Depending on what your perspective is, Saradiel is either a petty criminal/ outlaw, or the Helper of the Poor. For many Sri Lankans though (at least the anti-Colonialist Sri Lankans in the village of Utuwankanda back in the 1800s), Saradiel is a hero — the local version of Robin Hood.
Saradiel headed a band of bandits in Utuwankanda along with his childhood friend Mammale Marikkar, where they distributed the goods they stole from the British (which is why the villagers loved him and more often than not helped him escape the law whenever it came crashing down around him). The mountain basically served as a vantage point and had a secret cave which he frequently used as a hideout. It was this cave that we went looking for when we hit Mawanella up over the last weekend.
The Ascent and the Summit
Residents will tell you that it's a 20 minute climb, but it'll take you about half an hour to 45 minutes I reckon.
The hike isn't exhausting but there are a couple of places where you'll skin your palms or knees as you try to climb through rock and bush. Also keep in mind that some places are quite dusty and slippery, so be careful/ wear proper footwear.
The view from the top is — as in most cases in Sri Lanka — stunning! No disappointments, plus you also have monkeys swinging along and walking across the rock summit and swallows whizzing by.
Strangely there's a Buddhist flag hoisted atop one of the higher boulders of the peak. Why even?
Photo courtesy Amalini
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