Visit to “Govinda Hela” in Siyabalanduwa After Handover New House to Poor Family In Kalawelaragama

Year and Month	2020 February
Number of Days	1 Day ( February 8 )
Crew	12 (between 25- 45 years of age)
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	By Bus & Three wheel
Activities	Charity , Sight Seeing , Photography
Weather	Cold in morning & day time very hot weather
Route	Nawinna -> Pettah -> Monaragala -> Kumbukkana Junction -> Kalawelaragama -> Monaragala -> Siyabalanduwa -> 9 Mile Post -> Monaragala -> Back to Nawinna
Tips, Notes and Special remark	First you have to give your personnel details & buy a ticket to visit Govinda Hela from temple. This place now very popular for camping & need proper supervision to prevent environment pollution.
Author	Sanjeewa
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Visit to “Govinda Hela” in Siyabalanduwa After Handover New House to Poor Family In Kalawelaragama

We got information regarding another poor family in Kalawelaragama in Monaragala. Last September month we went there & saw their actual family condition. After that we decided to build a new house for them. Under lots of difficulties we were able to build a new house for them. We requested assistance from so many people but only very few people gave their support as usual. We completed construction work less than 4 months of time & it was great achievement. Last February 8th I went there to handover new house for them. Previous day night I started the journey from Pettah bus stand. Large crowd waiting for buses & Athimale bus was fully packed. No any option than getting on this crowded bus. Therefore I traveled on this bus up to Monaragala without seat & sleep. That was very tuff & tiring experience I faced firstly in the journey. Around 4.30 a.m reached to Monaragala bus stand & wait there for some rest. After that went to Kalawelaragama to see our hardly completed gift. When I saw the new house whole my body pains got vanished. I spent nearly one hour there with them. Around 9.00 a.m I came back to Monaragala bus stand. Lots of time remaining & few places in my mind to visit. At that time I saw bus to Ampara ready to start journey. So I quickly decided to visit to “Govinda Hela”. I knew that this was not easy task because with previous night’s tiring experience without any sleep. Around 10.00 a.m I came to “Buwanekaba Viaharaya”. The path to “Govinda Hela” start from this temple. First visitors have to write their personnel details in the book maintained by temple. After that visitors have to buy a ticket for journey. Ticket price Rs 50.00 & the money utilized for temple development.

Now a days this place famous for as a camping site. At that day more than 100 persons in various groups came to camping. Therefore it’s better to charge more amount from campers. That will help to collect more funds to maintain & develop the temple. Because whole villagers are farmers & they were very poor. With their poor living conditions they can’t help in financially to temple.

After wrote all personnel details in the book I started the journey around 10.20 a.m. They gave me temple phone number to contact, if I missed the path or any difficult situation because I’m traveling alone. After entering into forest I follow the foot pathway to top. After walking little distance forest became thick & very dark. On the way to top have to pass 2 cannels but it fully dried. Small bridges there but it now partly damaged. After passing forest patch reached to main rock. In this part 4 ladders have to climb & most parts of ladders broken, Therefore task now little bit difficult. If these ladders not there only very few people can travel up to summit. After climbing all ladders finally I came to the summit on 12.00 noon. I spent 1 hour & 40 minutes to climb the giant “Govinda Hela.” Very large area in the summit & some ruins of buildings there. Important thing was large & nicely built pond. Views from there was superb & amazing beautiful. Due to “Poya day” large number of groups came there & most of them prepared for camping there. I spent nearly 1 hour there & had good rest also. I started my return journey around 1.00 p.m & on my way waited little time at “Hulan Kappolla”. From there also we can see nice surrounding views. I took 1 hour & 30 minutes time to come back to temple premises. On my return journey I met another 5 groups climbing for camping. At that day there will be more than 100 people camp there. With such noisy large crowd I don’t think no one can have very peaceful camp night. When I came back to temple I met Nayaka Thero & had little chat with him. Nayaka Thero requested to have a lunch from temple , but I kindly refuse the request. I leaved from temple around 2.45 p.m & after short time came to main road I got bus from Ampara to Bandarawela. Finally I came to Monaragala town & had my lunch . After that I leaved form Monaragala & got onto bus to Colombo. It leaves at 4.30 p.m & finally came to home 12.00 midnight. I completed another memorable trip with lots of new experiences.