Nuwara Eliya
Encyclopedia
Nuwara Eliya meaning "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light", is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka
with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka
. The town is overlooked by Pidurutalagala
, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka.
The city was founded by Samuel Baker
, the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting,elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.
Although the town was founded in the 19th century by the British, the whole district is today visited by native travelers, specially during the month of April, the season of flowers, pony races, go cart races and auto rally.
Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period such as the Queen's Cottage
, General's House
, Grand Hotel
, Hill Club
, Town Post Office and even new hotels are often built and furnished in the colonial style. Anyone who visits the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting these landmark buildings. Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.
In the winter months it is quite cold at night, and there can even be frost. although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher during the day.
come next respectively. Many tea plantation workers are whose ancestors were brought over to Sri Lanka by the British in the 19th century.
are the two major languages spoken in Nuwara Eliya. English
is also widely used by the locals.
The town really comes alive in April for the Sinhalese
and Tamil
New Year
, and it is difficult to find accommodation as Sri Lankans holiday in the region during this period. The festive season starts on April 1 annually in a ceremonial manner. The ceremony consists mainly of a band show in which all the local school bands participate.
Main attractions during April season include the numerous motor racing and horse racing events. Motor racing comes alive with the Mahagastotte and Radella Hill Climbs, the former being run since 1934. The Nuwara Eliya Road Race and the 4X4 Lake Cross on edge of Lake Gregory attract a fair share of enthusiasts. Parties are held nightly in the hotels, and the season culminates in the nine furlong (1811 m) Governor's Cup, Golf Tournaments and the flower show at the end of the month.
The town's attractions include the golf course, trout streams, Victoria Park, and boating or fishing on Lake Gregory. Victoria Park is an attractive and well-used oasis. It is popular with birdwatchers at quieter times because of the good opportunities it gives to see various species, particularly the Indian Blue Robin
, Pied Thrush
or Scaly Thrush lurking in the denser undergrowth. The Kashmir Flycatcher
is another attractive bird
species found in the park. Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary
, close to Lake Gregory, is another wildlife site of 0.6 km².
The town is a base for visits to Horton Plains National Park
. This is a key wildlife area of open grassy woodland. Species found here include the Leopard
, Sambar
, and the endemic Purple-faced Langur
. Endemic highland birds include the Dull-blue Flycatcher
, Sri Lanka White-eye
, and Yellow-eared Bulbul
. The plains also has a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End, a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. The return walk passes the scenic Baker Falls. Early morning visits are best, both to see the wildlife, and to view World's End before mists close in during the later part of the morning.
One of the distinctive features of Nuwara Eliya's countryside is the widespread growing of vegetables, fruit and flowers usually associated with temperate Europe. This "Little England" is covered with terraces growing potatoes, carrots, leeks, and roses, interspersed with tea
bushes on the steeper slopes.
The slow-growing tea bushes of this highland region produce some of the world's finest Orange Pekoe
tea, and several tea factories around Nuwara Eliya offer guided tours and the opportunity to sample or purchase their products.
One is a grave stone of one British governor located in the very corner of the golf grounds. He was famous for elephant hunting and it says that he killed thousands of elephants. Folklore in Nuwara Eliya says that every year his gravestone is struck by lightning for the great sin that he did. At present this place is not open for the visitors.
Another place related to folklore is the Hindu Temple called "Seetha Kovil" (Hanuman Kovil). It is found on the way to Badulla from Nuwara Eliya before reaching the Hakgala Botanical Garden
. The temple is located in the village called "Seetha Eliya". The area is related to the Ramayana
story in Hinduism. Folklore says that the mighty king Ravana
kidnapped princess Seeta who was the queen of Rama
and hid her in the place where the temple now is.
There is also a Church called the Holy Trinity Church on church road, which accommodate an old graveyard and most of the grave stones have British names engraved on them.
, about 8 km away. Scheduled air taxi from Lake Gregory Waterdrome
links Nuwara Eliya to Colombo
.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka
Tea production in Sri Lanka
Tea production in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is of high importance to the Sri Lankan economy and the world market. The country is the world's fourth largest producer of tea and the industry is one of the country's main sources of foreign exchange and a significant source of income for laborers,...
