Ranmasu Uyana (The Royal Gold- Fish Park)

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arks were a definite feature of city planning in ancient Sri Lanka.Thus; we have the names of several royal parks in the ancient capital of Anuradhapura before the dawn of the Christian year. The Mahamegha Park was founded by king Mutasiva in the third century BC. So were the Nandana Park & the Jotivana. All these were however, donated by the pious king Devenampiyatiss to the community of monks. These parks were located within the boundaries of Mahavihara. Therefore the need to find an alternative place for a royal park was felt to be an urgent matter & the place was found just outside the boundary of the great monastery & to the south of it. The Vessagiriya inscription of Mahinda iv in the tenth century gives the name of this park as Ranmasu Uyana meaning the Gold Fish Park.

Today, as it is the area covered by this park is about forty acres & the park itself is a fine example of garden architecture in ancient Sri Lanka. This park previously covered by the jungle was discovered at the beginning of this century by H.C.P Bell in the year 1901 & conservation work commenced in 1940. The characteristics of this park are worth comparing with those ancient parks of India as described in literary works.

The royal parks in ancient India had several features. These were the bathing ponds & ponds for growing water lilies. There were artificial mountains, caves, flower beds and also creeper pavilions called latha mandapa. Also, there was the Kadaligrha- the planting arbors, dola mandapa- the swing pavilions, citrasala- the art galleries, silapatta- the rest houses etc. There was a seperatr park for the royal maidens called pramadavana.

We have a historical reference to king Vasabha of the second century who carried out a program me to beautify the capital city of Anuradhapura by creating artificial ponds with swans in them. Unfortunately we have no records in history as to who created this Mangul Maha Uyana, the great royal park which is named the Gold Fish Park. As said above, this is the name found in the vessagiriya inscription of Mahinda IV (956-972AC). It is mentioned there in that the water of the  Tisavawa that is let out through the royal sluice must first be allowed to go into the Ranmasu Uyana, the royal park & from there to kelageya ( kadaligrha), the plantain arbor and to uyanteya, the park ponds and to mahanel- teya, the water lily ponds and finally to the rice-field around the( isurumuni) vihara

It is believed that Helloligama, the Candala village of Asokamala, the beloved of Saliya, son of Dutthagamani was situated in the neighborhood. It was probably between the Dakkhina Vihara and Issara Samana Vihara. According to legend it was in this beautiful royal park the youthful prince first met his future bride & princess to be Asokamala. If this is true, then we can safely say that the Gold Fish Park was founded in the third century BC immediately after King Devenampiyatiss donated the royal park to the community of Maha Sangha. But the legend of Dutthagamani began to echoes in the second century BC suppressing every other story.

The rocks scattered all over the area were used by architects in designing the rock garden. Two boulders lying in close proximity have been bridged with stone slabs & a building constructed on them. There is nothing much left of this building now. On either side of these boulders are three baths. The largest of these is to the north & is 34 feet by 25-29 feet. On the western side is a stone cave- like room measuring 7 feet by 6 feet with a seat in it. On the bed rock above is a bas-relief of elephants sporting in a lotus pond. They are beautifully sculptured.

Small steps cut on the boulders of the southern side of this bath lead to a trough scooped out the boulders. The holes round the trough indicate that wooden pillars were set up in them. This trough may have been the place where the Gold Fish were located.

The bath at the southern end of the boulders comprised two parts forming one unit. Beyond the bath on the side of the boulder is a chamber. This may be a dressing room. The baths are square in plan, each measuring 20ft. at ground level with a projection on the south for the flight of steps leading into it. The channel system which fed these baths & emptied the water in it shows the skill of the ancient irrigation engineers.

The park also has smaller ponds. Once upon a time, these may have been filled with flowers, fishes and aquatic birds. Mr. Paranavithana believed that this smaller bath & the attached chamber together formed a dhara-grha a shower- bath. There is another pond which is on a higher level that the main- bath at the site, and measures 24 feet by 2 feet. In ancient times, this park must have been a beautiful place with many flowering trees.

