Kiri Vehera(kataragama)

Situated in the southern province of Sri Lanka, it is one of the main shrines. Kiri Vehera is believed to have been built during the 3rd century B.C. by King Parakramabahu the Great. It is 95 ft. in height with a circumference of 280 ft. There are 5 places of worship Kirivehera, Maha Bodhiya, Katharagama Devala, Sella Katharagama and Vedihitikanda.

This has been built by a queen of king Parakramabahu (1153-1186) called “Subadra”. The original name of this has been “Rupavathi Stupa”. This too is a part of Ãlahana Privena and stands 80 feet in height today.

This is also the second biggest stupa in Polonnaruwa today. Also it is the only stupa to survive the 900 years of forces of nature and still is in the original condition.

Around Kiri Vehera there are many restored smaller stupas. These have been identified as burial chambers of high priests and royals. Many of these including Kiri Vehera stupa has been attacked by treasure hunters and their valuables looted.

The two identical stupas south to the Lankathilaka is thought to be built upon remains of a king and a queen.

Kiri Vehera is one of the five most important sites of worship in the city along with the Maha Bodhi, Kataragama Devale, Sella Kataragama and Vedihitikanda. The dagoba is also described in the stanzas as one of 16 most important pilgrimage sites in Sri Lanka.

There are many theories on the origin of the dagoba. Some believe it was built by Parakramabahu the Great of Polonnaruwa during the Third Century BC, on the request of Queen Subadra. Some think that it was first built by a local ruler named Mahasena on a site made hallowed by the Buddha’s visit.

Some believe that the vihara was originally known as Magul Maha Seya and although there are no clues as to who built it, the bricks used in the construction bear Brahmin inscriptions which point to King Mahanaga’s reign during the Third Century BC. Some records even date it to the first century BC.

Bone ARTS

Kalutara Bodhi

The Portuguese built a fort on the site of the original Buddhist temple at Kalutara. The Dutch took it over and later a British agent converted it into his residence during the colonial era. The modern temple, built in the 1960s, is located just south of the Kalutara Bridge and is the only dagoba (Buddhist shrine) in the world that is hollow. Inside, the cool, echoing walls are lined with a sequence of 74 murals depicting various scenes from the Buddhist Jataka (the legendary 550 previous births of the Buddha) tales. The remainder of the temple buildings are situated in a compound on the other side of the road, featuring the unusual Bo Tree enclosures and Buddha shrines. It is a lively complex and a good place to watch the daily rituals of Sri Lankan Buddhism: the offerings to Buddha images are made three times a day. Devotees place food and flowers in front of the images, lighting coconut-oil lamps, tying prayers written on scraps of cloth to one of the Bo trees or pouring water into conduits which run down to water the Bo tree's roots. Outside, a series of donation boxes line the roadside. These are popular with local motorists, who frequently stop here to offer a few coins and say a prayer for a safe journey.

Kalutara temple is one of the countries most holy places of woship and attracts both the South west Buddhsit community and touists to its golden Buddhist. Inside the Dogoba is a magnificient array of paintings describing the stories of Buddha. The 3 stories-high Kalutara Vihara, is a Buddhist temple built in the 1960s which holds the distinction of being the only shrine in the world that is hollow.

Rathnapura Saman Devalaya!

Ratnapura Saman Devalaya is one of the most sacred shrines of Sri Lanka dedicated to God Sumana Saman Deviyo who is the protector and guardian of Buddism as well as one of the four gods sworn to protect Sri Lanka. Every august this Shine conducts a traditional festival where hundreds of elephants, dancers, Drummers and Devala officials are parading the devala maluwa for 2 weeks every night.

The peripheral is colorful and you would be listing to traditional Sinhala Music and see the sabaragamuwa style of Dancing. According to a poem sung in "Gara Yakuma" Dance This festival is Sri lance's oldest prcession relating to Rama Rawana Story and God Sumana Saman.

The most fascinating is the Traditional Rituals practiced over unknown number of years by assignee families who tranfer the duties to the Saman Devi to each generation in form of verbal and practical knowledge. The Duties involve from preperation of food to Diyawadana Nilame. The Nilames, Mohottalas, Vidanes, Kapuralas many others including dancers and drummers are thousands in numbers.

Elephants in Srilanka

Location=Rathnapura samandewalaya,Rathnapura
Sri Lankan elephants known as Aliya or Etaha (tusker) by local people are the most loved animal by Sri Lankans. The have a fascinating behavior to watch and has a great National value as a tourist attraction. There are many National parks around the country to see elephants. Pinnawala established and Udawalawe the worlds first elephant orphanages which take care of baby elephants who lost their way or injured in the jungle.

