Totapolakanda

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| photo_caption = Totapolakanda as seen from Pattipola railway station

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Totapolakanda (also Thotupolakanda or Thotupola Kanda), is the third highest mountain in Sri Lanka situated in Nuwara Eliya district {{Convert|2357|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above mean sea level.{{cite book|title=The National Atlas of Sri Lanka|date=2007|publisher=Department of Survey (Sri Lanka)|isbn=955-9059-04-1|page=36|edition=2nd}} The mountain is located within the Horton Plains National Park. A trail to the top of the mountain, about two kilometres long, starts a few metres away from the Pattipola entrance to the Horton Plains National Park. Most parts of the mountain surface is covered with shrubs adapted to the cool and windy climate of Horton Plains National Park. Strobilanthes, Osbeckia and Rhodomyrtus species grown as shrubs are common among them.

Legend

Totapolakanda has the meaning of ‘Landing Site’ in Sinhala language which related to a legend of Rama and Ravana. According to the legend, King of India, Rama and his beautiful wife Sita lived in exile in the jungle. Once Ravana kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita and escaped to Sri Lanka. On the way to Sri Lanka plane first landed in Totapolakanda which has the meaning of landing site.

{{cite web |url=http://www.lakdasun.org/trails/trail-06-thotupola-kanda-horton-trail-plains.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921134531/http://www.lakdasun.org/trails/trail-06-thotupola-kanda-horton-trail-plains.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=September 21, 2010 |title=Thotupola Kanda Nature Trail – Horton Plains National Park |work=Sri Lanka Trail Guides 06 |publisher=Lakdasun - Images of Sri Lanka}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.srilankantravellers.com/trips/2010/05/totupota-mountain-travelogue/ | title = Totupota (Thotupola) Kanda Travelogue (2359m) 3rd Highest Mountain in Sri Lanka | publisher = SRI LANKAN TRAVELLERS Travelogue Archive}}

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See also

References

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Category:Mountains of Sri Lanka

Category:Landforms of Nuwara Eliya District

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