In one of the four caves at this site is incised a diagram circumscribed by two concentric circle. The large of these has a diameter of 6 feet. In the square area at the centre are seven concentric circles. The remaining of the space within the circles is divided into rectangles, each of which contains some symbols. We have not identified these. Some call it a map of the universe and others call it a diagram or a mantra.

At the northern end of the park is a mooted rectangular site on which are remains of three buildings. The eastern side of this may have been a part of the ancient park. The channel system starting from Tisaveva led water ti all the ponds and baths of the royal park. The open channels flow around the natural and architectural contours exhibiting the skills of ancient irrigational engineers. The channel which brought water to the cistern to feed the baths, runs westward to a distance of 30feet, and then turns northwards, parallel to the toe of the Tisaveva embankment. This embankment of the Tusavava formed the western boundary of the park. Of the walls that enclose it on the east and the south, the foundation is still traceable in the gardens and the rice field and was surveyed to a distance of 1260 yards.

Mr.Paranavithana who carried out a major portion of the conservation of this ancient and historic park, says that "of Sinhalese architecture meant for secular purpose the most notable examples arr found in this royal pleasure garden by the Tisavavs. Ha says that “in addition to the remains of summer houses, pavilions and baths, we have an rxample for a shower bath ( dhara grha) wherein were stone couches on which royal personages reclined while jets played

The ruins at the royal park that we see today belong to the 10th century. From here let us proceed further south along the bund or take the main kurunegala road until we come to the so called

Kuttam Pokuna-Polonnaruwa (The Twin Pond)

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he twin pond is so called because the two ponds are constructed to from s single pond with two units. The name by which the pond is known now is of recent origins. We have no information either about the date of its construction or about its old name. On architectural grounds we can safely assign this structure to a period between the eight & tenth century. The conservation of these ponds was undertaken by the department of archaeology in the years 1949 & 1953.

It is believed that twin ponds were used for bathing purpose by the monks inhabiting the Abhayagiri Vihara of the two ponds before the southern on. Fine architectural differences confirm this point. It seems that after the construction of the southern pond as attempt had been made to join them. The two ponds varying in size and architectural details are harmonized to make up a composite place of artistic creation.

In the northern pond a staircase consisting of twenty stone steps with a simple balustrade is found. The southern pond has only eighteen such steps broken into three stages with an equal number of balustrades. The northern pond has only two flights of stone; where as the pond in the south has three. In size to the northern pond is smaller than the other.

The purnaghatas the pots of plenty are also different from each other. The northern pond measures 91 feet long & the southern pond 132 feet long. The width of the two ponds remained 51 feet. The depth is 14 & 17 feet respectively & the ponds are separated from each other by 9 feet the supply of water to the two ponds first floes into an enclosure built above the level of the ponds. The water then flows into the smaller pond through the mouth of a makara. The large pond in the south draws its water from the smaller through a duct below ground level connecting the two ponds.

The water of both ponds drains out from a point at the bottom of the smaller pond. The five hooded cobra figure which is seen under the makara figure is a unique piece of sculpture. The other figure of the cobra is found neat the water supply to the northern pond. The twin pond is undoubtedly the best surviving examples of landscape architectural in ancient Sri Lanka.

Sita Eliya & its Legends

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he opinions of the few notwithstanding, that the Lanka of Ravana lies submerged in the sea, Ceylon is full of reminiscence which unmistakably link scenes and stories with king Ravana and his days, scenes places all over the central uplands of Ceylon amid the gorgeous setting of the thickly wooded hills & the glorious valleys below. Intimately associated as these are with Ravana and his deeds and with stories if Sita in her sojourn in Lanka, they leaved no doubt in the mind of the student of folk culture that king Ravana’s Lanka is essentially the Ceylon today.

Ravana Ella Cave

Among such scenes & sights, is the Ravana Ella cave, traditions relating to the cave are rife all over the highlands of the district of Bandarawela. Mystery surrounds the cave, “where elephants go to die” as the folk say. The cave, hard and arduous to reach, may well have been a secret stronghold that it is supposed to have been in the legendary days, with a rest house in the Ella pass, up the zig-zag paths of which one climbs until the rocky walls of the pass gradually close in and Ravana’s cave comes to view amidst towering mountainous primeval geologic formations.

