Welcome to Sri Lanka

Enjoy your stay!

Welcome to Sri Lanka

Enjoy your stay!

Welcome to Sri Lanka

Enjoy your stay!

Welcome to Sri Lanka

Enjoy your stay!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Passing Ginigathena in Hatton Road

This is not part of South American Amazon forest! It is our own Sri Lanka, passing Ginigathena on the Hatton Road. A few decades ago this area was barren with only Mana grass and shrub jungle. Thanks to a re-forestation program which has changed this into a beautiful forest reserve enriching the flora and fauna! I was amazed to see the change during my visit to upcountry in connection with my book on Ceylon Tea (BLACK GOLD MADE IN CEYLON - Published by Amazon Kindle Edition)


Photo Credit: Anver Kamiss‎

Sunday, August 24, 2014

WTC Towers in Colombo

World Trade Center (WTC) Towers in Colombo, it is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka!


Photo Credit: Dananjaya Chathuranga‎

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Gampaha Railway Station

Gampaha Railway Station, Sri Lanka


Photo Credit: Kaush KG

Friday, August 22, 2014

Duke's Nose Mountain

This mountain is called the Duke's Nose overlooking the city of Hatton. Got its name as someone had remarked it looked like the nose of Duke of Edinburgh! Also, there is a tragic love-story behind it, when a couple (Cader & Sheela) committed suicide here in the 1950s, also called Cader Hill!


Photo Credit: Anver Kamiss

Castlereagh Dam

This is part of Castlereagh Dam from where we get our electricity, viewed from Warleigh Church where hundreds of Britishers of the Colonial era have found their 'final resting place'. RIP!


Photo Credit: Anver Kamiss

Welcome To Anuradhapura Buddha City


                                    The layout of Anuradhapura as described in the Mahavamsa:
"He laid out four suburbs as well as the Abhaya-tank, the common cemetery, the place of execution, and the chapel of the Queens of the West, the banyan-tree of Vessavana and the Palmyra-palm of the Demon of Maladies, the ground set apart for the Yonas and the house of the Great Sacrifice; all these he laid out near the west gate
"A hermitage was made for many ascetics; eastward of that same cemetery the ruler built a house for the nigantha Jotiya.(...) On the further side of Jotiya's house and on this side of the Gamani tank he likewise built a monastery for wandering mendicant monks, and a dwelling for the ajivakas and a residence for the brahmans, and in this place and that he built a lying-in shelter and a hall for those recovering from sickness."
It is believed that King Pandukabhaya made it his capital in the 4th century BC, and that he also laid out the town and its suburbs according to a well organized plan. He constructed a reservoir named Abhayavapi. He established shrines for yakkhas such as Kalawela and Cittaraja. He housed the Yaksini-Cetiya in the form of a mare within the royal precincts and offerings were made to all these demi-gods every year. He chose the sites for the cemetery and for the place of execution, the Chapel of the Western Queen, the Pacchimarajini, the Vessavana Banyan Tree, the Palm of the Vyadhadeva, the Yona Quarter and the House of the Great Sacrifice. The slaves or Candalas were assigned their duties and a village was set apart for them. They build dwellings for Niganthas, for wandering ascetics and for Ajivakas and Brahmanas. He established, the village boundaries. The tradition that King Pandukabhaya made Anuradhapura the capital city of Sri Lanka as early as the 4th century BC had been very important.
The administrative and sanitary arrangements be made for the city and the shrines he provided indicate that over the years the city developed according to an original master plan. His son Mutasiva, succeeded to the throne. During his reign of sixty years, he maintained Anuradhapura as his capital and further laid out the Mahameghavana Garden which was to play an important role in the early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It was in the period of his successor, his son Devanampiya Tissa, that Buddhism was first introduced this island 236 years after the passing away of the Buddha. Emperor Ashoka in India was a contemporary of Devanampiya Tissa. “Mahinda” was the son of Emperor Ashoka of India. King Ashoka embraced Buddhism after he was inspired by a very small monk named “Nigrodha.” The King who was in great misery after seeing the loss of life caused by his waging wars to expand his empire, was struck by the peaceful countenance of such a young monk. Meeting this young monk made a turning point in his life and he thereafter, renounced wars. He was determined to spread the message of peace, to neutralize the effects from the damages caused by him through his warfare. As a result both his son and daughter were ordained as Buddha disciples, and became enlightened as Arahats. In his quest to spread the message of peace instead of war, he sent his son Mahinda, to the island of Lanka, which was also known as “Sinhalé”. According to Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa, Thera Mahinda came to Sri Lanka from India on the full moon day of the month of Poson (June) and met King Devanampiyatissa and the people, and preached the doctrine. Historically this period is believed to extend from 250 to 210 BC. This is the point at which a kingship began and a civilization developed based on one of the most significant religions of South Asia, Buddhism.

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                   Eight Great Places of Veneration in Anuradhapura - Atamasthana

  • Sri Maha Bodhiya
  • Ruwanwelisaya
  • Thuparamaya
  • Lovamahapaya
  • Abhayagiri Dagaba
  • Jetavanarama
  • Mirisaveti Stupa
  • Lankarama

  Pictures of below eight Great Places of Venaration In anuradhapura.


01 Sri maha Bodhiya













02 Ruwanwalisaya












03 Thuparamaya


04 Lovamahapaya

05 Abayagiri Dageba



06 Jethawanaramaya




07 Mirisawatiya Stupa




08 Lankaramaya 

Devon Water Falls

Devon Water Falls on Talawakelle-Hatton road, near TEA CASTLE! This is one of the most-photographed water falls in Sri Lanka!


