A long iron bridge over the Batticaloa Lagoon, famous as the place to listen for the city's mysterious 'singing fish'.

Overview

The Kallady Bridge, also known as the Lady Manning Bridge, is a long colonial-era bridge carrying the Colombo-Batticaloa road across the lagoon to the Kallady side and its beaches. It is best known for the 'singing fish' of Batticaloa: on still nights around the full moon, a faint musical humming is said to rise from the lagoon beneath the bridge, traditionally attributed to a rare mollusc. The bridge is a fine spot to watch the lagoon, fishing boats and sunset.

History

The lagoon's singing has been part of Batticaloa folklore for centuries; a first audio recording was reportedly made by a local priest in 1954 and broadcast over Radio Ceylon around 1960. The original Lady Manning Bridge, opened in the early 20th century under British administration, long carried the main road across the lagoon and gave visitors a place to pause and listen for the phenomenon between April and September.