One end of Rakwana Mountain Range-Dehigahalanda/දෙහිගහලන්ද (620m)

Year and Month	2018 July 29th
Number of Days	One
Crew	02-Tharindu and Myself
Accommodation	Not applicable
Transport	By bus and Hiking
Activities	Hiking and Photography
Weather	Excellent but surrounding is little gloomy
Route	Colombo->Rathnapura->Kolambage Ara (කොළඹගේ ආර)->Dematagala (දෙමටගල)->Kosgahaulpatha (කොස්ගහ උල්පත)->Dehigahalanda->Back to same route to Colombo
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Better start the journey early. Get directions from locals. There is a risk of trap guns. But some villagers said risk is more if you go over the peak to Waulpane (වවුල්පනේ) side, not in this side. Anyway be careful when you go through the forest. 4. Carry at least 1.5l per person. No water source found on our way to the mountain and you will directly expose to the sun in Mana range. 5. It is a moderate strenuous hike. Altitude gain is about 400m. 6. Picture quality is bit low as haziness was there. 7. Drone picture credit goes to Tharindu Paththapperuma. His documentary on journey will be available in future.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread One end of Rakwana Mountain Range-Dehigahalanda/දෙහිගහලන්ද (620m)

I have been several times at Colombo-Embilipitiya road and was eying on this mountain when I passed famous Sankapala (සoඛපාල විහාරය) temple. It is situated in front of famous Sankapala temple. When you are facing at Udawalawa dam, this greenish mountain range is seen in your left hand side.
One Sunday I was looking for a hiking and this came to my mind. Metric department map say it as Mahagamuwa Kanda (658m), but that assumption was wrong when we asked from villagers.
This time I have missed my all regular hiking friends, Tharindu who is a new friend came with me for Dehigahalanda hike. As usual we left Colombo early morning and reached Rathnapura. After having breakfast at Rathnapura, we got Embilipitiya bus and got down in front of Phussadewa tomb (ඵුස්සදේව සොහොන) at Dematagala. Google map reading says it is the best point to reach this mountain. Though it shows acute angle, distance is less.
The peak was clearly seen to Phussadeva tomb. Phussadewa (ඵුස්සදේව යෝධයා) is one of ten Giant warriors of King Dutugamunu and famous for blowing conch shell. Later he became a Buddhist monk, lived at Sankapala Temple and attained Arahath. The ruined Dagaba on side of the road at Dematagala area believed as the tomb of Phussadewa Arahath Thero. His conch shell was kept at Sankapala rock, known to as Phussadewa rock (ඵුස්සදේව ගල).

Dehigahalanda from Colombo-Embilipitiya road

View of Dehigahalanda from Phussadewa Tomb

Zoomed view… It has a Mana top but it is already burned by recent man-made fire

Dehigahalanda in Google map.

After inquired from few locals we got some glare directions. Just after passing Dematagala Bridge at A18 road we turned to a by road in right to cross Rakwana River (රක්වාන ගග). After crossing the river we got right hand turned where we met Nimesh malli who was on his way from boutique. Nimesh lives there and provided a lot of information about this mountain and surrounding. Then we got the name of the mountain we are going to climb, it is Dehigahalanda. And it is one end of Sabaragamuwa (Rakwana) mountain range.
This boy was kind enough to show the path to base of the mountain as well. There was a concrete road through greenish paddies at Dematagala. Dehigahalanda had a splendid view over this paddies. On top it has a forest and Mana coverings. But this Mana cap has burned and gave bit ugly appearance to the mountain. Below that we could notice flourished forest where we have to go through.

Crossing Rakwana River

Beautiful view of Dehigahalanda Mountain over greenish paddies at Dematagala

Nimesh (left) and Tharindu (right)

The road through paddies, Sankapala Kanda is behind it.

After passing concrete road we followed some short cuts to reach the gravel road to Miriswalpotha-Kosgahaulpatha (මිරිස්වැල්පොත-කොස්ගහ උල්පත). This gravel road continues to Ethabandiwewa. We said good bye to Nimesh and got new directions from another young chap at Kosgahaulpatha. He gave a lift to us by his motor bike to the base of the mountain. There were large number of Pepper cultivation with Giriseediya (ගිරිසීඩියා) here. Forest line started at the end of Pepper estate.
Here onwards we got the assistance of Google map and our travel experience was helpful. First we had to cross a fairly deep dry stream. We got advices to not to go along this dry stream as it has some deep sections, this was well evidenced in our return journey. Following that it was a hike along the slope of the mountain under dry zone forest cover. There were enough creepers and boulders for our assistance though angle was more than 70 degree in some sections. We didn’t notice any proper foot pathway along this section, but there were evidences of human activities. This distance was about 750m and we spent more than one hour to get the exit from dry forest. It ended up at Mana patch where we saw the top of Dehigahalanda Mountain.

