Olu Ella is the 6th tallest waterfall in the country and the tallest in the Kegalle District. This is also the highest waterfall in connected to the Kelani River.
The source of the waterfall is Wee Oya originating from the 1200 meter Baranawa mountain which later connects to Welihel Oya in the Parusella area and then on to the Kelani River at Yatiyanthota.
The waterfall is 18 meters wide, 127 meters tall and falls in 4 segments. Even though you can drive up to this majestic waterfall without any walking, this has eluded the casual traveler due to its remote location. Therefore this is one waterfall which has not turned in to a garbage dump of the tourists yet.
The waterfall is bisected by the road which goes to Seepoth. An ancient wooden bridge lies across the Wee Oya. This wooden bridge has been made during the colonial era to transport tea leaves and it is said be the oldest wooden bridge in use in the country today.
The Lanka Council of Waterfalls who have identified and listed down 382 waterfalls in the country has listed this waterfall under Galle District by mistake. This mistake is now duplicated on hundreds of web sites across the Internet. Kegalle and Galle are completely two different districts and don’t plan to visit Olu Falls during your next visit to Galle
According to the legend a Drummer who was residing in Rangama close to Embekke, was suffering from a skin disease. Visiting Kataragama Temple in Ruhuna ( Southern part of Sri Lanka) he prayed for the wellness from the God Kataragama ( God Skandha) and he was duly recovered from his illness. To pay homage to the god for the grace rendered to him, the Drummer every year went to Kataragama and played his drum at Kataragama Devale at Ruhuna as an offering to Kataragama God. This he did until he became quite old and in his last occasion he reached the temple with much effort and told god that he will not be able to come again to pay homage as he is so weak and old.
That night in his dreams the God had appeared and told him not to be worried and to return to his home and the god would show a miracle so that the drummer could pay his homage by beating his drum to the God from where he lives. Thus the drummer returned back home with a pacified mind and used to live in his village.
One day at a place near Embekke, a gardener while clearing the undergrowth area cut a Kaduru Tree with his tool. Instead of the usual white milky liquid coming out of the tree, a blood like red liquid had come out from the tree.
No sooner the news had spread around the villages nearby, people had gathered to the place. The Drummer hearing the news had come to this place and realised that this is the miracle power shown by the God Kataragama as in his dream , related his story to the people gathered there.
After that a small Devalaya with a thatched roof had been put up at that place. The drummer had gone to meet the King ( Vickramabahu III ) and related the story and the King had been impressed by the successive incidents. Later the King visited this place, and the Devalaya was built where the Kaduru tree was, by the order of the King which was called as Embekke Devalaya. King also had got the God's statues built at the Devalaya and had donated surrounding land to the temple for its upkeep.
A poet by the name Delgahagoda Mudiyanse living at that era had written a poetical work on this occasion and presented to the King which was titled as "Embekke Varnanawa"
