The Perfect craftsmanship of the ancients at Gal Viharaya – Polonnaruwa
The solid rock Hetadage Dalada Maligawa of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom
The Elephant Gathering at Minneriya National Park
Novice monks on a field visit to the gigantic Yudaganawa Stupa in Buttala.
built before Christ, the stupa house at Medirigiya is one of the best examples of such architecture demonstrating the ability of the ancients to form the rocks them as easily like wood.
The misty Duwili Ella waterfall at Kaltota
Mahiyangana Stupa, built on the very spot blessed by the Buddha’s presence is the first stupa to be built during the time of Buddha around 5th century BC
Fresh vegetables straight out of the fields of Nuwara Eliya
A lone tusker takes a walk along a waterhole at Yala National Park
A leopard hides in a shade after a hefty meat at Yala National Park
A group of Elephants Taking a dip in a partially dried up water hole before retiring for the day at Udawalawe National Park
Early in the morning a peacock calling for a mate at Udawalawe National Park
Sri Lanka has a documented history that spans over 3,000 years, but there are facts to suggest that Sri Lanka had pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. Its geographic location and deep harbors made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to World War II. Sri Lanka is a diverse country, home to many religions, ethnicities and languages. It is the land of the Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Moors, Indian Tamils, Burghers, Malays, Kaffirs and the aboriginal Vedda. Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage, and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, dates back to the Fourth Buddhist Council in 29 BCE.
The purpose of this site is to create a deeper awareness of all the attractions of Sri Lanka thus develop a richer appreciation of what our ancestors and nature has provided us with.
SRI LANKA IS HOME TO ONE OF OLDEST CIVILIZATIONS IN THE WORLD WITH A WRITTEN HISTORY COVERING THE LAST 2600 YEARS.
SRI LANKAN CIVILIZATION WAS NATURED AND NOURISHED BY BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY AND WAS BUILT ON A THEME KNOWN AS “WAWAI DAGOBAI, GAMAI PANSALAI” WHICH SIMPLY MEANS EVERY VILLAGE CONSISTED OF A IRRIGATION TANK, A BUDDHIST TEMPLE AND A STUPA.
HERITAGE OF SRI LANKA
Badalkumbura Veheragoda Purana Rajamaha Viharaya – බඩල්කුඹුර වෙහෙරගොඩ පුරාණ රජමහා විහාරයAlthough quite small, the image house of Badalkumbura Veheragoda Purana Rajamaha Viharaya looks as a art gallery in a time capsule. The entrance to the image house is made of a heavy wooden door frame. The top bar of the frame shows some carvings. A blue paint has been used to paint the door and its frame.
Maradankadawala Maminiyawa Rajamaha Viharaya – මරදන්කඩවල මාමිනියාව රජමහා විහාරයMaminiyawa Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is located in front of ‘Maminiyawa Wewa’ which is one of the six biggest reservoirs built by King Mahasen. Name of this sacred place is mentioned as ‘Surulu Maminiyawa’ in the book of ‘Nampotha’ which contains the names of ancient temples and fanes (Devale) in Sri Lanka.
Hambegamuwa Aluthwewa Kotavehera Buddhist Ruins – හම්බෙගමුව අළුත්වැව කොටවෙහෙර බෞද්ධ නටබුණ්A small stupa and remains of a retaining wall around the stupa located on a rock platform is found at the Hambegamuwa Aluthwewa Kotavehera site. Near the Dagoba is a circle carved on the rock of about 3½ feet in diameter.
Hambegamuwa Arambekema Buddhist Ruins – හම්බෙගමුව අරඹෙකෙම බෞද්ධ නටබුණ්A rocky plateau called Arambekema by the Kalthota - Thanamalwila road in Hambegamuwa with some ancient Buddhist ruins and a large picturesque natural rock pool that never dries up even during droughts,
Kukurampola Kukuluwa Rajamaha Viharaya – කුකුරම්පොල කුකුළුවා රජමහා විහාරයKukurampola Kukuluwa Rajamaha Viharaya consists of a ancient dilapidated stupa, now resembling a mound of earth. You will find a number of granite artifacts from the ancient temple gathered around this stupa.
WILDLIFE IN SRI LANKA
Kande Ela Forest Park – කන්දේ ඇල වනෝද්යානයDriving past the picturesque road to Horton Plains from Nuwara Eliya, just has you pass Kande Ela reservoir you will come across the Kande Ela Forest Park (aka Kande Ela Forest Garden), an forested area developed for education purposes by the Department of Forest Conservation.
