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Udawalawa National Park is located approximately 200 km South East of Colombo city and is a major echo tourism destination in Sri Lanka. it is sixth largest animal sanctuary of Sri Lanka. Dry Monsoon forest with an annual rainfall is about 1520 mm has mean day & night temperature are 29 and 24 degrees centigrade respectively. The Udawalawa national park was established in 1972. This national park spans approximately 31000 hectares and is located in the southern dry zone. The park cuts across two of the Southern Provinces and includes the Udawalawa Reservoir. The most prominent peak called "Ulgala" is located in the west of the park. It rises up to a height of nearly 380 m from the lowest point in the area which is at 100 m above sea level. It lies in the lower catchment of Udawalawa Reservoir in the country's Intermediate Low land region. Keeping company to the herds of Elephants, the main attraction of the park are Water Buffalo, Wild boar Spotted Deer, Sambur Deer, Jackal, Samber, Black naped hare, mongooses, bandicoots, foxes, s the endemic Toque Macaque and Gray Langers. Sighting Leopard and other smaller cats like Fishing cat & Jungle cat would be a bonus. Udawalawa is undoubtedly the best place in Sri Lanka to see wild Asian Elephants throughout the year: there are about 500 elephants in the park and they often roam in herds of up to 100. Udawalawa National Park is unique in terms of consistency in numbers of elephants roaming the park it has no a seasonal variation in herds of elephants. The best hours to visit the park are in the mornings and evenings. Late evening also affords the photographic opportunities in the backdrop of loveliest sunsets. Udawalawe is also a good birdwatching site. Endemics such as Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Brown-capped Babbler, and Sri Lanka Junglefowl are among of the breeding resident birds. White Wagtail and Black-capped Kingfisher are rare migrants. A variety of water birds visit the reservoir, including cormorants, the Spot billed Pelican, Asian Openbill, Painted Stork and Black-headed Ibis. The open parkland attracts birds of prey such as White bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent eagle, Grey headed Fish Eagle, Booted Eagle, and Changeable Hawk eagle. Land birds are in abundance, and include Indian Roller, Indian Peafowl, Malabar Pied Hornbill and Pied Cuckoo.
Sri Lanka has been having many types of drums in use from ancient times. The main types of drums in use today are referred to by the following names:
Geta Beraya (Wedding Drum)
The Wedding Drum belongs to the category of "Awanadda". About 2 Feet & 2 inches in length, it's made with 'Ehela', 'Kohomba' or 'Jak' timber. In order to generate two different sounds, the left of the drum is made with Cow's skin and the right, with monkey's skin and bound tightly with tough leather. Its played with free hands.
Yak Beraya
Yak beraya is made from the timber of the 'Kithul' tree. This instrument is playing using the free hand and is about 3 feet in length. The diameter is about 1 feet & 3 inches. Mainly used in the lower country of Sri Lanka for 'Thowil' and the 'Perehera'.
Dawula
Dawula is made using 'Kithul' timber. Old Dawula were found to be made of 'Ehela', 'Kohomba' & 'Jak' timber. They are decorated with exquisite art and brass strips. Cow leather is used and is played with a stick called ‘Kadippu’.
Thammettama
This drum is made with either the root of the 'Kithul' tree or any other suitable timber. The root or the timber is crafted in the shape of a 'Walanda' (Pot). Secondly both the left & the right tops are bound tightly by cow leather. This drum is played with 2 'kadippu' (2 sticks).
Udekkiya
This instrument is about 1 feet in length and is shaped like a sand clock. 'Udekkiya' is made by carving either the 'Sooriya' or 'Ehela' timber in to two apertures. These apertures are then bound tightly with the leather of the monkey or the Iguana and both the sides are connected with tightly stretched twine.
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The Port of Colombo (known as Port of "Kolomthota" in the early 14th Century Kotte Kingdom) is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka as well as in South Asia. The proposed Colombo South Harbor is situated west to the existing port of Colombo comprising an area of approximately 600 hectares. The proposed harbor has 3 terminals each having 1200 m length and facilities to accommodate 3 berths alongside. The proposed small boat harbor at the end of secondary breakwater has 400 m length of quay wall. New buildings for pilot station and crew accommodation are to be constructed at the head of secondary breakwater. The proposed new harbor basin has,
Turning circle - 800 m
Basin depth - 18 m
Depth of access channel - 20 m
Width of the Harbor mouth - 570 m
Two phases of the project:
1. Harbor Infrastructure works.
Construction of Breakwaters, dredging for new harbor basin and navigation channel and rerouting of crude oil pipe line.
2. Construction of Terminals and other related services.
Anuradhapura is first capital of the Sri Lanka. The construction of reservoirs, canals and irrigation channels during this period exhibited an amazing knowledge of trigonometry and the design of reservoirs a thorough grasp of hydraulic principles. The ornamental scale of the large reservoirs are compelling deviance of a thriving economy and a state structure which had resources from an agricultural surplus and profits from trade to invest in these projects as well as on religious and public buildings designed on an lavish scale. The unique feature of Buddhist Sri Lanka is the "Stupa" (Dageba), which enshrined relics of Buddha and were objects of veneration. It is generally a solid, hemispherical dome, which expresses the serenity and simplicity the quintessence of Buddhism. The "Rajarata" (King's country) is dotted with these stupa and the picturesque lakes which has an irresistible charm for the visitor. There are many important stupa at Anuradhapura.
"Great Western" is a rural railway station in Sri Lanka at "Great Western" estate of "Nuwara Eliya" district. The station located in the "Great Western" mountain at 1455.48 m high above mean sea level and 199.30 km far from the Colombo Fort. This railway station is at between "Watagoda" and "Radella" railway stations. The train travels large number of meters above in "Thalawakele", "Watagoda" and "Great Western" area. Railway is like angle in this area. "Great Western" railway station has two platforms. It has only two railway lines. One and only railway station which has two platforms and only two railways of up country railway called "Great Western" Sub platform is single one and there is no bridge or any thing to move each other. Several tea estates can be seen on "Great Western" railway station. Two way Signaling system is available at this railway station and a lot of tea estates can be seen on it. "Great Western" mountain is in Nuwara Eliya district in Central Province. The station offers a panoramic view of large area than one can experience from any railway station in the hill country.You can see spectacular, panoramic view over 100 km surrounding area that south side of Sri Lanka. Several television advertisements, teledramas and movies are captured at closed this railway station. Adams Peak can be seen very clear in this place.
