Hakgala Garden In Sri Lanka Re-opened For Christmas

The Hakgala Botanical Garden, one of the most picturesque and environmentally significant parks in Sri Lanka, was reopened on Christmas Day.

The park, which was closed after being affected by the Ditwah Cyclone, is now being cleared for visitor arrivals.

While the majority of the park area is open to tourists, certain sections remain prohibited yet.

Hakgala Botanical Garden is one of the five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka and is contiguous with the Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve.

Situated in the mountainous district of Nuwara Eliya, this garden is the second-largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka.

The garden experiences a cool climate due to its high altitude of 5,400 feet above sea level.

Visitors to the area from December to February will experience very cold weather, while from April to August the climate is relatively warmer.

The garden was established in 1861 for the cultivation of commercial crops, but in 1884 it was transformed into a botanical garden.

There is also a Hindu mythology linked to the garden.

In the epic Ramayana Trail, the garden is referred to as ‘Ashoka Vatika.’

Accordingly, it is believed that thousands of years ago, a Lankan king named Ravana hid Sita in this garden after abducting her from India.

The area is also known as ‘Sita Eliya,’ which is home to the Sita Amman Temple, the only temple in the world dedicated to Sita.

The garden is open for visitors all seven days of the week.