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Friday, October 18, 2013

Sri Padaya (Adams peak)

"Sri Pada" mountaion (Adams peak) Sinhalese "Samanala kanda" or "butterfly mountain" is 2243 metres (7359 ft) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the "Sri Pada" "sacred footprint", a 1.8 m rock formation near the summit, in Buddhist tradition held to be the footprint of the Buddha. It has specific qualities that cause it to stand out and be noticed including its dominant and outstanding profile, and the boulder at the peak that contains an indentation resembling a footprint. Sri Pada is an important pilgrimage site, especially for Buddhists. Pilgrims walk up the mountain, following a variety of routes up thousands of steps. The journey takes several hours at least.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Sri Dalada Maligawa (The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic)



The Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the royal palace complex which houses the one of the two surviving relic of the tooth of Buddha, an object of veneration for Buddhists. King Wimaladharmasuriya I (1592 - 1603), the first to select Kandy as the ruling capital originally built a two storied Temple for the Relic and brought the tooth relic from Delgamuwa near Kuruwita in Sabaragamuwa which has been hidden for protection. Remains of this temple no longer exist. Wimaladharmasuriya II (1686 - 1706) built a three storied temple and his son king Viraparakrama Narendrasinha (1706 - 1738), built a new two storied temple temple seeing that the old temple built by his father has decayed. The last king of Sri lanka, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1797 - 1814) built the Pattirippuwa (the Octagon). Originally, the Pattirippuwa (octagon) was part of the royal palace. It was used by the king to address his follow countrymen. Today the Pattirippuwa has become a part of the temple and houses ancient textures written in ola leaves.

Demodara Nine arch bridge"


Demodara is a quaint and interesting railway station of Sri Lanka. Demodra is at upcountry region and closed to "Badulla" town. Demodara meets when travel to "Badulla" from "Bandarawela" and about 10 Km to Badulla and about 12 Km to Bandarawela from Demodara. This Bridge is situated 2 km away from Ella town along "Passara" road between "Ella" and "Demodara" Railway Stations. Built by the British in the early 20th century, the station and the Nine Arcs bridge were engineering marvels of the day. This name is used since the bridge contains of 9 arches. It is also known as “Ahas Nawaya Palama” (9 Skies Bridge) and this bridge is 300 feet long and 25 feet wide. Located almost 3100 feet above the sea level. The bridge connects with two high lands and has been made of large cubic stones. This massive bridge is built entirely of solid rocks, bricks and cement without using a single piece of steel. The bridge was finally commissioned in 1921. One and only railway station trains travels same horizontal level in place is Demodara Railway station. It’s amazing point of Sri Lanka. Inventor of this technology is person who looks after cattle. There is a railway tunnel downside of the Demodara Railway station. The train comes through the tunnel and after travel about 400 m gap which round way then comes to Station. 
There is a popular story to say that when construction work was commenced on the bridge, the World War 1 broke out and the steel consignment assigned for this site was seized and was used for war related projects. When the work came to a standstill the Sri Lankan came forward and build the bridge with solid stone bricks and cement without steel.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Horton plains - Nuwara Eliya

The Horton Plains is located at 2200 m above sea level. Horton plains or Mahaeliya Thenna in Sinhalese is the great plains of the central hills of Sri Lanka, located approximately 30 km from the town of Nuwara Eliya. This is the only national park in Sri Lanka where visitors are permitted to walk on their own. World's end and Baker's falls located in Horton plains. The walk to World’s End is 4km, but the trail loops back to Baker’s Falls (2km) and continues back to the entrance (another 3.5km). The round trip is 9.5km and takes a leisurely three hours. 

Horton Plains can be reached by any of the following roads:

  • Via Nuwara Eliya, Ambewela and Pattipola.
  • Via Haputale or Welimada, Boralanda, Ohiya.
  • Via Nuwara Eliya, Hakgala, Rendapola, Ambewela, Pattipola.
World's end

The southern edge of the Horton Plains is famous World’s End. On a clear morning the World’s End affords the view running to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Stand 2,000 m high, at the edge of the cold, frosted grassland and lower your eyes towards the next landmark the tea plantations of 'Nagrac', some 900 m below. Gaze onward beyond the waves of mountains, filigree waterfalls, hazy lakes and paddy fields to the pink salter of "Hambanthota" and the shimmering sea, in a horizon less sweep.

Baker's falls

Baker's Falls derives its name from Sir Samuel Baker, a British man who discovered it in 1845. Baker's waterfall is one of the very beautiful waterfalls in Sri Lanka. This waterfalls is height about 22 meters. The Fall is very beautiful because various corners and various views shows various beautiful scenery. Its looks like a  step view. In top side of the fall like a long pool. There is a point at fall which divides more than thousand of parts and made beautiful scenery in middle of the fall.

Singharaja - World Heritage Rain forest


Singharaja World Heritage Rain forest is largely undisturbed most famous rain forest in Sri Lanka. This important forest is also a man and biosphere forest reserve. It is home to a large number of endemic species. The Sinharaja region has long featured in the legends and lore of the people of Sri Lanka. Its name, literally meaning Lion (Sinha) king (Raja), perhaps refers to the original ‘king sized or royal forest of the Sinhalese. Sinharaja Rain Forest (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the last viable remnant of Sri Lanka's tropical lowland rain forest spanning an area of 18900 acres is located within "Sabaragamuwa" and Southern provinces of the south west lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka. One of the few virgin forests left in the world. Streams, springs, rivers, waterfalls, leopard, monkeys, butterflies and moths, rare trees, valuable shrubs and medicinal herbs are all found within its green canopy. It is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forests in Sri Lanka. This rain forest covers an extent of about 11187 hectares from east to west of Sri Lanka. The length of the Rain forest is about 21 km and width from North to South is about 3.7 km. 
Sinharaja Rain forest is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rain forest  more than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians. There are three access points to Sinharaja forest. Easiest route from Colombo is to go to "Rathnapura", "Kalawana", "Weddagala" and enter the forest through "Kudawa" entrance at northwestern edge of the forest. You can stay at Forest department managed "Kudawa" camp. You can also stay at "Martin’s Lodge" or "Blue Magpie lodge" situated close the forest. Second entrance is from "Galle" or "Mathara" you can go to "Deniyaya" and then enter the forest through "Pitadeiniya" Entrance  at Southern edge of the forest. You can stay at "Pitadeniya" conservation resource center. You can also enter the forest by going to "Deniyaya", then turn off main road just south of "Suriyakanda" and enter the forest through "Morning Side" Entrance at eastern side of the forest.