serendib the central highlands of sri lanka a world heritage

8/7/2019 Serendib the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka a World Heritage

1/612 October 2010 www.srilankan.aero

Heritage

The CenTral highlands of sri lanka

A World HeritAgeSri Lanka, the pearl of the Indian Ocean lays claim to eight of the current 911 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka were recently recognised and became part of this awe inspiring listing

which already includes Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Galle, Kandy, the Sinharaja Forest, and the

Dambulla Golden Temple.

Though collectiely called the

Central Highlands o Sri Lanka,

the name itsel does not do justice

to the mystique and majesty o the

three unique attractions that make

up this area. The Peak Wilderness

Protected Area, Horton Plains National

Park and Knuckles Conseration Forest,

all o which hae unique attributes with

their dierse range o ora and auna

are the Central Highlands o Sri Lanka

that are truly a World Heritage.

Words: Aadhil Aziz | Photography: Atheeq Mahuroof and Ramesh Laktharu

The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, the view from Adams Peak

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2/6October 2010www.srilankan.aero 13

At an altitude o 2,100m, Horton

Plains is a large system o plains and

orest coer that include Agra-Bopats,

Moon Plains and Elk Plains, and is

completely dierent to all the other

national parks in Sri Lanka. The high

altitude means that both the auna and

ora hae adapted to this altitude and

this makes some o the parks species

unique, not only in Sri Lanka, but to

the entire world. In a relatiely small

expanse o 3,160ha is a curious mix o

grassland, wet eergreen orest, and

waterways which gie rise to Sri Lankas

longest rier the Mahaweli Ganga

(Mahawelirier), as well as two other

prominent riers in Sri Lanka, the Kelani

Ganga and the Walawe Ganga.

Sadly, between 1831 and 1948

it became a Sambhur deer hunting

ground. Wild boar and elephants were

also hunted to a lesser extent, but this

was a part o what led to the extinction

o the regions elephants. The diersity

o ora and auna that can be seen at

this park, includes a number o endemic

species such as the Sri Lankan Leopard,

the Horned Lizard, the Purple Faced

Langur, and the Jet Black Giant Squirrels.

Some endemic owers are the Royal

Horton plains national parkPurple Binara and the Maha Ratmal to

name a ew.

One primate that deseres special

mention is the Horton Plains Slender

Loris, which is a sub-species o the Red

Slender Loris and is considered one o

the most endangered primates by the

Zoological Society o London. It was

photographed or the frst time - as

recently as July 2010!

The most amous part o this park

is somewhat exaggeratedly named

Worlds End, which is a 884m sheer drop,

straight out o a Sylester Stallone moie.

Once again, the iew is spectacular.

Sambhurs roaming the plains

Horton Plains is rich in diversityThe lake at Horton Plains

As far as the eye can see



Up we go - Horton Plains

Bakers FallWorlds End

Horton Plains

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TRAvEL TIPS



Garra. Now that eco-tourism is to play

a big part in Sri Lankas uture tourism

plans, hopeully they will escape

extinction.

The Central Highlands o

Sri Lanka are three staggeringly

beautiul elements, each with their

own quintessentially distinctie

characteristics that set it apart rom the

other seen UNESCO World Heritage

sites on this most extraordinary

island. They are certainly worthy o

their inclusion into the special list

o UNESCO World Heritage Sites, to

explore, treasure and presere or uture

generations to come.

