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Year and Month | 2014 December 05th and 06th |
Number of Days | Two days |
Crew | 3Ns- Nirosh, Niroshan and Nadeesha |
Accommodation | N/A |
Transport | By train, bus and climbing |
Activities | Mountain climbing, Photography and spiritual activities |
Weather | Slight showers and misty. Overall weather is good. |
Route | Colombo -> Hatton -> Nallathanniya (නල්ලතන්නිය) -> Sri Pada peak -> Palabathgala (පලාබත්ගල) -> Rathnapura -> Colombo |
Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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Related Resources & Articles |
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Author | Niroshan |
Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
After two months of break of travelling I decided to restart from Sri Pada journey. This was my 10th visit to Sri Pada peak and I wanted to make it special for me. I decided to use most conventional routes of climbing-Hatton and Rathnapura trails but climb up with the procession which accompanies gold painted idol and casket of sacred relics.
Traditional procession
Traditional procession of Sri Pada starts on the first day of the season-usually on full moon poya day of December month. It begins at Galpoththawala RMV (ගල්පොත්තාවල රජමහා විහාරය)-Pelmadulla. Some rituals are carried since one week duration at Saman Dewalaya of Galpoththawala RMV. Then it comes to Rathnapura Saman Dewalaya. Procession gets divide into two and make two lines up along Hatton and Rathnapura routes. From Pelmadulla to starting of main routes it goes as a motorcade. Along the way people worship and do some rituals to procession. Once it reaches Nallathanniya and Palabathgala, “Kapu Mahathun” කපු මහතුන් (devoted men for god) will take over it. They carry things up with traditional music. They will place idol and casket at “Pahatha Maluwa” (පහත මළුව) for a while and bring to “Uda Maluwa” (උඩ මළුව) at auspicious time. After doing some rituals (Thewawa-තේවාව) Sri Pada is opened for public. This will mark the beginning of annual Sri Pada season.
This time another procession climbed up in Kuruwita route as well.
We selected the train as the mode of transport from Fort to Hatton. As I have not been at luxury compartment before, I wanted to go by that. It was planned to reach Hatton by 2.45pm but came to Hatton at 4.30pm. Main disadvantage of this compartment is we can’t move to the foot board and enjoy the sceneries of railway side with cool breeze. If you value the comfortable travelling this is ideal.
Luckily Nallathanniya bus was waiting for us at Hatton station. Though we planned to have late lunch from Hatton, gave up the idea and got into the bus. Early part of Nallathanniya (Dell House) had good food stalls. Following the Lunch+Dinner at 6pm we started the journey.
Procession has not arrived to Nallathanniya at that time. People were decorating the road to welcome the procession. We were blessed with our first Dansala at Nallathanniya. People said it would take at least another 2-3hours for procession to reach Nallathanniya. Therefore we decided to climb up leisurely and wait at Uda Maluwa for procession
Just before Mahagiri Dambaya we were heard the sound of traditional drums somewhere down. Procession has reached us. We spent there for a while to join with the procession.
It was 3.30am when we reached Maluwa. The premise was packed with devotees and somehow we were able to find a place to sit. Sacred things were kept at Pahatha Maluwa and it was supposed to bring to Uda Maluwa at auspicious time. Once God Sumana Saman’s idol and casket of relics were kept at Uda Maluwa, rituals were done till about 8am. Thereafter sacred foot print was opened for devotees for new season.
I was lucky enough to enjoy the sun set in this time as well
Following worship of sacred foot print, we started to get down along Rathnapura-Palabaththala route
Important points at Rathnapura-Palabaththala route
Thanks for reading.
සුමන සමන් දෙවි පිහිටයි.