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Unique bridges of yesteryear
By Sirancee Gunawardana
I have always had a fascination for quaint bridges, especially suspension bridges, which rattled and shook as you walked precariously across a gushing streams and rivers.

Though most people are unaware of it, one of the most ancient bridges is in Anuradhapura. Built of huge stones over which elephants carrying goods from the seaport of Mantota to Anurad-hapura used to cross the Malwathu Oya, it is unique as it is the only existing bridge of hewn granite supported by tall, monolith pillars of stone. Part of it is now broken.

We saw this bridge while on archaeological excavations on a section of King Dutugemunu's citadel in Anuradhapura. All day long we were in an excavation pit, covered in dust, digging layer by layer at a depth of 12 feet underground.

After relentless weeks of work, we decided to take a day off and go sightseeing. We started off along the bund of Anuradhapura's oldest tank, Basawakkulam. Our destination was the old Stone Bridge. Spanning the Malwathu Oya, it is in a green glade, with the silence adding to the magnificent proportions of the huge granite columns. Dating back to King Dutugemunu's time, there is no other bridge in Sri Lanka of this type.

There are several types of ancient bridges. One of the most primitive is the Edanda. This hazardous crossing comprised coconut or arecanut trunks strapped together, with a rope slung across the waterway as a handrail.

There were also many suspension bridges. While staying with friends in a lovely cottage in the Samanalawewa Project grounds, we came across one with many of the wooden planks missing, thus creating gaping holes that gave a glimpse of the waters of the Walawe ganga below. Village folk, even the children, didn't seem to mind crossing it, with some even carrying bicycles over their heads.

Dutchman Hydt, writing in 1744 about a suspension bridge over the small stream of Kirang Oya says, "It was made using a number of bamboo canes fastened side by side, resting on inadequate piles. But when the brooks are not too broad there they lay over them the trunks of coconut palms and although they are unsquared and still round, yet they know how to cross them very rapidly and without the least hesitation and thereby to carry a heavy load even if the chasms below are so deep that we Europeans would not care to do likewise. But they have the advantage that they go always bare footed, which gives them a sure footing on such a narrow piece of wood. Besides they have little hindrance from their clothing, and can all swim well, so they need not fear of drowning, if one or other falls by carelessness into the water."

There is a very pretty suspension bridge at Peradeniya built on iron ropes, which was the favourite haunt of young lovers who went to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. There were also suspension bridges in Gampola, Katugastota and in Nedigamwela, Hambantota.

One of the most unusual and beautiful bridges in the country is the wooden bridge near the Bogoda Raja Maha Viharaya, 12 km west of the Hali Ela township on the Badulla-Bandarawela Road, past the Amunegoda junction. It is between two enormous boulders with the Gallanda Oya flowing below, and consists of two extraordinarily long tree trunks from rock to rock.

The bridge is held up on tree trunks as upright columns, with a supporting central cross bar of wood going across the river to join the two enormous natural rock boulders. It is made of three tree trunks and paved with hardwood planks forming the floor of the bridge. The planks are connected to each other with beams placed lengthwise. The bridge is curved at both ends. The roof rafters are curved, with a liyawel and bo leaf design. The bridge has a very decorative and ornate railing with a lace like beeralu design. The roof is in Kandyan style with tiny terra-cotta tiles. It forms a canopy which protects people from sun and rain. In the old days, farmers took their buffaloes across the bridge to the fields on the other side.

This bridge’s decorative and unusual architecture is not seen in any other part of the island and is well worth a visit. It is also unique to South Asia. It was restored recently.

The satin wood bridge at Peradeniya, which is now no more, was another spectacular and unique one. Built entirely of satin wood except for two stone columns, it spanned a distance of 215 ft across the Peradeniya gorge, over the Mahaweli river. Designed and constructed by Lt. Colonel John Fraser (1790-1863), with technical assistance from Captain Brown, it was not only spectacular but had an innovative, sophisticated structure. The bridge's ribs were also of 4ft long satin wood. The wood was neatly wedged and jointed. Surprisingly no metal nails or screws had been used for this purpose, only wood.

It was a tall bridge and everyone going from Colombo to Kandy or vice versa had to pay a toll. Thus it was a source of revenue to the colonial government. There is now no trace of this bridge as it was dismantled in 1904.

With two sweeping curves, the Butterfly bridge in Galle also qualifies to be called beautiful. Built during British times, this bridge is being restored now.

Another unusual bridge built long before the modern one spanning the Kelani River in Colombo was a Bridge of Boats. This had enabled people, bullock carts and carriages to cross the Kelani at Grandpass. Boats had been placed across the river side by side, with a wooden structure built above them to form the bridge. Daily one of the boats had to be removed to enable pada boats transporting sand and goods to pass.

The skills and novelty of bridge-building in Sri Lanka to be admired.

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