There is hardly anyone in Sri Lanka who has not heard of Utuvankanda. The place is special because of the history woven around it. Utuwankanda became famous because of Sura Saradiel. He lived in Utuwankanda as his stronghold during the British imperialist rule of our country. Indeed, Sura Saradiel is a hero who fought fearlessly for the people who were under the iron shoes of the British imperialists. Saradiel looted money from the imperialists and the rich and distributed it among the poor.
That is why Saradiel was known as the Robinhood of Sri Lanka. But later he was arrested and sentenced to death. Sura Saradiel, was a character created controversial news in our country. Utuwankanda was his stronghold and is very famous in our country. To climb this mountain, young people as well as students and researches come frequently. This mountain is located near the intersection of Utuwana when coming from Kandy to Mawanella and within 2 km.
Utuwankanda is located in a dense forest infested with wasp hives, leeches, various obstacles and different kind of wild animals. The way to this mountain is dangerous. At one corner of the rock you can see a big cliff. Climbing to the top is a very difficult task. The cave in the middle of the hill is considered to be the hiding place of Sura Saradiel at that time. At the base of the mountain, rubber is cultivated, but going up there is a veil of mana trees.
When you climb to the top of Utuwankanda, also known as Saradiel Rock, you can enjoy the surrounding beauty. On one side you can see the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and Sri Dalada Maligawa, on the other side the Peradeniya botanical gardens and on the other side the Udawatta Forest.
Although you can enjoy the beauty of the environment from the top of Utuwankanda, the life that Saradiel lived in the company of this mountain was not a beautiful one. Adding another sad story to the sad story of Utuwankanda, a Peradeniya University student who went to climb this historic mountain on the 21st August had to pay with her life. That is because she fell from the rock while trying to climb to the top. Mawanella Police Station OIC Lasantha Kaluarachchi stated that at around 12 noon that day, while climbing Saradiel Rock, she slipped on a pile of decayed leaves and fell down a 300 feet cliff.
Just like a member of the 2014 batch of the University of Peradeniya, a 27-year-old lecturer who was working temporarily at the Postgraduate Institute of the University of Peradeniya had passed away. Her name was Virashmi Koditutuvakku who lived in Magurukaduwa area of Elpitiya. Virashmi had received her schooling from Ananda Madhya Maha Vidyalaya, Elpitiya. She was known as ‘Max’ by her university friends.
Virashmi had gone to climb Utuvankanda for an academic purpose along with 59 students of Peradeniya University’s Faculty of Agriculture called ‘X Flora Club’. At around 10 that morning, the group reached the foot of Saradiel Mountain and then started climbing Utuwankanda. Virashmi has stopped to rest while climbing the mountain for a short distance due to a disorder in the membranes of her hand. Meanwhile, the rest of the group had climbed the mountain with the help of a rope. Meanwhile, after his friends had climbed Uthuvankanda, Virashmida thought of going to the top of the mountain and had to climb up taking another route. But she was not able to climb the mountain.
There was a lot of rotten leaves where she stepped, and at the same time, Virashma, who lost her balance, suddenly fell down the cliff about 300 feet deep. Seeing this incident, her team members arranged to admit Virashmi to Mawanella Hospital immediately. But, blurring all her hopes, fate changed her life within minutes. She was taken to Mawanella Hospital, but she had already passed away.
After this sad incident, her friend from Peradeniya University, Nimesh Niranjan, had written a sad note about her on his Facebook page.
I hardly remember the name Virashmi Kodituvukku. That’s because we affectionately call her ‘Makki’. Or ‘Max’. She met me from the memory of Roberosia. A sister of our university died due to a landslide at Kandy station. This news moved the hearts of everyone in our university. An association was formed in our university to find solutions to those landslides. Students of 09 faculties gathered in one place and formed the association. The association was named as Roborasia Society.
She did immeasurable service to that association. Became the vice president of that association and other various positions in the Mountaineering Association. it indicates how she enjoyed life in all those activities.She did immeasurable service to that association. She did immeasurable service to that association. Became the vice president of that association and other various positions in the Mountaineering Association. it indicates how she enjoyed life in all those activities. Enjoyed freedom. She set an example for other young women and girls and she ‘rose up from Hantana and faded away from Utuwankanda..’.
This young woman must have had great hopes in life. This is not the first time she has climbed these mountains. She was a young woman who loved the environment as much as the mountains and waterfalls. Virashmi is expecting to get married this year. She had a long way to go in life. But all those hopes were dashed. She may have chosen Peradeniya University for her higher education because of her environmental friendliness. But her fate changed all this.
Dear Virashmi,
Not only friends, relatives, parents, but also Utuvankanda will be forever saddened by your departure. You loved nature so much. That is why you sacrificed your life for that purpose. Moon that rose from Hantana faded away from Uthuwankanda.Mackie, we love you always. Have a good trip… take care…
Nilanthi Renuka
