Have you ever heard of a mountain where people flock together and climb on Independence Day (February 4) each year? Thousands of young and old alike flock to the Allagala Mountain on February 4, according to a custom since 1948.
It is said that the Kandyan people hid among the cliffs that border Hatharaliyadda and Thumpane and retaliated against the Portuguese, Dutch and British attacks in the past. It also appears that Mount Alagalla was of much use in launching such attacks.
There is a beautiful satire about Mount Alagalla. According to it, news of Ceylon’s independence on February 4, 1948 had spread throughout the country. But the people of Thumpane village at the foot of Alagalla did not understand what ‘freedom’ meant.
Youth and elders
The villagers heard that a celebration was being held in Colombo. Therefore, on the morning of February 4, 1948, youth and elders of the village, decided to climb the mountain to see the celebrations in Colombo. Since then, the people have begun to climb this mountain on Independence Day.
One of the roads leading to Alagalla Mountain falls near the Alagalla Tea Factory on the Kadugannawa-Pottapitiya road. Alternatively, one can take the Colombo-Kandy train and get off at the Ihala Kotte Railway Station and take the road near the Alagalla tea factory.
The mountain can also be reached by following the stairs leading through the villages on the left at the end of the platform at the Upper Kotte Railway Station.
After proceeding around three kilometres along that road, one will see the Alagalla Tea Factory. From there, it is possible to reach the top of Alagalla by taking the narrow road and entering the forest.
The Alagalla Mountain is spread over the Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. After passing the Rambukkana Railway Station on the upcountry railway line, one can see this peak more closely.
This mountain is 3,586 feet above sea level. There are four mountains in this range. The first mountain is called Alagalla Mountain. One peak of the mountain is called the ‘Pooja Gala’. Alagalla Mountain belongs to the Rambukkana Divisional Secretariat, Yatinuwara Divisional Secretariat and the Mawanella Divisional Secretariat.
The trains on the upcountry railway line travel through a tunnel dug through Alagalla Mountain. The Kaduradeniya Railway Station is next to the Henepola Tunnel, which is the fifth tunnel on the upcountry railway line.
From there, the railway line is on the middle of the mountain.
The mountain can be seen in the Mawanella area as well. The Ihala Kotte Railway Station was originally named Alagalla.
Scattered forest blocks
Rubber and tea estates stretch as far as the top of the mountain. Settlements can be seen from far and wide. There is no great forest left today, only scattered forest blocks that remain on the mountain.
Every year on Independence Day, people from Kadugannawa, Hataraliyadda, Menikdiwela, Aswedduma and Thumpane areas are known to climb Alagalla Mountain, but now that situation has changed.
Today, many people climb the mountain as a hobby. Mobile stalls can also be seen on the footpath leading to Alagalla Mountain only on Independence Day. In recent years those shops had sold hats, peanuts, water bottles and many other food items.
The top of the mountain is a beautiful place to see the hills around Kandy as well as the Sabaragamuwa landscapes.
Areas such as Pottapitiya, Hataraliyadda, Mawanella, Rambukkana and Ihala Kotte can be seen from the top of the mountain. In the distance a skyline of buildings in the city of Colombo is visible when the weather is clear. Utuwankanda, Batalegala Kanda and Urakanda which lies below the mountain can also be seen from this location.