๐ฑ๐ฐ Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128ย ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climateย โ the coolest area in Sri Lanka.
Nuwara Eliya district is located in the hill country of Central Province. The terrain is generally mountainous, with deep valleys. Poramadulla Central College is located in the Rikillagaskada community in Hanguranketha.
History The city was founded by Samuel Baker, the explorer of Lake Albert and the upper 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, was a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse themselves in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting, elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.
Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period such as the Queen's Cottage, General's House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, St Andrew's Hotel and Town Post Office. New hotels are often built and furnished in the colonial style. Visitors to the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting the landmark buildings. Many private homes maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.
Demographics The majority of the population of Nuwara Eliya city is Sinhalese. There are sizable communities belonging to other ethnic groups, such as Indian Tamils and Sri Lankan Tamils.
Language Sinhala and Tamil are the two major languages spoken in Nuwara Eliya. English is also widely used by the locals.
Festivals The town really comes alive in April for the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year. 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 include motor 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 at the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse, Golf Tournaments at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, and the flower show at the end of the month.
Attractions 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 for seeing species, particularly the Indian blue robin, pied thrush or scaly thrush lurking in the denser undergrowth. The Kashmir flycatcher is another attractive bird species in the park.
Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary, close to Lake Gregory, is an area of montane forest a few km east of the town. Covering an area of 0.6ย kmยฒ it is home to many bird and mammal species endemic to Sri Lanka, including wild boar and barking deer.
The city is a base for visits to Horton Plains National Park. This is a key wildlife area of an 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 have a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End โ a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. The return walk passes the scenic Baker's 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. Several tea factories around Nuwara Eliya offer guided tours and the opportunity to sample or purchase their products.
'Lovers Leap' is a spectacular waterfall set among tea plantations a short walk from the town of Nuwara Eliya. It falls a height of 30m in a long cascading sheet of water. It is said that it is named after a young couple who decided to be bound together forever by jumping off the cliff to their demise.
Other places A gravestone of Major Thomas William Rogers, (the Government Agent for Badulla District) is in the corner of the golf grounds. He is infamous for having shot, at the very lowest estimate 1,400 wild elephants. Folklore in Nuwara Eliya says that every year his gravestone is struck by lightning for his great sin. This place is not open for 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 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 where the temple now is.
There is a church called the Holy Trinity Church on Church Road, which accommodates an old graveyard. Most of the gravestones have British names on them.
Transport The nearest train station is in Nanu Oya, about 8ย km away. Scheduled air taxi from Lake Gregory Waterdrome links Nuwara Eliya to Colombo.
Nuwara Eliya has a population of over 27,500 people. Nuwara Eliya also forms the centre of the wider Nuwara Eliya district which has a population of over 731,415 people.
To set up a UBI Lab for Nuwara Eliya see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork
Twin Towns, Sister Cities Nuwara Eliya has links with:
๐ฏ๐ต Uji, Japan ๐ท๐บ Vidnoye, Russia ๐จ๐ณ Yongzhou, China๐ต๐ญ Davao City 7.064
๐จ๐ด Barrancabermeja 7.067
๐ต๐ญ Zamboanga City 6.905
๐ฑ๐ฐ Mullaitivu 80.8
๐ฑ๐ฐ Polonnaruwa 81.008
๐ฑ๐ฐ Hambantota 81.121
๐ฎ๐ณ Machilipatnam 81.13
Locations Near: Nuwara Eliya 80.7832,6.97076
๐ฑ๐ฐ Kandy 80.638,7.292 d: 39.2
๐ฑ๐ฐ Ratnapura 80.386,6.693 d: 53.6
๐ฑ๐ฐ Kegalle 80.333,7.25 d: 58.6
๐ฑ๐ฐ Monaragala 81.337,6.873 d: 62.1
๐ฑ๐ฐ Homagama 80.003,6.843 d: 87.3
๐ฑ๐ฐ Gampaha 80,7.091 d: 87.5
๐ฑ๐ฐ Kaduwela 79.983,6.933 d: 88.4
๐ฑ๐ฐ Divulapitiya 80,7.217 d: 90.6
๐ฑ๐ฐ Piliyandala 79.95,6.85 d: 92.9
๐ฑ๐ฐ Minuwangoda 79.95,7.167 d: 94.5
Antipodal to: Nuwara Eliya -99.217,-6.971
๐ต๐ช Talara -81.267,-4.567 d: 18011.6
๐ต๐ช Mรกncora -81.05,-4.1 d: 17979.6
๐ต๐ช Piura -80.633,-5.2 d: 17951.1
๐บ๐ธ Sterling Heights -83.001,2.544 d: 17927.4
๐ช๐จ Salinas -80.968,-2.207 d: 17924.9
๐ช๐จ La Libertad -80.9,-2.233 d: 17918.3
๐ช๐จ Santa Elena -80.858,-2.227 d: 17913.6
๐ต๐ช Chiclayo -79.844,-6.764 d: 17876.4