Dunhinda Ella Waterfall, also known as Bridal Fall, near Badulla in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka is one of the most enchanting falls in the country. It is located about five kilometers from Badulla town. About 64 meters or 210 feet in height the name Dunhinda derives from “Dun” in Sinhala means smoke, “Hinda” means evaporate, as the falls gives out a smoky dew drops spray which surrounds the area at the foot of the fall. The term Bridal Fall is given as the waterfall resembles a bridal veil.
I reckon this is the only Waterfall in Sri Lanka which charges a fee for people to view it. I found it rather difficult to walk along the narrow path going through the edge of a thick jungle, even dangerously slippery at some places. There are few wayside boutiques selling short eats, hot tea or coffee and a variety of fruit juices. The path becomes very steep and narrow closer to the falls. Most part of the path is protected by iron or wooden guard rails as safety measures.
The distance from the main Badulla/Mahiyangana Road is about 5 kilometers or 3 miles and my walk was painstakingly slow due to its hazards. However, all my frustration vanished once I reached the Waterfall, at the sight of the sheer beauty it presented to my eyes. A beautiful pool has formed where the water gets collected before running down the river.
Though it was not very late in the afternoon, the area looked gloomy and dull, looked like a basin with circular slope and a river called Baduluoya, running below covered by trees. Due to its location.
I am told the area was once inhabited by indigenous tribe called the Veddhas. Interestingly, the Veddha community still exists about 37 kms or 23 miles from Badulla, at Mahiyangana.
A story in circulation says, during the time of King Rajasinghe, a giant fern got stuck at the top of the fall, between two mountains, which formed a dam resulting in flooding of Badulla town. It took three months for someone to clear the water and the town re-surfaced.