Nimesh guided us along some short cuts

This area also had Pepper cultivation

This is the place we got foot path to the base of the mountain. We continued along the foot path until Pepper crops is over

This gravel road is directing to Ethabandiwewa

Fairly deep dry stream we had to cross first

Under dry forest cover

Tharindu gets assistance to overcome the slope of the mountain

There were enough boulders and rocks to get assistance

It had some rock climbing part as well

Here we had a reward as Mana patch is partially burned. As we saw from the front of the mountain this burned section extended to back of the mountain as well. It was not a hard exercise to go through Mana patch. After an ascend of 200m we have reached a flat section where surrounding plain was clearly seen. We could notice paddy fields and concrete road we passed with the back ground of Sankapala Kanda and Udawalawa reservoir (උඩවලව ජලාශය).

At the end of forest section we are awaiting for Mana patch.

Our target-Peak of Dehigahalanda Mountain

Journey through Mana patch

When we were climbing up…drone pictures. Photo credit goes to Tharindu Paththapperuma

When we were climbing up…drone picture. Photo credit goes to Tharindu Paththapperuma

It was kind of a good view point

Concrete road and paddy filed we passed

Paddy fields

Sankapala Kanda with Pussadewa Gala. Pussadewa Gala is the place where conch shell is kept.

Zoomed view of Sankapala temple

Colombo-Embilipitiya road at Kolambage Ara area

Enjoying the view

Udawalawa reservoir

Rest of the range is probably extending to south east direction

After enjoying the view, we moved towards the peak of Dehigahalanda. Again the journey through Mana patch and last bit of hike was a rock climbing. At the end, we were able to reach the peak of Dehigahalanda which is fairly flat and provides the view towards rest of Rakwana hills. So it proves this is one end (most probably eastern edge as no other mountainous area beyond this) of Rakwana Hills / Sabaragamuwa Mountains. We were lucky enough to view Gongala-ගොන්ගල (highest peak of Sabaragamuwa) and Sooriyakanda-සූරියකන්ද. There was a forest patch beyond the top and we didn’t try to go over there. In a clear day you may see Deniyaya and Southern plain as well. We could identify only Kuragala among the hills beyond Sankapala Kanda. Rest of the peaks including Hortain plains, Hawagala, Adarakanda, and Balathuduwa etc. might be seen in a clear day but hidden with gloomy.
As I described earlier this is the eastern edge of Sabaragamuwa Hills, the plain next to it included Embilipitiya, Thanamalwila and Chandrika Wewa. Here we couldn’t see Udawalawa reservoir and Sankapala as view was obstructing by forest cover.

Heading to the peak

Rest of Mana patch.

We are closer to the peak

Last bit of hike. Boulders and rocks were found on the path.

Top of Dehigahalanda, fairly flat plain providing the view towards giants of Sabaragamuwa range-Gongala and Sooriyakanda

Gongala-Highest peak of Sabaragamuwa range. It is easy to identify due to it’s cylindrical tower.

Gongala zoomed

Sooriyakanda is circled

Top of Dehigahalanda

Margin of burned and greenish Mana

Southern plain should be seen beyond these hills in a clear day

Kuragala is circled

Towards Embilipitiya, Chandrika Wewa and Thanamalwila side

Flying the drone

Getting the drone

Top of Dehigahalanda

Handstand picture on top of Dehigahalanda

It’s nothing for a talented gymnastic player

Two man team

Posing…

It’s me….

Drone picture…When we are on top of Dehigahalanda

Drone picture…Colombo-Embilipitiya road, Sankapala Temple and Paddies

Drone picture…..Peak of Dehigahalanda. Note that forest cover extends. Rest of Rakwana hills with pointed Sooriyakanda

Drone picture…Top of Dehigahalanda

Drone picture…Two man team

When we were on top of the peak

Probably this might be the path we followed

After enjoying the beautiful view from Dehigahalanda we started to descend. Return journey was planned along the same way but we were set to more acute angle than climb up. But we always kept our path parallel to the dry water stream. It brought us to the starting point at the end. On our way back we refreshed from Rakwana River. It’s the end of another good one day hike.