It is because o this irtual isolation

that the less mobile species ound on

the Knuckles mountain range, hae

oer the years eoled into seeral

interesting sub-species, ound no

where else on the planet, let alone

Sri Lanka. For example, the Kir thisinghe

Rock Frog, the Star Orchid and the

Grassland Yam. According to the

IUCN 2007 Endangered Species list,

two o the three species o fsh ound

exclusiely in the Knuckles region

are close to extinction. These include

the Blotched Filamented Barb and

Martenstyns Barb. The third species

unique to this region is the Phillips

knuCklEs ConsErVation ForEstConsisting o 27 mountains all aboe

1,000m in height, surrounded by the

Dumbara valley, rom a distance they

gie the impression o the knuckles

o a clenched fst when iewed rom

certain locations. This region was

originally called Dumbara Kanduvetiya

(Sinhalese or mist-laden mountain

range), but oer the years the name

Knuckles has stuck ast. The act that

a alley surrounds these 27 peaks at

their relatiely high eleation, gies the

impression o an island surrounded in a

sea o mist, and it is quite a breathtaking

sight to see, especially during the early

hours o the morning.

Knuckles

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important

TRAvEL TIPS

Knuckles range



Popularly known by a ariety o

names, depending on who you ask,

Adams Peak is a majestic mountain

isible rom most parts o the Island

at dusk or dawn. At 2,243m, it is the

Islands second tallest mountain. The

majority Buddhists reer to the mountain

as Sri Pada in reerence to a ootprint

embedded into a rock at the summit.

Muslims beliee this same oot print

to be that o the Prophet Adam, who

was cast down rom the heaens, and

ell to earth at this ery spot. The Hindu

community beliees that the oot print

belongs to Lord Shia, during one o

his ritual dances, and some Catholics

beliee it to be the ootprint o

St. Thomas. Seasonal yellow butteries

(called Samanalayo in Sinhala),

combined with a history lesson where

Saman, one o the our deities o the

Island resided, gies this mountain

its other name oSamanala Kanda

(Samans Mountain).

Whilst there maybe seeral ariations

o these oerly generalised ideologies

o the dierent communities, one

thing remains clear. This mountain is

prooundly and undeniably sacred.

We began our ascent during the early

tHE pEak WildErnEss protECtEd arEa

Adams Peak

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TRAvEL TIPS

hours o the morning, along what was

originally reerred to as the Fathers

Path, by none other than the amed

Moor explorer Ibn Batuta. This path is ar

longer (a 26km trek!) and treacherous

and begins at the town o Ratnapura.

The less arduous Mothers Path (which

begins at the town o Maskeliya) or

those a little more street smart; is less

than an eight kilometre hike.

I must admit there were times

where my mind was willing, but my

legs elt like lead. Leaing the debate

o the Fathers Path ersus the Mothers

Path aside, it was the neer ending

Adams Peak or Sri Pada



I heard the bell being struck six, seen and

then eight times, and imagine my surprise

as I saw the sweetest and most rail old

lady ringing this bell, with a wry smile on

her ace!

I timidly rang the bell with a single

strike as this was my frst ascent and

quietly moed away to the sacred

ootprint. People silently took their turns

worshipping in their own way according

to their personal aiths and belies.

It was ascinating to see how the same

symbol brought orth such oerwhelming

emotion rom the aried races and

religions o this country and tourists alike.

staircase that played tricks on my mind.

At eery stop I drew inspiration rom an

elderly gent or lady easily twice my age

quietly, resolutely plodding along, step

ater endless step.

When you near the summit you

hear this glorious sound o a bell

being struck, echoing out through the

surrounding plains, sometimes a single

strike, and sometimes a series o notes

strung together in celebrated melody.

The number o times you strike the bell

is a mark o the number o times you

hae ascended this sacred mountain.

Ironically as I climbed the last ew stairs

The sunrise is probably the

ultimate reward or those who

complete this arduous journey. It is

impossible to describe the iew, to

do its magnifcence justice. It must

be noted though, the sunrise and

spectacular iew which then opens

up like a curtain being raised oer

the entire earth is probably best

appreciated ater this climb has

actually been made, ater you hae

toiled and troubled, sweated and

cramped your way to the summit.

It is the ultimate reward and the

ultimate high!

The bell being struck to signify the number of visits to the Peak Sunrise

Those from around the world venerate this PeakFirst timers draw a thread as they climb up to the summit

serendib the central highlands of sri lanka a world heritage

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