About a mile away, is the Ravana Ella or Ravana’s waterfall with a drop of 90 feet following in to the valley below. With the heavy rains that fall during six months of the year, much of the cave floor is damp. Advancing inside, the roof of the cave closes in. and crown of the head grazes the roof of the cave. The tradition of the secret passage stands discredited, recent explorations of the cave showing no way out. Whether a secret passage existed or not, Sita Eliya holds the key to the story of the days of king Ravana more than indeed any place in Ceylon.

Siat Eliya – The Plains of Sita

Redolent of stories of Sita’s life Ceylon in is Sita Eliya (the plain of sita) a charmingly undulating plain, fringed with thickly wooded hill ranges, picturesque waterfalls and silvery rivulets rushing downhill sides, dotted with rhododendron bushes tipped with clusters of crimson flowers. Beyond are the steep mountain ramparts with the thickly wooded tops, the haunts of the leopard and the sambhur. A vast amphitheatre of hills and deals, if the classic Trikuta Mount of Ramayanaya is anywhere in Ceylon, it is here, the glorious city and palace of king Ravana with its fortress, its lovely groves and terraced Gardens, a true reflection of which may be seen today in the nearby Hakgala Gardens with its charming wooded glades cleverly reclaimed & fashioned by the hands of man. A situation commanding as it does the natural approaches to the valleys on all the four sides- the Kotmale to the North East, Uva to the South East, Dambulla to the West & Uda Pussellave valley to the East, no more favorable site could have been chosen by the Rakshasa king for his fortified mountain capital.

Note worthy for the many features which find a true reflection today, is the reference in the Ramayanaya to the “little bells suspended from trees” which made music in the breeze” an appliance the various forms of which may be found distributed all over the hill county of Ceylon today. The simplest of such tree top appliances is the “ Bambraya” as it is popularly called, meaning, a “top” working as it does on the technology of a top turning on a pivot, a single noduled hollow reed within which turns a short upright stem from which branch two thin flat wooden blades set oblique on either side. This appliance is tied to the top branches of trees standing out as a conspicuous feature of the landscape as the blades turn in the wind, a whirring sound is heard. Slow at first, the sounds gains in intensity as the blowing grows strong.

In additional feature is a small reed whistle attached on either side of the blades. As it blows, the wind automatically works the whistles producing the characteristic whistling note in conjunction with the whirl and the whir of the turning blades. Rarely too, a tiny bell is tied to the Bambaraya as in a specimen collected in a Kandyan village.

These humble appliances serve the purpose today of denoting the direction of the wind as also of a device for scaring away crows and birds from vegetable and grains plots. That the early beginning of such appliances, collectively belonging to the class if Aeolian musical instruments may be traced to the days of king Ravana, is a conclusion we may justifiably draw from  the references in the Ramayana.

A Sinhalese Village

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 Sinhalese village is not a “village” in the sense of crowded assemblage of houses. Such villagers may indeed be seen in Ceylon in the dwellings of the erstwhile tribes, the Rodiya, the Kinnaraya & the Veddha- as also the villages of the functional service communities, the Beravaya (the nekati), and the kumbalkarya, the potter. These groups apart, a Sinhalese village is territorially extensive. Each house bog or small stands in its own grounds, thickly grown with an assortment of trees and plants, notably the coconut, Jack, plantains & yams, breadfruit and other trees and plants of economic value, or of no value at all.

Every village has its highland of houses and gardens, with either a chena as in the Dry Zone grown with seasonal crops, or paddy plots as in the wet zone. The number of houses in a village varies according to its extent irrigation facilities & topography. Round each homestead is a live fence, with or without a style at the front with two or three cross-bars. One step into the premises of the house crossing the style, or by letting down one or two of the cross-bars. The house has an open courtyard. A long front veranda is a feature of most houses, big or small. This gives to the living room.

