Rumassala is a beautiful mountain located 3 km east of Galle town, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, directly linked to the Ramayana Yatra in Sri Lanka. According to the Ramayana Trail tour in Sri Lanka, this unusual geographical feature is believed to have fallen when Hanuman carried the Dronagiri mountain on his flight back to Lanka to use the lifesaving Sanjeevani herbs there. These herbs were needed to rescue Lakshmana and Rama, who were severely injured in their war. Therefore, Rumassala is one of the five Sanjivani Mountains in Sri Lanka and an important site for Sri Lanka's Ramayana tour.
Legend
According to the famous Sanskrit epic Ramayana, when Prince Rama’s consort Sita was kidnapped by the Asura King Ravana, Rama, along with his younger brother and the monkey demigod Hanuman, tracked her to Sri Lanka. During the fierce battle to rescue her, Rama’s brother Lakshmana was severely injured, and Hanuman was sent to find the medicinal herbs needed to heal him. It is said that the demigod, in his confusion to find the right medicine, broke off a piece of the holy mountain. The mountain fragment broke into five separate pieces, and one of them is believed to have fallen where Rumassala Mountain is located today. While carrying the hill, parts of it are said to have fallen at five places in Sri Lanka: Rumassala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya, Ritigala on the Habarana-Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar, and Kachchativu in the north.
Today, the majestic mountain stands as a testament to the fascinating incidents mentioned in the epic. With odd tales of travelers getting lost in the mountain, Rumassala is also a haven for herbs. Researchers have found close to 150 species of unique herbs that strangely do not grow elsewhere.