The travelers to Sri Lanka enjoy Watching and Photographing and riding on the elephants, Going on Elephant back Safaris in Jungle and Elephant Parades in Festivals.

Although there have been about 36000 elephants with the start of this century it has reduced up to about 2000 due to porching. according to the recent records about 2000 of them scattered all over the country in small pockets and about 500 of them are domesticated.

LTTE Terrorists destroy vital public resources - Kilinochchi

LTTE Terrorists had destroyed the water tank that supplied water to whole Kilinochchi area on 31st of December before they fled their self claimed administrative capital .Water being one of the basic human needs of civilians particularly in the dry zone areas the the LTTE has once again demonstrated its callous disregard for the needs of the Tamil civilians .

Unlike in the other parts of the Island drinking water is an exclusive commodity in Kilinochchi area. Therefore, thousands of people in Kilinochchi were supplied with water through this water tank for their day today activities. But when troops advanced into the town the terrorists cowardly resorted to destroy vital infrastructure built by the government of Sri Lanka with public money.

According to the moderate Tamil intellectuals the LTTE has always displayed its cowardice when weakened by harassing Tamil civilians for not supporting them . Even in a war ,there are some norms that the belligerents supposed to obey. Among them , not denying basic human need such as water is highly respected . The destruction of the Water Tank that provided water for thousands of civilians proves nothing but the barbaric nature of a terrorist outfit and the need to eliminate terrorism.

Beauty of srilanka

Vesak lanterns

Vesak lanterns are lit in most of the homes in Sri Lanka on Vesak poya day. The lighting signifies an offering to the memory of the Buddha who delivered the message of Dhamma. In ancient times, people used their clay oil lamps for illumination. When candles became popular, colourful lanterns were made in different shapes and used to be lit with these new modes of illumination.

Vesak thoranas or pandols, with colourful pictures depicting the Buddha`s life story and also his previous births became popular in cities and suburbs when electric jets were used to attract the attention of the devotees and sightseers who went to see them in the night.

While watching illuminated thoranas the recitation of Sinhala verses to the beat of the rabanas throughout the night became popular. This went on for a few days even after Vesak full moon poya day.

Legendary flower

The miracle begins to unfold around 10.30pm. The night air fills with a soft indefinable scent, and the five leaved calyx, white with a hint of purplish green in its veins, opens out gradually so gradually that you don't see it happening and then a thin, three-inch petal of scintillating white peeps out, unfolding its beauty in the still night air. Another and another follow suit and by midnight all the petals have opened out and the stamens hold out their sacs of pollen. For a few moments this rare blossom sways softly in the night wind, like a delicate white manel (lily) flower. The fragrance is now intense, but all too soon the petals begin to wilt and by dawn the entire flower has withered.

This epiphytic plant grows in the forks of large trees, where the decayed particles of bark and moisture collect to give it a rich protective foothold. The plant has leathery leaves, a little thicker than that of the vanda orchid, but not as thick as that of the cactus. The leaves are long with scalloped edges. The scallops point downwards. During the Sri Pada season, November to March, a little shoot appears at the point where two scallops meet; the shoot grows to a length of about five inches before it bears a bud, which hangs down on its slender stem.

This is the Kadupul - the legendary flower of the Celestial Nagas. It is believed that when these flowers bloom, the Nagas come down from their celestial abodes, to offer them to the Buddha on the Holy Mountain Sri Pada. The strange fragrance, the midnight miracle, and the fact that flowers bloom in the season when people flock to Sri Pada, seem to add authenticity to this belief; the classical poet sang;

"Deviyo diva malin
Asurasen sith palolin
Diva Nai kadupulin
Nithin puda dethi Tilo Munidun

Bittergourd ( Karawila)

The leaves of the Bittergourd plant or 'karavila' can be crushed and the juice massaged into the scalp for a good growth of hair and to help prevent hair loss. The 'karavila' fruit, bitter as it is, increases the flow of milk in nursing mothers, when eaten in sufficient quantities.
Juice extract from karawila is drunk by diabetics and get immedite result.

LOCAL KITTEN

Srilanka beach & more

SITULPAWWA

Sithulpawwa rock temple is historically significant and identified as one of the greatest 2nd century sites of Buddhist scholarship. With a history of over 2200 years, this is an ancient place of worship in the Hambantota district. The modern name Sithulpawwa is derived from the ancient ‘Cittalpabbata’, ‘The hill of the quiet mind’. It is said that in the 1st century AD as many as 12,000 Arahants lived here (monks that have achieved the highest mind level in Buddhism). Unlike the great monasteries in Anuradhapura and other towns, life at Sithulpawwa was hard and a monk or nun lived there only if they were interested in silence and solitude. Located opposite the Maha Sithulpawwa rock which is 400 feet (122M) in height is a cave temple. This cave temple, which is 67 feet high and 30 feet long, is part of the intricate cave-complex at Sithulpawwa.