Food Habits

Food habits are more or less the same for all classes, a morning meal generally of hoppers (Appa), pittu or string hoppers, with hot fish or meat curry, or the pol sambola alternatively, kiribath (rice cooked in coconut milk) and tea, mid-day meal of rice & spicy curries & the night food of rice & curry repeated, not generally so heavy or sumptuous as the mid-day meal. Both fish & meat are generally not served at the same meal. Boiled or curried jack, bread-fruit, manioc & tubers from part of the menu of an average noon time meal. In the southern province, curds & honey, is the favorite last course. The curd is of buffalo milk and the honey, the delicious honey of coconut toddy. The making of honey of the coconut toddy, is a specialty of the Sinhalese peasant of the south.

Chewing the betel, with Arecanut, and the lime (Chunam) comes at the finish of every meal. It is indeed a habit so inherent in the villager, that there is scarcely awaking moment he is not without the quid of betel in his mouth. In this he is one with the south Indian villager. Those used to it, and to the flavor by a small quid of tobacco taken with the betel. The spittle, colored red, is spat out & seldom swallowed.

Normally cleaner that the man of the town, the villager is fond of elaborate & daily baths, in the tanks which dot the country side, running streams, or in the quiet retreat of shady pools. After the bath the hair is combed and oiled, secured in a shapely knot (The Konde) at the back of the head. Women let the hair loose to dry, before doing up the konde (hair).

The pintaliya & pahan pela

The pintaliya or the water pot is among the wayside feature of rural Ceylon. True to Buddhist traditions, it reflects concern for the weary travelers. Simple as the idea is the water vessel, its disposition & equipment, has a certain technology about it.

At nightfall the villagers in Ceylon light a coconut oil lamp on a stand in the garden, the pahan pela by the side of the house. The idea is to propitiate the “Huniyam Devatawa”. The premises are kept clean. Prosperity is supposed to follow the visit of the God of the night. In essence a ceremonial light to the Gods, in form it varies from the very simple to highly elaborate patterns.

Seenigama Devalaya , සීනිගම දේවාලය

The Seenigama Temple, Halle is a popular name among the Hikkaduwa Tourist Attractions. The Seenigama Temple, Hikkaduwa is known as the Seenigama Devalaya in the colloquialSinhalese. As is evident, Devalaya is the term for temple. The Seenigama Temple inHikkaduwa is situated on the coast of the sea, beyond the 96 km post on the Colombo Gallehighway. Thought to be over a millennia old, the Hikkaduwa Seenigama Temple is approximately 1300 ears old. However, there is no evidence to provide evidence to this speculation. Whatever historical records have been exhumed, structural evidence states that the Seenigama Temple is above 300 years old. 

 

The Seenigama Temple, Hikkaduwa is a testimony both of the historical as well as cultural facet of Galle in Sri Lanka. If you are keen on exploring the conventions of temple worship and knowing all about the temple traditions of Galle, the SeenigamaTemple or Seenigama Devalaya is a must visit. The sanctuary is also known as the Seenigama Devol Temple, owing to its patron deity, Devol. Devol is a god of the Buddhist pantheon. The Devol Deviyo or Devol culture is prevalent among theSinhalese and continues to be the most accepted of all forms of worship by the fisher folk in the southern and western lowlands. Devol ceremonies are prominent and often practiced along the coastal areas. Some also guarantee the success of fishing. 

 

The Seenigama Temple, Galle is extremely sacred as it is believed that the deity resolves the problems of human beings. The shrine of the god on the shore was recently constructed. The land on which the Seenigama Temple, Galle was originally located is now an island and can be approached only by boat. The island itself is small with a deep freshwater well.

Esala Perahera (Kandy Perahera)

When the Esala moon beckons in the late July or early August, the city of old lives again as the festival most beloved of the sinhala Buddhist,  the perahara, one of the most magnificient torch-light spectacles anywhere in the world, takes to thr street of Kandy. The town of Kandy itself puts on a bewitching face as the floodlit Maligawa & the twinkling lights of homes on the hil slopes are reflected on the waters of the laka against the sombre, mystical darkness of the surronding hills. The hushed expectancy of the massed thousands of ordinary people on the procession route, as the boom of the ancient Maligawa cannon signals the start of procession, weds the people once again to the faith, pageantry and devotion of a baygone age.

