Kallady Lady Manning Bridge

The Kallady Bridge that connects the suburb of Kallady to the main city of Batticaloa, is a unique bridge that is shrouded in history and legend. Built in 1924, the bridge was officially called the Lady Manning Bridge in memory of the wife of William Manning, who was the Governor of Ceylon at the time, and was the longest iron bridge in Sri Lanka. The bridge was a major route for almost a hundred years in which an average of 10,000 vehicles would cross the narrow bridge daily. As a result, this bridge also became the island’s oldest iron bridge in operation. However, in 2013 the local authorities decided to make a newer and wider bridge that can accommodate more vehicles, thus leading the old bridge to be used by pedestrians and cyclists.

Adding to that history is the legend of the singing fish that can be heard from the Kallady Bridge. Local folklore claims that an intriguing sound emanates from the bridge, and is believed to be singing fish from the depths of the Batticaloa Lagoon. There have been many expeditions to find out the true reason, however, there is no conclusive evidence to say that the sound comes from the activity of the marine ecosystem near the bridge. It still is a major attraction to many who want to witness a unique natural phenomenon.