Talpattekanda / තල්පත්තේකන්ද (376m)

Year and Month	2021 February 07th
Number of Days	One
Crew	04-Anupama, Eshan, Kasun Lakmal and Myself
Accommodation	Previous day night at City Line Jungle Villa-Naula T.P.0773257397
Transport	By car and hiking
Activities	Hiking and Photography
Weather	Excellent but haziness was there
Route	Naula-> Galewela->Rambe ->Thalpathwewa->Hathpokuna->Khathilagama Maligathenna Aranya Senasanaya-> Bambaragala -> Back to road-> Kothgala-> Back to road->Colombo
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Get directions from locals. There are two peaks (Peak at hermitage and Cobra hood peak) to be conquered. We followed two separate routes to hike these two peaks. No water sources found on the rock. Please carry drinking water. Get permission from the priest at Aranya when you approach to the peak through it. It is about 45 minutes hike from Aranya Senasanaya to top of the mountain. Similar time spent to reach the other peak from village road. We couldn’t trace a foot path to cobra hood rock. No risk of trap guns.
Related Resources	Lakdasun trip report on First hike after the CORONA break-Talpattekanda 375M by Ashan
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Talpattekanda / තල්පත්තේකන්ද (376m)

Thalpaththe Kanda /තල්පත්තේකන්ද is an isolated mountain situated at Kurunegala District in between Saliyagama and Galgamuwa, closer to the border of Anuradhapura-Kurunegala districts. This came to my attention when we hiked nearby Degodathurawa Mountain in 2020. Ashan and Chamara have hiked it one year ago and Ashan’s Lakdasun trip was our guide to this mountain.
There are two peaks at this mountain and we have conquered them separately in contrast Ashan has trekked from one peak to another.

Talpattekanda is in Metric map. Click image to enlarge.

Talpattekanda is seen to Degodathurawa Mountain.

Aerial view of Talpattekanda. Two peaks are marked. The one just above the hermitage is marked by red and the one with cobra hood is marked by white.

It was the second day of two days trip (first day we have completed Ranamure cascades) and Kasun and I stayed at Naula before the hike. We followed our way to Kumbukgate (where Anupama lives) via Galewela from Naula and got Anupama. Talpattekanda is situated closer to Hathpokuna passing Rambe. We followed the road next to Hathpokuna Kande Maha Wiharaya (7.787770, 80.366082) and reached Khathilagama Maligathenna Aranya Senasanaya (7.773709, 80.369127). There is a clear foot path from Aranya Senasanaya to the peak right above the temple. It was following “Heel Danaya” (හීල් දානය) and monks were out of Kuti. There were cemented steps to “Kuti” (කුටි) situated at slope of the mountain. We came across a large pond used to supply water to monks. Following cemented steps the foot pathway started and ended up at the peak. There was a side view point adjacent to the peak. We first get on it

The day started…..

Footsteps….

.	Kuti for meditation

A pond to get water for monks

The team

Cement steps are over….

Kuti at higher places

Mush rooms

Towards the view point

Kind of a side view point…..

We took about 45 minutes to reach there from Aranya Senasanaya

The highest point of the mountain is also a good view point; unfortunately there was haziness around. Villagers have built a small stupa on top of the rock by wattle and daub but it needs some bouldering to reach this place. Kasun was able to get on this part. Later we got to know villagers call this peak as Bambaragala (බඹරගල).

Highest point of the mountain is a good view point.

Rock arrangement at this place

Kasun was able to get on the rock

Paddies around….

A lake nearby….

The outline of Degodathurawa Mountain is seen through the mist…

The stupa made by wattle and daub. PC-Kasun Lakmal

The stupa made by wattle and daub. PC-Kasun Lakmal.

Our next target was the other peak of Talpattekanda.
We have decided to get back to the village road and followed the direct path to the peak rather than going from peak to peak (what Ashan did). There was a rain to halt us when we were getting down from the first peak.

Getting down….

Back to village road

Eshan came by his bike to join with us for this small hike. Here we met a village boy and he mentioned about a foot path behind their house to other rock. The particular feature of this rock is, it has boulder arrangement like a cobra hood. Villagers call this peak as Kothgala- කොත්ගල (7.781808, 80.369443). We didn’t find a clear foot path behind his house but somehow we were able to get on Cobra hood rock (නයි පෙන ගල) in 45 minutes time. It was bit tired some as path was wet following rain. This place was also a good view point towards surrounding. It was bit clear following rain. In a clear day you can see Degodathurawa Mountain, Galgiriya, Nikawewa Kanda, Yapahuwa, Diyabette Kanda and Ritigala from Talpattekanda.
This was the end of the story of another isolated mountain at dry zone. Kasun and I had a dip from nearby lake before start the journey to Colombo.