The perahara festival has actually begon days earlier when on the day after the new moon in the month of July, an " Ehala" tree is cut and kap planted in each devala as a vow that the perahara in honour of the four deities, Natha, guardian of the city, vishnu, protector of the land, kataragama, God of victory and Pattini, Goddes of purity, will be held. According to the " Mahavamsa" these gods were regarded by all the people as the fountain of prospertity. Procession are conducted with in the " davale" premises with the devala kapruka carrying the Ran Ayudha, the weapons of the deities, for five days around the kap prepared on the ground and decorated with leaves, flowers and fruits.

On the sixth night the peraharas of the four devales form in the Deva sanhinda, hallowed by the devas, and go round the outer court of the four devales for five days in what is called the Kumbal perahara. After these ceremonies the " Maha" or Randoli perahara parades the streets of kandy for five days in magnificient splendour bringing divine protection to the people and the land. Randoli, meaning the queens' palanquins, were carried along side the elephants till the year 1775 when king Kirti Sri brought in the Maligawa perahara into the procession & decreed that the palanquins should come at the end of the perahara as females could not ride alongside the sacred relic. The palanquins are now a symbol of the consorts of the deities though there is reason to believe that roya queens actually rode in them during the perahara.

On the last night of the Randoli, the perahara, after returning to the Dalada Maligawa, goes back to the "adhahana maluwa", after which the devale procession return to the respective devales. In the early hours of the morning they go out again to thr river at Getambe for the " Diyakapum Mangalliya". At sunrise each devale kapurala pluges in a golden goblet to receive the water of the river as they cleave the water with the golden swords of thr deities in an act of purification. The goblets of water are then taken back to the respective devales in solemn procession to remain there till the Esala moon beckons the kapuralas once again
On the return form the river there is a brief pause at the Gana Devi Kovila. The chettys of the Gana Devi Kovila had the traditional duty of supplying the lights for the perahara. 

The festival is brought to a close on the following day when the Maligawa perahera, bringing back the golden casket from the Adhana maluwa, is joined by the devala peraharas for a last parade on the streets after which it goes three times around the Dalanda Maligawa square. The Maligawa elephant with stately dignity & aware of the solemnity of, the occassion mounts of the Maligawa steps where the Diyawadana Nilame & the Basnayake Nilames of the devales await him. The relic casket is returned to the hands of the Diyawadana Nilame in all solemnity. If not for the tired temple nilames, at least for this stately animal it is a moment of sadness. He partakes of a little kiri-bath fed to him by a Maligawa retainer & prostrates himself in worship, before the shrine. Some say they have seen the tears in his eyes as he withdraws. He weeps not only for the end of tge great festival but also, perahara on this solemn occassion for the inevitable doom that faces the stately living emblem of this land.

It was practice at the close of the festival for the chief to be received by the king, to whom after paying due obeisance, they report the completion of the festival according to the ancient rituals & the prescribed ceremonial. This custom continued during the british period. As.a farewell benediction, pirit is chanted in the devales and merit offered to the gods whilst, at thr Vishnu devale, a walli Yakum is performed to ward off the evil eye.

The " Mahavamsa" relates that people of strange countries and men skilled in divers tongues, and numerous artificers and handicraftsmen also took part in the procession. Robert Knox described perahara time thus.

The street also all made clean, and on both sides along the street poles stuck up with flags and pennons hanging at the tops of them, and adorned with boughts and branches of the coker nut trees hanging like fringes, and lighted lamps all along on both sides of the streets, both by day and night.

Next after the God and their attendance go some thousands of ladies and gentlewomen such as are of the best sort of the inhabitants of the land, arrayed in the bravest manner that their ability can afford, and so go hand in hand, three in a row: at which time all the beauties of zelone in their bravey do go to attend upon their gods in their progress about the city.

Polonnaruwa Gal Viharaya

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he commissioner of the archeological survey of Ceylon in 1907 wrote in his annual report that " this rock-hewn shrine, the rock temple is the most impressive antiquity far excellence to be seen in the island of Ceylon, and possibly not rivaled throughout the continent of India, amazed at the sight of the shrine, he then went on to describe the sight in a poetical essay.

