Five hundred meters high above the infected forests of rivers, tanks, bundles, and elephants, Govinda Hela was once the inaccessible fortress of King Bhuvanakabahu in the 6th century. The mountain, which was rediscovered by the colonial British, was renamed, Westminster Abbey. This is a comparison made to the glorious creation of nature.
The trail starts from Sri Buwanekabahu Vihara in Siyambalanduwa; from Colombo in Moneragala District about 300 miles away and the present priest of the temple is a kind host, meeting the strict needs of the climbers in difficult times. The forest reserve is home to a large number of bird species as well as large families of wild boar, which amaze unsuspecting visitors. The two-kilometer trek is not for those who are tired and faint-hearted and the chances of getting lost without proper guidance are high in the forests around Govinda Hela.
[envira-gallery id=”7175″]After crossing two bridges and traveling nearly half a kilometer, this journey is dangerous with many rocks and steep slopes. Scattered on the top are the ruins of a palace and a monastery, but the main attraction is the ‘Hulan Kapolla’. It is a space between two rocks, through which a strong wind blows. The highest point of the climb is the view from the top, where the galley extends beyond the boundaries of the basin, covering lakes, mountains, and streams.
