BADULLA I leave the Hali-Ela junction, via the A5 Peradeniya- Badulla – Chenkalady highway. I press on, along the A5 heading north and after around six kilometers, I pass markers welcoming me to the salubrious city of Badulla. Badulla, is the capital city of the Uva province and is known for its impressive vistas from various viewpoints, that dot the valley, that Badulla locates itself within. Badulla is considered to be one of the island’s oldest cities and even today, it is a central transport hub with links to all four compass points. Badulla was once dominated by the Portuguese who despite their superior canon power were routed in the great battle at Randeniya, subsequently setting fire to the city before abdicating. It is said that unable to bear defeat, the Portuguese General, Don Constantine De Saa, committed suicide! Following this, the British empire set foot and Badulla was soon a provincial administrative hub of the colonialists. The up country railway line also terminates here and the Badulla railway station even to this day, remains a bastion of colonial times with its architecture of olde, that dates back to 1924. Visitors can even glimpse the still in operation roundtable that rotates the engine in order to turn it around. Also worth dropping in is St. Mary’s Cathedral, the oldest Christian church in the Uva Province, the Uva Museum on Vihara Mawatha and the Katharagama Devalaya located in the town centre between King Street & Lower Street. The Devalaya is considered to be one of the largest of its kind in Sri Lanka and was erected by Vimaladharmasuriya I, in 1584 The Badulla central market is known for its fresh vegetable produce and adjacent to the provincial hospital are the ruins of a former Dutch Fort.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 03:21:47 +0000
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