The line of gigantic figures carved from the grey rock which forms their background, calm immovable, majestic, and amid the hush of the surrounding forest, gazing ever fixedly into space with the persiveness of profound meditation, or wrapped in eternal slumber, must inspire in the thoughtful beholder wonder and admiration, mingled with an instinctive sense of silent awe. The irresistible charm & sublimity of the “Gal Vihara" could not but appeal forcibly to the few observant visitors who, for the last century, have chanced to view it in its peaceful wooded seclusion untouched by axe & spade.

As we know, it was lt. Fagan in 1820 that who found his way to Polonnaruwa & pushed the exploration of the jungle- buried ruins as far north as the Gal Vihara. He wrote a description of what he saw there and concluded by saying " I may have over looked many interesting points in this great monument of superstition nearly dark and I was obliged to return to Topary (Topaveva) twenty years later, in 1841 major fobs included a description of the Gal Vihara in his book & some fourteen years later, in 1855, sir Samuel baker visited this rock temple.

Sir Emerson Tennet too high lightened the Gal Vihara in 1861 and so did J.W Birch, Lt. R.W Stewart in 1868 who first photographed the Gal Vihara ruins. All these early references are important to us to study this unique monument. To this list of eminent men could be added names such as H.C.P Bell, R Ayton & Senarath Paranawithana.

The rock is 56 yards in length & falls away gradually at each end. Its face is cut back nearly 15ft. For the sculpturing of the three images & as much as 17ft to provide the cave shrine for the sedan Buddha. The most southerly of the figures is the seated in “veer asana". It is on a throne decorated with lions & thunder bolts, and behind the head of Buddha is the halo or the " prabhamandala". This statue is in the vijjadharaguha. As seen today by the remaining brick walls, there was only one rock carved cave and three brick vaulted image house. The disputed so called Anandha statue is not mentioned in the chronicle though it is separated from the recumbent Buddha. The seated Buddha image in the vijjadharaguha has an ornamental arch the surrounds the figure, with small Buddha figures in the niches. The makaras or mythical dragons which project from the arch hold lion in their mouths. All these features go to indicate that it was meant for the recitation of magical verses of Tantric Buddhism. The statue was originally painted. It measures 15ft 2.5 in from the asanaya to ushnisha.

The next one inside the Nisinnapatimaguha is carved out of solid rock. The Buddha is depicted as seated on a throne under a parasol and flanked by attendants bearing flywhisks. Above are the statues of the god Brahma, to the right of the Buddha and Vishnu on the left showing that the Buddha is devatideva or above all gods. Traces of wall- paintings are seen clearly on the walls of the cave. Next to this cave is the famous rock inscription of parakramabahu recording the convening of Buddhist council by the king & the establishment or rulers for the good conduct of the monks.

The next sculpture, a most controversial figure believed to be either Anandha or Buddha. However, the fact remains that this statue was not mentioned in the chronicle as one built by king Parakramabahu. He built only three caves to house three different Buddha statues, two sedans & one in recumbent attitude. Then what is this 23 feet high standing statue. It is quite possible that this statue was a later addition to the group as there was space for another, especially for a missing attitude of the Buddha, and that is the standing figure. That vacuum is now filled by someone whom we cannot indentify. Statistically this statue also belongs in some degree to the same period.

The brick foundation also provides ample evidence to show that this separate cave which we can name as " utthitapatimaguha" , the cave with the standing images, was a later addition filling a void mainly the " standing posture". It is one of the three common postures found in Sri Lanka. The other being the “walking attitude" which is called the sankamana, & not found here.

According to popular belief, however, this image is thought to represent Anandha, the chief disciple of Buddha sorrowing at the death of the master whose statue is shown in the lying posture adjoining the present image. This belief is no more accepted. The statue on a lotus pedestal & hair in ringlets no doubt represents Buddha.

Taken this statue as the image of the Buddha, there are two theories with regards the mudras or gestures depicted by the hands. Paranavithana was of the opinion that is represents the Buddha as paradukkha-dukkhita meaning he who is sorrowing for the sorrow of others. The latest theory put forward by prematilleke is that it represents the Buddha in the second week after attaining buddhahood by paying his respect to the Bodhi tree. Therefore the Bodhi tree planted there by the custodians of the cultural triangle project to remind us that incident. While the present author completely disagrees with the second theory, he also disagrees with the first where paranavithana speaks of a sorrowing Buddha. Actually Buddha did not weep or lament over the sorrow of others. That is not in keeping with the Buddha nature. The present author believes that this, Buddha image depicts the great compassion or " Maha karunawa" of the Buddha towards world beings.