Photo Credit: Anver Kamiss‎

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Kandy the place you must visit in Sri Lanka

       It is the second-largest city of the island and the capital of Central Province of modern Sri Lanka. Its geographic location has made it a major transportation hub in the island: while Kandy being the gateway to the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, the city can be reached by major motorways in every direction of the island. The railway line from Colombo, the sea port on the western coast runs via Kandy to the farthest point of Badulla in the Central Highlands. 
     The main roads Colombo-Kandy and Kandy-Nuwara Eliya are two of the most scenic roads of Sri Lanka; Colombo-Kandy road passes through rubber plantations and rice paddies, Kandy-Nuwara Eliya road cuts through paddy fields and seamless tea plantations. Both roads claw their way up winding, rounding over the rings of hills.

You can visit bellow places in Kandy city and nearby the city.
Palace of the Tooth relic
The monumental ensemble of Kandy is an example of construction that associates the Royal Palace and The Temple of the Tooth (Palace of the tooth relic) is the place that houses the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Originally part of the Royal Palace complex of the Kandyan Kingdom, it is one of the holiest places of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhist around the world. It was last of a series of temples built in the places where the relic, the actual palladium of the Sinhalese monarchy, was brought following the various relocations of the capital city.
The Palace of the Tooth relic, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of Buddhism. The temple is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a religion which continues to be practiced today.
 
 
 
 
 
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace of Kandy is the last Royal Palace built in the island. Although only part of the original palace complex remain. The Temple of the Tooth was part of this complex, due to the ancient tradition that stated that the monarch is the protector of the relic though which the ruler of the land. It today houses the National Museum Kandy which holds an extensive collection of artifacts from both the Kandy Kingdom and the British colonial rule.

Lankatilaka Temple
The Lankatilaka Temple is considered to be one of the best preserved examples of traditional Sinhalese temple architecture. Built on a rock, the temple is reached by a long series of rock cut steps. An arched passage of the image house leads through a Mandapa (hall) into the inner sanctum which is richly decorated with beautiful floral designs. The two side walls and the ceiling are decorated with paintings. In the inner sanctum is a colossal seated image of the Buddha.
Gadaladeniya Temple
The Gadaladeniya Temple's design is of South Indian origin with a Devale attached to it, similar in character to the Natha Devale and the Gedige of Adahana Maluwa. The main shrine room has a seated Buddha statue and the remains of some paintings of the Gampola period.
Among other important temples around Kandy are Dodanwela Devale (shrine), Embakke Devale (shrine), Galmaduwa Vihara temple, Handagala Vihara temple, Lankatilaka Vihara, Medawala Vihara and Nalanda Gedige.

Not only that places you can visit hanthana mountain range and knuckles mountain range also those places are in 1600fts above from sea level.








(Source - From Wikipedia)

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Lankarama is a stupa - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Lankarama is a stupa - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka


Lankarama is a stupa built by King Valagamba, in an ancient place at Galhebakada in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Nothing is known about the ancient form of the stupa, and later this was renovated. The ruins show that there are rows of stone pillars and it is no doubt that there has been a house built encircling the stupa (vatadage) to cover it. The round courtyard of the stupa seems to be 10 feet (3 m) above the ground. The diameter of the stupa is 45 feet (14 m). The courtyard is circular in shape and the diameter is 1332 feet (406m).

Written by: Sri Lanka FB Page

30km away from Pasikuda

30km away from Pasikuda, Sri Lanka


Photo Credit: Kenneth Warusamana

Bogawantalawa in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

Bogawantalawa in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka


Photo Credit: Sonofthemorninglight

Sri Lanka Galle Fort

Galle Fort, Sri Lanka 


Photo Credit: Ishara Kasthuriarachchi

Isurumuniya, Sri Lanka

Isurumuniya, Sri Lanka


Photo Credit: Indralatha Dharmasena


Sri Lanka Water Falls

Water Falls

Somewhere between Gampola and Nuwaraeliya, Sri Lanka.


Photo Credit: Shirley Silva

Sri Lanka Elephant and His Family

Sri Lanka Elephant and His Family


Photo Credit: Deepika Waterstradt

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Gal Vihara Rock Temple

This is from the world famous 'Gal Vihara' (Rock temple), Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. 


Photo Credit: Champike Yatagama

Maussakele reservoir, Hatton

Maussakele reservoir, Hatton. Sri Lanka!


Photo Credit: Pasan Senevirathne

SRI PADA Mountain


SRI PADA Mountain 
View from "Sandagalathanna" rajamale route


Photo Credit: Upeka Wehella

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Peradeniya Gardens, Avenue

Peradeniya Gardens, Avenue, Sri Lanka


Photo Credit: Anil Pathmaperuma

Cinnomon Lodge Habarana

Cinnomon Lodge Habarana


Article credit: Manoj Prasath

Monday, January 27, 2014

Sri Lanka Wedding Settee Back Design

Traditional Sri Lanka wedding settee back design




Thursday, January 16, 2014

Sri Lanka Coconut Sambal

Sri Lanka coconut sambal is the popular food of Sri Lankan. 

Sri Lanka Traditional Lamp

Sri Lanka traditional oil lamp.




Saturday, January 11, 2014

Sri Lanka, Carrot sambal

One of the popular food in Sri Lanka, carrot sambal.


Friday, January 10, 2014

Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya is the coolest place in Sri Lanka






Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Sri Lanka, Jungle Beach

Sri Lanka, Jungle Beach! The beach beside the mountain and popular in the city.