. The town is overlooked by Pidurutalagala
Pidurutalagala
Pidurutalagala , or Mount Pedro in English, is an ultra prominent peak, and the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, at . Mount Pedro is located close to the city of Nuwara Eliya, and is easily visible from most areas of the Central Province....
, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka.
History
Samuel Baker
Sir Samuel White Baker, KCB, FRS, FRGS was a British explorer, officer, naturalist, big game hunter, engineer, writer and abolitionist. He also held the titles of Pasha and Major-General in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt. He served as the Governor-General of the Equatorial Nile Basin between Apr....
, the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting,elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.
Although the town was founded in the 19th century by the British, the whole district is today visited by native travelers, specially during the month of April, the season of flowers, pony races, go cart races and auto rally.
Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period such as the Queen's Cottage
Queen's Cottage
Queen's Cottage is a country house near Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. It is the vacationing and country residence of the President of Sri Lanka...
, General's House
General's House
General's House is a country house near Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. It is the vacationing and country residence of Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament...
, Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (Nuwara Eliya)
The Grand Hotel is a 156 room British Colonial style luxury hotel which is over 100 years old, located at central hill station Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. It was the former residence of Sir Edward Barnes, Governor of Ceylon from 1830 to 1850, the Grand Hotel is an excellent example of a Elizabethan...
, Hill Club
Hill Club
The Hill Club is a gentlemen's clubs in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Established 1876 by British coffee planters in the hill station of Nuwara Eliya. Its membership is limited to British and Europeans....
, Town Post Office and even new hotels are often built and furnished in the colonial style. Anyone who visits the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting these landmark buildings. Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.
Climate
Due to the high altitude, Nuwara Eliya has a much cooler climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka, with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C. But the temperature changes and sometimes it can be as low as 3°C.In the winter months it is quite cold at night, and there can even be frost. although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher during the day.
Demographics
Nuwara Eliya is the only district in the country where the Indian Tamils form the majority with 50.6% of the population. The Sinhalese (40.2%), Tamils (6.5%) and the MoorsSri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
come next respectively. Many tea plantation workers are whose ancestors were brought over to Sri Lanka by the British in the 19th century.
Language
Sinhala and TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
are the two major languages spoken in Nuwara Eliya. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is also widely used by the locals.
Festivals
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
and Tamil
Tamil calendar
The Tamil calendar is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Tamil Nadu. It is also used in Pondicherry , and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. It is also used by Telugu speaking people in Tamil Nadu...
New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
, and it is difficult to find accommodation as Sri Lankans holiday in the region during this period. The festive season starts on April 1 annually in a ceremonial manner. The ceremony consists mainly of a band show in which all the local school bands participate.
Main attractions during April season include the numerous motor racing and horse racing events. Motor racing comes alive with the Mahagastotte and Radella Hill Climbs, the former being run since 1934. The Nuwara Eliya Road Race and the 4X4 Lake Cross on edge of Lake Gregory attract a fair share of enthusiasts. Parties are held nightly in the hotels, and the season culminates in the nine furlong (1811 m) Governor's Cup, Golf Tournaments and the flower show at the end of the month.
Attractions
Indian Blue Robin
The Indian Blue Robin is a small bird found in South Asia. Formerly considered a thrush, it is now considered one of the Old World flycatchers in the family Muscicapidae. It was earlier also called the Indian Blue Chat. It is migratory, breeding in the forests along the Himalayas in India and...
, Pied Thrush
Pied Thrush
The Pied Thrush is a member of the thrush family found in India and Sri Lanka. The males are conspicuously patterned in black and white while the females are olive brown and speckled. They breed in the central Himalayan forests and winter in the hill forests of southern India and Sri Lanka...
or Scaly Thrush lurking in the denser undergrowth. The Kashmir Flycatcher
Kashmir Flycatcher
The Kashmir Flycatcher, Ficedula subrubra, is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. At one time it was considered to be a subspecies of the Red-breasted Flycatcher, Ficedula parva....
is another attractive bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
species found in the park. Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary
Galway's Land National Park
Galway's Land National Park is a small national park situated within the city limits of Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. Having being declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 27 May 1938, the Galway's Land was elevated to the national park status on 18 May 2006. The park was declared to conserve the montane...