Kokilai Lagoon Sanctuary – කෝකිලායි අභය භූමියKokkilai Lagoon is partly surrounded by mangrove swamps and sea grass beds. The surrounding area includes cultivated land, scrub and open forests. Numerous varieties of water and wader birds are found in the sanctuary including cormorants, ducks, egrets, flamingoes, herons, ibis, pelicans and storks.
Nilgala Conservation Forest Area – නිල්ගල වනාන්තරයNilgala Forest which is lowland tropical dry mixed evergreen forest lies on the boarders of the Senanayake Samuraya covering area which the Gal Oya River falls in to the reservoir.
Weheragala Reservoir and Archeological Ruins – වෙහෙරගල වැව හා පුරා විද්යා ස්මාරකThe Weheragala Reservoir was built in 2009 by damming the Menik Ganga at Weheragala to store and divert the excess water of Menik Ganga to Lunugamvehera Reservoir to supplement the water collected from Kirindi Oya.
Whale watching in Sri LankaWhile the world was counting whales elsewhere a small population of whales around Sri Lanka, was growing unseen and unchecked by everybody due to the 30 years of old terrorist war.
WATERFALLS OF SRI LANKA
Kalutara Deiyagala Ella Falls – කළුතර වලල්ලාවිට දෙයියාගල ඇල්ලThe Deiyagala Ella Waterfall in Kalutara lies in the eastern border of the Paniyawela Mukalana in the Yagirala Forest in Walallawita DS division. The fall is fed by a stream flowing through the virgin forest of Yagirala with crystal clear water creating a number of pools.
Kalutara Thotas Ella Falls – කළුතර වලල්ලාවිට තොටස් ඇල්ලThe Thotas Ella Waterfall in Kalutara lies in the eastern border of the Paniyawela Mukalana in the Yagirala Forest in Walallawita DS division. The fall is fed by a stream flowing through the virgin forest of Yagirala with crystal clear water creating a number of pools.
Uma Oya Dunhinda Ella Falls – උමා ඔය දුන්හිඳ ඇල්ලThe Uma Oya Dunhinda Ella / Uma Oya Ella Falls Ella off Godunna is a rather unknown waterfall away from the hustle and bustle in a picturesque landscape on Uma Oya.
Ettampitiya Gerandi Ella Falls – ඇටම්පිටිය ගැරඬි ඇල්ලThe Garandi Ella of Ettampitiya is a rather unknown waterfall away from the hustle and bustle in a picturesque landscape on the Uma Oya.
Niriella Hathbamba Ella Falls – නිරිඇල්ල හත්බඹ ඇල්ලThe rather unknown Hathbamba Ella waterfall lies hidden by the trees unseen from the main road. Although unknown to the general public, this is a popular bathing place for the surrounding villagers.
CONSIDERED THE LOST PARADISE BY ANCIENT TRAVELERS DUE TO WHAT NATURE HAS OFFERED IN FORM OF PRISTINE BEACHES TO ROMANTIC LANDSCAPES GOVERNED BY RISING MOUNTAINS, LUSH FORESTS, TANKS AS LARGE AS OCEANS AND ROAMING ANIMALS, SOME MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS WHO FIRST LANDED IN SRI LANKA BELIEVED THAT THEY HAVE DISCOVERED THE ORIGINAL GARDEN OF EDEN.
NATURE AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS OF SRI LANKA
Alluring but Deadly Rangala Natural Pool – සුන්දර නමුත් මරණයට අත වනන රංගල ස්වාභාවික තටාකයThis natural pool at Rangala was popular topic in Social Media at one time in 2017. Dazzling photos […]
Ceylon Tea Museum in Hantana – හන්තාන තේ කෞතුකාගාරයKandy is a mandatory stop on virtually every tourist itinerary. Its scenic beauty, the salubrious […]
Patna Estate Sliding Rock – පැට්නා ලිස්සන ගල (බුරුස් ගල)Patna Sliding Rock, locally know as the Patna Burus Gala is one of the newer destinations discovered local travelers. The location is situated inside Patna Division in Enesalwatta estate belonging to Maturata Plantations in Deniyaya.