The immense figure lying next to this in a lying posture in the Nipannapatima lena(cave) is forty feet long and depicts the final passing away of the Buddha. The left foot of the Buddha rests on the right & is slightly drawn back. The feet too like the head rest on a cushion & the soles are ornamented with the lotus flower.

The centre of the cushion on which the head of the Buddha rests is decorated with the kirtimukha or face of the lion. This image house had its own separated entrance & two windows in addition. The liquid flow of the robes over the body & the calm expression of the face are beautifully interpreted.

Lankathilaka

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he image house lankathilaka, in polonnaruwa, the beauty spot of lanka as the name suggests was built by king Parakramabahu, (1153-1186) lying on the South of Kiri Vehera with a huge standing Buddha statue with a height of forty one feet. But, only its torso now stands. This Buddha statue is set against a screen wall. A narrow passage appears just there. The lankathilaka inner shrine measures 26 feet in length by 13ft 6 on breadth. On either side of the passage, the floor has been raised to a height of 2ft 4 in and on these raised aisles have been planted stone pillars, square in section with capitals. On each side are 17 free standing pillars which must have supported the upper storey, a wooden construction.

 It is from the vestibule that two flights of stairs lead up, north & south, to the upper floor. The lankathilaka image house is ornamented with relief of buildings in the niches. The facades are ornamented with geese & leogriphs. The chronicle describes the appearance of the building & says that it was a charming images house of five storey adorned with ornaments of flowers & creepers, and with figures of gods & brahmas and embellished with buildings, turrets, grottoes, apartments & halls, space  was provided by the architects to view the Buddha image without any interruption from the main entrance a feature that gives a majestic appearance to the lankathilaka image house is the two polygonal piers which flank the main entrance. Though the preserved fragment of the present piers is 58 ft each in height, the original must have been nearly double. The exterior walls are articulated by four fictitious strays separated by strongly moulded cornices & divided by pilasters in to decorative panels ornamented by representation of pavilions, all delicately sculpted in brick with a fine coating of stucco.

The brick built image house of lankathilaka with the standing Buddha images also image also made out of brick was built by king parakramabahu probably on a site of an earlier temple. In front of the lankathilaka is a pillared “mandapa” on a stylobate 36ft 6 in squre from which bays 18ft 6 in by a ft. were thrown out on all four sides. There are 40 stone pillars & they are chastely carved.

An inscription on the inner side wall of the south balustrade of the image house record that this monument was repaired later by king vijayabahu iv between 1270-1272 AD.

Galle Light House

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alle Light house (also known as Pointe de Galle Light) located at the Galle fort is an onshore Lighthouse in Galle and one of the 14 remaining light houses of Sri Lanka operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. In fact the Galle fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.

The glorious Galle fort was firstly built by Portuguese in 1588. Remarkably it had been marked in the Ptolamy’s world map designed around 125-150 A.D. At that time this fort placed in Galle bay, was a quite busy port. The fort was fortified by Dutch in 17th century. Usually it was visited by Chinese, Greeks, Arabs and Indians for business and commercial trading purposes. The light house is erected 7 m above from the road.

The light station is within the walls of the ancient Galle Fort, a UNESCO world heritage site and well known tourist attraction. The lighthouse is strategically located at the southern end of the promontory, built approximately 6 metres (20 ft) above the road level on the ramparts, at what is known as the Point Utrecht Bastion, giving it full view of any ships entering Galle Harbour.

This is Sri Lanka's oldest light station dating back to 1848, but the original 24.5 meters (80 ft) high lighthouse built by the British was located about 100 metres (330 ft) from the current site, however it was destroyed by fire in 1934. The existing 26.5 metres (87 ft) high light house was erected here in 1939. The original light was furnished with a glass prism lens floating in a bath of mercury (to reduce friction) and was powered by a weight driven machine.

