Pussellawa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pussellawa, is a town in Central Province, Kandy District Sri Lanka.

The Legend says ancient kings of Gampola Kingdom [1]{established by the great King Buvanekabahu IV. (1341-1357)} when threatened by enemies used to hide among in the inaccessible terrain around Pussellawa and Kothmale. These inaccessible terrains later became the world best known Tea Plantations.

The beginning of the hill country, Pussellawa is 18 km from Gampola on Nuwara Eliya road and has an elevation of nearly 2,800 feet that makes the climate cool and surroundings can go under the mist during late evenings. Pussallawa Rest House was a popular stop with the early travellers, who rested prior to passing through the difficult mountains at Ramboda Pass onto Nuwara Eliya. Even today tourists who spend mornings in Kandy find Pussellawa to be a convenient lunch stop.

Around the town are a number of waterfalls that could be visited conveniently by the modern traveller, 1 hotel in Pussellawa 12 hotels in the cities around Pussella.

Contents

[edit] Pussellawa Schools

  • Holy Trinity College
  • Saraswathy Tamil Maha Vidyalayam
  • Hindu National College
  • Buddhist Junior School

[edit] Tea Estates around Pussellawa

Melfort Estate This area is where the ground was cleared for the very first plantations which were in coffee in about 1826. The estate is at the lower end of the Pussellawa valley on the road to Nuwara Eliya. This area is a wonderful endless tea carpet, following every dip and mound in the ground broken only by the shade trees, bungalows, factory and workers cottages

Hellbodde Estate Situated in the Pussellawa area of Kandy main district, on the road from Kandy through the old coffee estates region converted to tea in the 1860s. It lies at the bottom of the steep climb to the hill station of Nuwara Eliya. It has a magnificent view of the Kotmale Hydro dam and the historic Peacocks hills. The first estates (Coffee) were established close to Gampola by Colonel Bird or Byrde and he then spread up via Dolosbage to Pussellawa. Initially Hellbodde Estate was owned by Duff Estate Co. Ltd. Of England and managed by George Steuart & Co. Ltd. till it was vested with the JEDB in 1976. Free Lanka Management Company took over Hellbodde Estate in mid 1992 with the privatisation of management."

Rothschild Tea Estate The 2000-acre Rothschild estate at Pussellawa was well known for its completeness and efficiency and was held up as a model for others to recapitulate. Rothschild tea was the standard for quality in Mincing Lane for over twenty-five years. With the start made at Pussellawa(History of Ceylon Tea).

Sogama Estate

Sanquhar Estate

New Peacock Estate

Delta Estate

[edit] Banks

HATTON NATIONAL BANK,

Address : No.551, Nuwara Eliya Road Pussellawa Branch Manager Tel : 081-2478270 Tel : 081-2478392 Fax : 081-2478270 Email: pussel@hnb.lk

BANK OF CEYLON

PEOPLES BANK

[edit] Pussellawa Shopping & Businesses

Pussellawa offers a variety of shopping, ranging from colourful and vibrant market to exquisite boutiques. Pussellawa's most famous shops are THEVARAYA PILLAI & SONS (Since 1932), Cheap Side, Rohans Hardware, Faziras, Jegam & Co, LamaHeva Textile, Muslim Hotel, Singer Show Room and few other Stores.

[edit] Attractions near Pussellawa

Delta Falls Height : 197 feet, 60 meters A minor waterfall, 60 m in height in the Ramboda – Pussellawa area, is located 6 km from Pussawella near the main highway. This fall, rushing over in six cascades into a wide pond surrounded by rocks, is also located on a tributary of Kotmale Oya.

Garandi Falls Height : 328 feet, 100 meters

Hellebodde Falls Height: 10 meters, 33 feet The small waterfall by the main Gampola – Nuwara Eliya road at 41/7 km is 9 km from Pussellawa and is located below the Helboda Estate. The fall rushing over the rock ledge originating from the forests upstream carries a fair amount of water even during the dry season. The location with parking is convenient for bathing and the clean, cool water is popular among the travelers.

Pundalu Oya Falls Height : 328 feet, 100 meters The magnificent fall constitutes of three sectors. In the first sector water falls over the broad rock-face and continues to flow over a flat terrain. The river traverses across this flat sector and continues below the bridge, into the valley below to join Kotmale Oya. The waterfall is located 2 km to the east of Pundalu Oya on the road to Dansit Estate in the midst of tea plantations.

[edit] Pussellawa Rest House

Pussellawa Rest House [2] - with a scenic view of lush green tea plantation

The Pussellawa Rest House, owned and managed by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation (CHC) has become a popular location for a stopover passengers and tourists travelling between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. The rest house has a 65-year-old history of being one of the popular rest houses run by the CHC.

Overlooking a lush green tea plantation, at Pussellawa, the scenic beauty of the view from the hotel's restaurant, is breathtaking. The rest house has three well appointed guest rooms including a family room.

Guests get a scenic view of lush green tea plantations, from their rooms. It has been fully refurbished and now offers modern facilities to the discerning traveller, both foreign and Sri Lankan. The rest house offers a wide selection of Western Eastern, Chinese and International cuisine, but the spicy Sri Lankan rice and curry is a big hit among travellers. (BJ)

40 Km from Peradeniya on Peradeniya/ Gampola/ Nuwara Eliya main road, it is equipped with 4 double rooms. Places of interest in close proximity include ramboda falls, Kothmale reservoir and tea estates/factories.