Deanston Mini World’s End Drop – දුම්බර කඳුවැටියේ ඩීන්ස්ටන් කුඩා ලෝකාන්තයAn 1.2 km trail from Deanston will take you the Mini World's End of Deanston, one of the two Mini World's End of knuckles Range. There are two view points where one provides a panoramic view of the Ududumbara town, Kandy-Mahiyangana road, Kalugala area and the other the knuckles range.
Historical Importance of Mawanella Brick Bridge – මාවනැල්ල ගඩොල් පාලමේ ඉතිහාසයMawanella Brick Bridge, one of the 5 bridges built by British during colonial period was completed during 1832 - 1833 and is the only bride still being used for vehicular traffic. This 70 meter long bridge constructed with bricks consisting of 4 arches and has not been repaired since construction.
ANCIENT IRRIGATION WONDERS OF SRI LANKA
Pavakkulama (Pavatkulama) Reservoir in Vavuniya – වව්නියාවේ පාවක්කුලම වැවPavakkulama Reservoir is the largest ancient reservoir found in Vavuniya district. According to a notice board installed by the Irrigation Department, Its embankment is 10,364 feet (3.2 km) long and has a gross capacity of 27,000 acre feet (33 million cubic meters).
Iratperiyakulama Reservoir – ඊරට්ටපෙරියකුලම (ඉරට්පෙරියකුලම) වැවThe Iratperiyakulama Wewa (reservoir) is the second largest reservoir in the Vavuniya district second only to Maha Pawakkulama Wewa which was created by joining Pawakkulama Wewa and the Ulukkulama Wewa.
Ancient Mamaduwa Wewa – වව්නියාවේ මාමඩුව වැවThe massive Mamaduwa reservoir with a 2km long embankment was built in the 6th century by king Aggabodhi I and has been renovated by many kings thereafter.
Tampitiya Reservoir Ancient Bisokotuwa and Sluice in Mahaoya – මහඔය ටැම්පිටිය වැව පුරාණ බිසෝකොටුව සහ සොරොව්වTempitiya Reservoir is credited to king Saddhatissa (137-119 BC) of Anuradhapura kingdom and said to have been restored by the British in 1838 making it one of the first ancient reservoirs to be restored by the British in the Ampara District.
Mutukelina Wewa and the Observation Point in Kandy – මහනුවර මුතුකෙලින වැවThis one of the hidden jewels that Kandy which managed escape the average traveler. The Mutukelina Wewa lies in a tranquil background surrounded by mountains about 17 km away from Kandy town, The tank lies 1000 meters above sea level and is small with a surface area of about 15,000 square meters.
IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THE FIRST SETTLERS FROM INDIA HAD REACHED SRI LANKA AT LEAST AS EARLY AS ONE MILLION YEARS AGO – PERHAPS EARLIER.
BY ABOUT 125,000 BP IT IS CERTAIN THAT THERE WERE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS IN SRI LANKA FROM THE EVIDENCE DISCOVERED AT BUNDALA. NUMBER OF CAVE SITES HAS BEEN DISCOVERED WITH EVIDENCE OF PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS HAS BEEN FOUND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
PREHISTORIC SRI LANKA
Agbopura Megalithic (Sumerian) Ancient Burial Site – අග්බෝපුර මෙගලිතික (සුමේරියන්) ආදි මානව සුසාන භූමියThe Megalithic Burial Ground at Agbopura in Vavuniya district was first discovered in 1970s and it was reported at almost 100 burials have been discovered spread over an area of 25 acres.
Haldummulla Prehistoric Canoe Burial Site – හල්දුමුල්ල ආදී මානව සුසාන භූමියA pre historic burial site discovered 2011 which is believed to be dating to 14th century BC. 5 clay burial canoes were discovered on the narrow access road to of Hadummulla Tamil School.
Minuwangoda Dewapola Prehistoric Canoe Burial Site – මිනුවන්ගොඩ දෙවලපොල ආදී මානව සුසාන භූමියThe Prehistoric Burial Site of Dewalapola in Minuwangoda was discovered in 2016 on the premises of […]
Uda Ranchamadama Prehistoric House Site – උඩ රංචමඩම ආදී මානව නිවාසයRanchamadama is a remote village in Kolonna area which unheard by many until early 2000’s, […]
Ranchamadama Prehistoric Canoe Burial Site – රංචමඩම ආදී මානව සුසාන භූමියA pre historic burial site discovered in the early 2000's which has been dated to 14th century BC. 6 clay burial canoes and 2 burial pits were discovered by the Archaeologists in 2007.
