#meemure

Meemure is a remote community in Sri Lanka's Central Province that is nestled 324 meters above sea level in the mountains. It can only be accessed from the "Hunnasgiriya" mountain, which is a part of the Knuckles range and is located around 50 kilometers from Kandy. The 33 km trek from Hunnasgiriya to Meemure is challenging with many challenging parts, but the scenery is wonderful. The settlement itself receives an abundance of water in the form of waterfalls that originate in the Knuckles' evergreen forests. The pyramid-shaped Lakegala mountain is located east of the settlement, and the magnificent Knuckles range dominates the west. Meemure's southern and northern boundaries are separated by the Heen River and a forest that extends to the "Pitawala Pathana" grassland. Up until 2004, pack-bulls were the only means of transportation to Meemure. Cattle herds delivered supplies and equipment to the settlement in bags. Because of the village's abundance and wealth, pack-bulls were exclusively used to transport salt, textiles, tobacco, and calcium bicarbonate. However, the trails have been extended to accommodate three-wheelers, jeeps, and compact trucks due to the invasion of modern technology.

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  Pack-bulls used to be the only mode of transport to Meemure up to 2004. Today, an off-road vehicle is needed to negotiate the narrow, twisting mountain track to the tiny village 324 m up in the Knuckles Range in the shadow of the magical Lakegala mountain. Heen River flows through the village. The four hundred odd hardy souls that live up there in small houses made of clay and spear grass and cultivate rice and pepper have no transport service, cable or mobile telephones and postal services.

The drive in a locally hired beat-up minibus from Corbe’ts Rest where we was staying, took nearly an hour even though the distance is only 11 miles.

There wasn’t very much to see. A shop called Lionel’s at the end of the track sold most of the stuff similar shops in any Sri Lankan village would. Hand written signs advertised accommodation for visitors. Some were called ‘resorts’ and others were campsites. A walk through the village to a little clearing offered a view of the one landmark I wanted to see most in Meemure – Lakegala Mountain.

  Seen from Meemure, the 1310 m high Lakegala rock is pyramidal. The rock is steeped in mystery. It is believed that the kingdom of Ravana, the legendary king of Sri Lanka who abducted Sita, the wife of the Indian demigod Rama, was located at the base of the Lakegala rock which was ‘used to launch his ‘flying machine.’

The best access point to Lakegala is from Meemure village. The climb is said to be ‘difficult and daring.’

We walked past the ‘elders meeting place’ and then through the rice fields, along a brook and stopped briefly at little kiosks manned by village women serving roti with fiery sambal and tea brewed with medicinal Belli flowers (Aegle marmelos).

Wayside kiosk – roti & Belli flower tea

The mid-morning heat was intense. We rested for a while in a forest clearing and refreshed with biscuits and spring water, hiked to a series of rock pools made famous by a Sri Lankan movie called “Sooriya Arana.”

A rest in a forest shelter

We packed in to a mini van for the four kilometer return trip to Meemure village and ate the traditional snack of the village – roti and sambal washed down with black ginger tea. Cardamum and black peppers are cultivated extensively by the villagers and are sold to visitors. A kilo of dried black pepper costs Rs.650 (about £3).

Roti & tea

On the bone-rattling way back to Corbet’s Rest where a hot spicy lunch and cold beer awaited, we stopped for a dip in the cool waters of the Heen River, just outside Meemure.

        The trip to Meemure was arranged by Padmini Hussein of Flamingo Tours.