Visiting Ravana's underground tunnel 'Nil Diya Pokuna' is prohibited for children under 10 years old.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation has imposed a new set of rules and regulations for visiting the amazing Nil Diya Pokuna (Blue Water Pond), located within the Karandagolla mountain range, which belongs to the Ella Ravana Ella Sanctuary in Badulla. The Minister of Environment, Dr. Dhammika Patabendi, has signed the relevant special gazette notification, and this underground cave complex is expected to be opened to local and foreign tourists under a regulated system in the future.

According to the new regulations, children under 10 years of age are completely prohibited from entering the Nil Diya Pokuna premises, and those between 10 and 18 years of age are allowed to visit only under the full supervision of a guardian. Furthermore, it is mandatory to obtain the assistance of official guides from the Department of Wildlife Conservation during the visit, and activities such as entering the water, polluting the environment, making noise, playing music, lighting fires, as well as smoking and drug use are strictly prohibited.

To reach this extremely difficult cave complex, located approximately 80 meters deep from the ground surface, tourists must crawl through narrow tunnels and traverse slippery rocks. As this environment is characterized by dense darkness where sunlight does not penetrate and low oxygen levels, posing a risk to life, after a great effort to descend, visitors will encounter this mysterious pond glowing with a brilliant blue hue.

According to legend, this site is believed to be connected to the Ravana Ella Cave and served as one of the stops in the underground tunnel network created by King Ravana during the Ramayana era for safe passage, and it is also believed that Sita Devi used it for bathing. However, the scientific basis behind this blue spectacle is the reflection of light by special rock salts present in the extremely pure, transparent water when illuminated by a torch.