Saptha Kanya () (''Meaning - Seven Virgins'') (also known as Upper
Laxapana Mountain Range) is a mountain range in
Maskeliya
Maskeliya is a town in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the site of the 1974 crash of Martinair Flight 138, the worst air disaster in Sri Lanka.
It is known for its mountains, waterfalls, unique ethnic background and estates. The actu ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
. In Tamil it is known as Anjimalai () (''Meaning - The Five Peaks''). It is a ridge of seven peaks near the Norton Estate bordering the
Sabaragamuwa Province
The Sabaragamuwa Province (, , ) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, provinces of Sri Lanka. Ratnapura is the capital of the province.
History
The provinces of Sri Lanka were created by the British Empire, British in the 19th century, but ...
and
Central Province. The tallest peak is 1,569 m from the sea level.
Origin of Name
The literal meaning of the name Saptha Kanya is ''Seven Virgins''. However, folklore also mentions that the name is a corruption of ''Svaptha Kanya'', meaning ''Sleeping Virgin''.
Aircraft Incident
4 December 1974, the aircraft,
Martinair Flight 138 crashed into the mountain shortly before landing, killing all 191 people aboard – 182 Indonesian
hajj
Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
pilgrims bound for
Mecca
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, and 9 crew members.
See also
*
Geography of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, formerly called ''Ceylon'', is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Indian subcontinent, in a strategic location near major sea lanes. The nation has a total area of , with of land and of water. Its coastline is ...
*
List of mountains in Sri Lanka
The following page lists the mountain peaks of Sri Lanka. The following list comprises mountains that have been thoroughly explored, with their altitudes measured by expert hikers in Sri Lanka. The classification of a separate mountain is determi ...
References
Mountain ranges of Sri Lanka
Populated places in Nuwara Eliya District
Landforms of Central Province, Sri Lanka
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