In this article, Hiru Wanniarachchi writes about one of Sri Lanka’s most famous mountains, Rumassala.
About 2km from Galle towards Matara you will come across a picturesque mountain range.
Rumassla is a mountain range with a unique ecosystem that is unmatched by any other ecosystem in the world. The Rumassala Range belongs to the Unawatuna East, Unawatuna Central, Unawatuna West and Yaddehimulla Grama Niladhari Divisions of the Habaraduwa Divisional Secretariat. Rumassala goes back as far as 3000 BC.
Thorny shrubs
Endemic to the wet zone as well as to the dry zone, Rumassala has thorny shrubs, arid species, mangroves, sand dunes, and coastal vegetation. Rumassala is 110m above sea level. It is a beautiful mountain range.
The highest global gravitational force Rumassla is also the place with the highest gravitational force in the world. Sir. Arthur C. Clarke, a world renowned scholar said Rumassala was formed by a meteorite that crashed into the Earth billions of years ago. Some scientists also refer to this as a meteorite falling from the sun. According to Alfred Wegner’s concept of the Continental Drift, this is part of the Himalayas floating from India.
The Unawatuna Beach is one of the 13 most beautiful and scenic beaches in the world Sir. Arthur C. Clarke has said. Folklore has an interesting story about the birth of Rumassala. King Ravana who abducted Princess Sita from India had imprisoned her in a cave in Rumassala Mountain. King Rama, who came to this country in search of Princess Sita, fought with King Ravana and freed her by throwing a huge stone which had blocked the entrance to the cave where she was imprisoned on Rumassala Hill.
Accordingly, it is believed that Ramassugala became Rumassagala and later came to be known as Rumassala.
Hanumantha
According to the Ramayana written by Valmiki, Rama’s brother Lakshman was killed by Ravana in the battle of Rama and Ravana. At Supeshana’s request, Hanumantha was ordered to bring some herbs from the Himalayas to save his life.
Hanumantha went to the Himalayas thinking about this fierce battle between two men for a woman and forgot the names of the herbs he was ordered to bring. So, he brought a mountain of herbs from the Himalayas. It is said that Lakshman was cured as soon as he breathed in the medicine prepared from the medicines of Jatavishalya, Savarnapakarani, Yanjeevakarani and Satwani.
Even herbs not found in the Himalayas were available here at that time.
Some have even come here from India in search of rare herbs. The ancients say that because of their great respect for herbs, they were reluctant to step on them and dragged them to the ground and snatched the herbs they needed. To this day, most of the plants in the mountain range are medicinal.
Legend has it that at Rumassala Kalunika also existed. Rumassala has been known as the Ruhuna Herbal Garden since ancient times. According to a 1991 study, about 150 herbs were found in Rumassla. Of these 141 are endemic to Rumassla. A few rare mangrove species of Sri Lanka can also be found here.
Rumassala is a large rock formation where plants and vines from all three zones can be found in the area called Kulunu Kanda.
Akkapana, cactus, Daluk, Nawahandi, Gonika, Bin kohoba, Heenbowitiya, Ethana, and Iluk are some of them. Plants growing in rainforests such as Heldomba, Almond, Dankenda, Wild bread, Godapara and Kolong.
Shrubs such as Rathmal, Madang and Himbutu grow in the arid zone on the mountain tops on the southwest and south.
There are also 84 species of butterflies associated with Rumassala. Seventy – seven species of birds,including sea eagles can be seen at Rumassala. Sea lizards can be seen here too.
Coral reef
The Bonavista coral reef in the Gulf of Galle at the foot of Mount Rumassla is considered to be the highest biodiversity coral reef in Sri Lanka. The Portuguese word Bonavista means "beautiful view” Compared to any other coral reef in terms of beauty, 491 species of fish have been found in this coral reef. This is the highest number of fish species found in a coral reef in the country.
Thirty-six of the 72 endangered fish species in the world are living in the Bonavista coral reef. On the southern slopes of the Rumassala Range we can see a small sea flower. During the monsoon season, the waves can reach several metres in height.
There is also a stream called the Beheth Dola which flows between two slopes of the Rumassala mountain range.