Historic Bentara Bridge Crumbles in Deluge, Echoing an Ancient Fable of a Kitten

 The right-hand section of the old Bentota bridge, which had been closed due to the torrential rains accompanying the prevailing adverse weather conditions, collapsed on the night of the 26th. Local reporters have confirmed that no casualties were reported from the collapse of this bridge over the Bentara River.

Built around 1902, this historic bridge served for many years as a vital transportation hub on the Galle Road, connecting the Western and Southern Provinces. Although the government at the time closed the old bridge to vehicular traffic several years ago due to its dilapidated condition following the construction of a new bridge, no steps were taken to remove it from the site. Over the past period, this old bridge has been widely used by local and foreign tourists, as well as photographers, as a picturesque spot for capturing attractive photographs.

The Bentara River, flowing through the Bentara region located approximately 62 kilometers from Colombo, is considered the natural boundary separating the Western and Southern Provinces, bordering the Kalutara and Galle districts. Originating from the Heycock mountain range in the Hiniduma area and flowing for about 18 miles, this river begins as a small stream and transforms into a large body of water after joining the Meegam River.

The Bentara River, boasting a catchment area of 622 square kilometers, is fed by the waters of numerous tributaries such as Pelawatta, Pitigala, and Welipenna, eventually flowing into the ocean.

Bentota is a coastal region that has attracted local and foreign tourists since ancient times, and islands such as Midella Duwa, Olawa, and Delduwa, formed around the river, further enhance the beauty of this ecosystem. Even R.L. Brohier, a renowned surveyor from the British era, highly praised the Bentara River's mangrove environment, its wildlife, and natural beauty in his work "Seeing Ceylon." In ancient times, when there were no bridges, rafts were used to cross this river, and today it is famous for tourist boat safaris.

According to legend, this area was referred to as 'Bhimatitta' in historical sources due to a fearsome demon said to have resided at the Bentota ferry, later becoming Bentota. Furthermore, the famous saying, "Do not bring even a kitten that has opened its eyes from beyond the Bentara River to this side," is a fascinating tale associated with this river in local folklore. This saying, used to denote the intelligence and cunning of people from the Southern Province, is rooted in a traditional story about a young man from the Southern Province who came to reside in a manor in Siyane Korale and outsmarted his father-in-law to achieve his goals.

For your information, the story is as follows:

There was a certain Mudaliyar in Siyane Korale who had only one daughter. She was very beautiful. The Mudaliyar owned many estates, paddy fields, and properties in Siyane Korale. The sole heir to all these properties was that daughter. The Mudaliyar and his wife cared for her like their own eyes. They sent matchmakers across the country to find a suitable groom from a family and lineage befitting their own. The young man she was to marry had to reside in the Mudaliyar's house. Although there were young men willing to do so, they were often unsuitable for their status. Sometimes, even if their caste and family were good, and they had property, they were prone to drunkenness or debauchery. At other times, the daughter disliked the suitor. Thus, finding a suitable match was quite difficult. One day, a matchmaker brought a young man from a prominent manor family in the Southern Province. He, like the Mudaliyar, owned estates and properties in his hometown. He was also the only child in his family. 

He was a handsome, educated young man. The Mudaliyar's daughter was very fond of him. The aristocratic young man, more than the Mudaliyar's wealth, resolved to make the beautiful daughter his wife by any means. The Mudaliyar informed the young man, whom he wished to make his future son-in-law, of the condition that he must permanently reside in the bride's house. However, his subconscious mind was not at all agreeable to this. 

Because he was the only one to look after his parents, and because he could not sell his ancestral property (as it was subject to the then-prevailing entailment law), and because residing in his wife's house would mean surrendering some of his freedom to the will of his in-laws, and also the suspicion that his wife, being in her own home, might act superior to him as her husband – for these reasons, his mind did not submit to his father-in-law's condition. However, since he was determined to make her his wife by any means, he promised, 'Yes, very well.' 


The marriage between the Mudaliyar's daughter and him took place. The groom resided in the manor with his wife. After a few months, he succeeded in winning his wife's deep affection. He also managed to persuade her to move to his village. The two went to his village under the pretext of a visit and stayed there. Upon learning this, the Mudaliyar became furious and even stopped their visits. Only the daughter would occasionally visit her parents at the ancestral home in Siyane Korale. After some time, the Mudaliyar's anger subsided. However, the son-in-law still did not come to meet his father-in-law. The Mudaliyar, now elderly, and needing to protect the property he would inherit after his father, decided to send a trustworthy person to help with its administration. But to get his father's consent for this, the daughter went to the ancestral home in Siyane Korale. While staying there for two or three days and talking with her father, she presented her idea.

“Father, since there's no one here, not even for company, shall I bring one of his relatives, a younger brother, to stay here?” the daughter asked the Mudaliyar.

“Oh no... don't even bring a kitten that has opened its eyes from beyond the Bentara River to this side,” the Mudaliyar immediately told his daughter.

 The statement made by the Mudaliyar spread from mouth to mouth.

(Jayawardena. Proverbs and Fables, Godage, Colombo. 1995, 159-161)

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