The Dagoba of Sithulpawwa can be seen on the top of the rock. It is believed to have been built by King Kawantissa (100-140AD). A number of caves contain inscriptions in the early Brahmi script and from these inscriptions it was learned that a number of villages donated money to this temple for its upkeep. Ancient literary works give interesting information relating to this shrine. The image house at Sithulpawwa still contains some fragments of paintings. In the eastern precinct of Sithulpawwa the ruins of an ancient preaching house can be seen, where a cluster of 10 feet high pillars rises from the earth.

NUWARAELIYA PARK

DAMBAKOLAPATUNA(North)

Hakgala rose garden & Nuweraeliya!

Where plants and trees from around the world seen in one place, Hakgala Botanical Gardens, just 10km away from Nuwara Eliya City. Hakgala is one of the places one visits as an essential part of a pleasant journey in the famous hill resort of Nuwara Eliya. The site is legendary. It was once the pleasure garden of Ravana of the Ramayana epic and according to many, it was one of the places where the beautiful Sitha was hidden by the demon king. The present botanic gardens were founded in 1860 by the eminent British botanist Dr. G.H.K. Thwaites who was superintendent of the more famous gardens at Peradeniya, near Kandy.

It was the site initially for experiments with cinchona whose bark yielded quinine, esteemed as a tonic and febrifuge. Quinine at that time was widely used as a specific for malaria. This was perhaps the reason for the popularity of and tonic in these parts - quinine being the principle ingredient of tonic water. The cool, equable climate of the hakgala area, whose mean temperature is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, encouraged the introduction of suitable temperate zone plants, both ornamental and useful. These included conifers and cedars from Australia, Bermuda and Japan, and cypresses from the Himalayas, china and as far a field as Persia, Mexico and California. New Caledonia gave Hakgala a special variety of pines and there are specimens of this genus from the canary Island as well.

An English oak, introduced around 1890, commemorates the "hearts of oak" of Britain's vaunted sea power, and there is a good-looking specimen of the camphor tree, whose habitat is usually in regions above 12,000m. If you have left your heart in an English garden, you will surely find it again in Hakgala's Rose garden. where the sights and scents of these glorious blooms can be experienced in their infinite variety. From there it is a quiet stroll from the sublime to the exotic sophistication of the orchid House. A special attraction here is the verity of montane orchids, many of them endemic to Sri Lanka.

It would be in the worst possible taste to describe the Fernery as a collection of "vascular cryptograms" But that is how the dictionary describes the plant whose delicate fronds conjure up visions of misty grottoes, lichen-covered stones and meandering streams. The Fernery at Hakgala is a shady harbour of many quiet walks, in the shad of the Hakgala Rock, shaped like the jawbone of an elephant, from which the place gets its name. Sri Lanka's ferns are well represented here, as are those of Australia and New Zealand.

Hakgala is a temperate hill-country garden where also the languid low-country lotus and water lily floats in their serene loveliness. Pinks and blues emerging from a flat- floating background of lush leaves, recall the calm of yellow-robed monks, white-clad, devotees and flickering oil lamps. In time, the highlands bracing breezes dispel the languor of lotus land and even cause a shiver as a temperature lowers. The Hakgala Botanical Gardens is one of the lovely contrasts of Sri Lanka, a home to plants and trees from around the world, making them seem to be part of the scenic beauty.

NUWARA ELIYA.Situated at around 2000m above sea level and surrounded by lush tea plantations Nuwara Eliya is the main hill resort of Sri Lanka and the heart of the tea industry. Once a pleasure retreat of the European planters the town is still very much an English town with many English style bungalows and buildings. Nuwara Eliya is a good escape for those who miss cool breeze in tropical Sri Lanka at any time of the year. Local tourists flock to this town in their 'season' from March to May when it is the hottest duration for the town, April being the busiest.

Nuwara Eliya offers many activities for tourists including visits to tea plantations golfing, horse riding, boating, hiking and of course exploring the beauty of the landscaped gardens, waterfalls and plateaus.

Hakgala rose garden!

Beauty of srilanka

Worlds end

World's End

One of the attraction of Horton plains is world's end. There are infact two of them. �The small world�s end� and �The big world�s end� they are about 0.8km (1/2mile) apart from each other. From these, one could see the fall to the Tea states down bellow. A merry 1000ft(328m) from the small one and a dramatic 4000ft (1312m) from the big one. From here one could get a fantastic view of the surrounding hills and the mountain ranges wreathed in mists and clouds and on clear days even the Indian ocean which is about 50 miles (81km) to the south is visible.

Srilanka photography