Visit to the Mountains of Harangala
by Jetwing ·
Listening to the chirping birds, trickle of the crunchy leaves carpeting the green grass covered with crystal colored drops of morning dew, I sit at the front porch, where the mountains, ever green trees, and the tea valley create a cool and a thick wave of breeze blowing a chilled and cheering kisses at your face. Setting up for a morning meditation round, you will be give with an absolute setting with the view of the sunrise early morning, up the mountain.
As you close your eyes for a journey up the hill in your mind, you could imagine wonderful scenery of the mountains and the tea country, concentrate on your breath in and breathe out. The sun rise with a splash of flamingo red ray of morning sun shine would be the point for you to realize that you are now at the top of the mount in Harangala Tea Plantation, a bungalow located right at the top.
The scenic journey from Colombo to Harangala, which is located in the Nuwara Eliya district, the home of the tea plantation, which was originated by the British and was first introduced to Sri Lanka by Sir James Tailor and was made an economic product which served the entire economy of Sri Lanka as a whole.
Harangala Tea Plantation, which was established in 1920’s owned by a British corporation which is now directed and owned by three local planters. The authentic bungalow of Harangala, built according to the European style, serves the guests at its best, with whole range of local cuisines touched with a range of spices originated both in India and Sri Lanka.
The butler has a “wonder arm” in putting together tasty and spicy dishes if you require, or if western dishes, as per your taste.
The garden decorated with beautiful flora and fauna that are capable of bearing the cool weather and the chilled breeze. The first day was spent at leisure, watching movies in the cozy and cool den in front of the fire, enjoying a fried chicken made by the butler, and sipping a glass of red wine. The beautifully set up fire place, with a comfy couch to relax would be the fine art for a perfect holiday up the mountain.
The next day was an excursion to Nuwara Eliya, “The Little England”. A visit to Victoria Park in the month of May would be the best to witness the colors of nature that has brought up together a wonderful mix of the rainbow on earth. The Beautifully maintained gardens of Victoria, with trimmed lawns would set the ideal background for a picnic at the park.
On the way, back to the bungalow, a stop at Devon waterfall and St. Clair’s waterfall, would add to the amusement, when the pure white strands of water hit the rocks of the green valley, and break down into tiny lines of misty white water and create a bouquet of nature’s beauty at its best.
Next stop was for lunch at a street side mobile camping site, where Chinese food is cooked with fresh vegetable out of the local farmers, and meat with a blend of pepper and chili powder. The basmati rice that can be cooked in a Chinese special is the best for a colder weather. Back in the bungalow, the relax time is the best with a touch of toddy, which is being brewed in Treacle Tree”, is the best for a round or two, and the best experience was that, being a “Poya Holiday”, with the full moon at night, it is the time that the bees go hunting for honey in flowers since it is said in legends, that bees gets drunk with all the honey which they have collected for the past few days, being ready for the full moon Poya day. Being violent out of the risen spirits out of the brewed honey, our little round of toddy made the bees feel more arousing for another round of honey, and then they come, attacking the toddy, but ultimately found us, which made us end up with few stomps.
The butler then advices not to take toddy outside the garden during Poya days, since it is the peak time for the bees to go hunting for honey, and they would be violet drunk with the seasoned honey which they have been collecting for many days.
The next day was made memorable with a visit to Katabulla falls, with a fall of about 30 meters high and about few meters deep. The water fall includes two different layers, first layer being the most dreadful with a height of at least 30 meters fall and the second layer being a very short but a spread fall, where you can sit right in front of the tiny fall and rest your back leaning against the solid rock, and the thick strands of water falling upon your shoulder, and it is made a natural massage upon your back. The curtain of crystal colored water as you lean against the rock which supports the waterfall in front of your face, hides you away from the world, and makes you a part of the waterfall, playing the role of a hidden stone beneath the waterfall. The curtain of thick clean water makes you listen to the flow of water and could enjoy a round of a peaceful meditation while bathing in the beautiful and cool water, right beneath the wall of water, right in front of your face, hiding you from the entire world, just the water and you, being a part of the delightful nature.
Silvery pale blue fish, passing by, with a fish therapy at your feet, makes you feel relaxed and a part of the waterfall, that helps you recollect the past few days of the stay in the authentic bungalow, make you forget all your worries and approach to a whole new world of nature’s delights, how they can be so memorable and breath taking. Stand on the edge of the water fall, and capture yourself in a tiny camera, which will help you take back the memories to the city, where schedules have no time for nature.
The view of the mountains up from the hill of Harangala captures a perfect picture of the sunset. The golden cloud of flamingo red, and the silvery line that differentiates each cloud and its shape, is a marvelous site to capture.
We also visited the Harangala Tea Estate, where the freshly plucked green leaf is processed into raw black tea, where the Withering, Rolling, Oxidation, Firing and Grading process takes place, and finally packaged and being transported to tea buyers in Colombo, at the Tea auction, the broker representing Harangala Tea Plantation will bid for the tea and the buyers will make their purchases thereon.
It is truly amazing how far a tiny leaf and a bud goes, through the machines, in the sacks and to foreign nations, to be branded as a foreign brand, and serve the entire world as a most essential product. It is truly magnificent how one simple leaf can have many grades such as OP (Orange Pekoe), BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe), FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe), FBOP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe), Fanning and Dust Tea, for each grade the cup of tea being brewed has a original color, aroma, taste and aftertaste. It is the job of a tea taster to grade the tea and test the quality once it reaches Colombo office.
The memorable holiday at the mountain side, with a scenic surrounding and fresh air, it is one of the most peaceful detonations to get away from the busy schedules and indulge in nature’s beautiful delights, which will add color not only during the stay, but give memories of a life time.
By Milani Wickramaratne
