade above Miniran Falls

Minor cascade above Miniran Falls

We thanked Mr. Piyasena and drove back to Ayagama. Rain has made more and more seasonal falls falling from Thoranakotha Mountain (තොරණකොත කන්ද).

Seasonal falls at Thoranakotha Mountain

Seasonal falls at Thoranakotha Mountain

List of waterfalls visited at the end
1. Dumbara Fall-Postponed till next visit
2. Niwun Ella-I couldn’t find
3. Meemana Falls/ Miyunu Ella
4. Minee Falls
5. Ritigas Ella
6. Sipirimala Falls
7. Miniran Ella

Thanks for reading