, close to Lake Gregory, is another wildlife site of 0.6 km².
The town is a base for visits to Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plateau at an altitude of is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. This region was designated a national park in...
. This is a key wildlife area of open grassy woodland. Species found here include the Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, Sambar
Sambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
, and the endemic Purple-faced Langur
Purple-faced Langur
The purple-faced langur , or purple-faced leaf monkey, is a species of Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka.This is a long-tailed arboreal species, mainly brown with a dark facemask and paler lower face...
. Endemic highland birds include the Dull-blue Flycatcher
Dull-blue Flycatcher
The Dull-blue Flycatcher , Eumyias sordida, is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae.This species is an endemic resident breeder in the hills of central Sri Lanka....
, Sri Lanka White-eye
Sri Lanka White-eye
The Sri Lanka White-eye, Zosterops ceylonensis, is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. It is a resident breeder in forests, gardens and plantations which is endemic to Sri Lanka, mainly in the highlands.-Description:...
, and Yellow-eared Bulbul
Yellow-eared Bulbul
The Yellow-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus penicillatus, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in the highlands of Sri Lanka....
. The plains also has a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End, a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. The return walk passes the scenic Baker Falls. Early morning visits are best, both to see the wildlife, and to view World's End before mists close in during the later part of the morning.
One of the distinctive features of Nuwara Eliya's countryside is the widespread growing of vegetables, fruit and flowers usually associated with temperate Europe. This "Little England" is covered with terraces growing potatoes, carrots, leeks, and roses, interspersed with tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
bushes on the steeper slopes.
The slow-growing tea bushes of this highland region produce some of the world's finest Orange Pekoe
Orange Pekoe
Orange pekoe , also spelled "pecco" is a term used in the Western tea trade to describe a particular genre of black teas . Despite a purported Chinese origin, these grading terms are typically used for teas from Sri Lanka, India and countries other than China; they are not generally known within...
tea, and several tea factories around Nuwara Eliya offer guided tours and the opportunity to sample or purchase their products.
Other interesting places
Another place related to folklore is the Hindu Temple called "Seetha Kovil" (Hanuman Kovil). It is found on the way to Badulla from Nuwara Eliya before reaching the Hakgala Botanical Garden
Hakgala Botanical Garden
Hakgala Botanical Garden is one of the three botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. The other two being Peradeniya Botanical Garden and Henarathgoda Botanical Garden. It is the second largest garden in Sri Lanka. The garden is contiguous to Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve.-Location and climate:Hakgala...
. The temple is located in the village called "Seetha Eliya". The area is related to the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
story in Hinduism. Folklore says that the mighty king Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
kidnapped princess Seeta who was the queen of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and hid her in the place where the temple now is.
There is also a Church called the Holy Trinity Church on church road, which accommodate an old graveyard and most of the grave stones have British names engraved on them.
Transportation
There is no train service to Nuwara Eliya nor does it have a station; the nearest one is located in Nanu OyaNanu Oya
Nanu Oya is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province.-External links:*...
, about 8 km away. Scheduled air taxi from Lake Gregory Waterdrome
Lake Gregory Waterdrome
Lake Gregory Waterdrome is an open water Aerodrome facility used by Seaplanes on Lake Gregory, near the town of Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka.-Services:...
links Nuwara Eliya to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
.
Sister cities
| Country | ity | tate / Region | ince |
|---|---|---|---|
 ChinaChina Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
 Yongzhou Yongzhou is a prefecture-level city in the Hunan province of China.YongZhou is located in the central and south of China, on the southern side of Xiang River, which is formed by the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. Yongzhou is one of the four ancient counties in Hunan; it is 2000 years old... |
Hunan ' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting... |
2009 |
 Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
 |
Kansai The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included... |
1986 |