Presently it is maintained by Mr. Sarathchandra. It is known as the oldest light house in Sri Lanka. The light house was firstly built in 1848, but it was burnt in 1936. The appearing tower was built in 1940.This landmark is almost crowded with local and foreign travelers. The lights are operated through a computerized system. The foremost light at the top of the light house switches off in every morning and switches on at night.

As indicated above this round shaped construction was built in 1939 and completed in 1940. It is 26.5 m in height and 47 m in range. This offshore at Galle fort is operated by Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Fantastic view of the Indian Ocean is appeared besides with the light house. Due to Sea breeze and sea waves, your cumbersome will be vanished. Subsequently it can be known as a relaxing spot.

Local kids who are engaged with flying kites and playing cricket is a frequent view here. Locals prefer to have sea baths while playing an enjoying their weekend holidays. While walking on ancient erected ramparts you can enjoy the sunset at evenings. Remember that the Light house is not allowed to be climbed. So have fun at outside views.

Areca nut & Betel Leaf

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he Areca nut is the most graceful & delicate of the Sri Lankan palms. It rises to a height of fifteen to twenty meters, with a smooth, slender trunk which is green towards the top and sustains a crown of feathery foliage in the midst of which are clustered the small, soon nuts for whose sake it is so carefully tended.

The chewing of the Areca nut with lime & a betel leaf provides the people of Sri Lanka with the same enjoyment afforded by tobacco the inhabitants of other countries. However, like tobacco, the habit his dwindling. The origins of the custom probably lie in some sense of utility. The “Chew” unconsciously provides a perfect prescription compounded to give the practical combination of antacid, tonic & carminative.

The Betel Leaf

The Sinhalese first made contact with the west, in the shape of the Portuguese soldiers who arrived in 1505; they reported to the king of “kotte” that the Portuguese drank blood. This was actually the red wine, which Portuguese consumed in great measure. Western observes the Sinhalese referred to their habit of chewing s green leaf which made their mouths bleed. The so-called blood was the deep red coloring which results when betel leaf and areca nut are chewed.

Betel chewing is common to many Asian countries, but nowhere is the betel leaf so involved in the life of the people as in Sri Lanka. It is prominent in every major event in the life of a Sri Lankan and at all social functions. A sheaf of betel is a must when a guest is invited to a wedding or another important occasion.

Children give it to their elders at the New Year. People forget their past difference with a gift of betel. When an arranged marriage takes place, he prospective groom identifies his bride to be at her house by the tray of betel she carries to offer to guests a sheaf of betel leaves is also a necessary gift when consulting a physician, a Buddhist monk or an astrologer. As a sign of plenty, betel leaves are placed on the nuptial throne or poruwa. At Sri Lankan wedding, together with rice & coconut. Sorrow is also show with betel. The announcement of a funeral requires the sheaf of betel to be offered with the leaves turned down.

Most Sri Lankan homes have a hand crafted betel tray of brass, known as the “heppuwa”, for special occasions.  Outside the main cities, a full tray of betel is standard in every home to provide a chew for anyone who passes by. A chew of betel comprises of betel leaf in which is wrapped some pieces of Areca nut, coften but wrongly, called betel nut, a little slaked lime & some tobacco leaf. The mixture makes the mouth red and the breath fresh &, to the novice, it is heady. In olden times, women chewed betel to make their lips red.

Betel is also not surprisingly, part of the ayurvedic (traditional medicine of Sri Lanka) pharmacopoeia. A warm betel leaf is used to soothe aches away. Often, medicinal oils are applied with the betel leaf, which is also included in many medicines.

Hammenhiel

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ammenhiel was regarded as the key to Jaffna. This island stronghold guards the western entrance to the Jaffna lagoon. The fort was built by the Portuguese in the mid 17^th century & extensively altered and strengthened by the Dutch who specified that the garrison should be manned by thirty Dutch soldiers & none other.

The fort surrendered to the British in 1795, without offering any resistance. It was then used as a jail & hospital; during World War II. It became an air-sea rescue station. More recently it was used as a public health isolation station for immigrants from India. The fort is now the property of the department of archaeology

Nelson says, “it is an extremely attractive looking little fort with its white stone, red roofs, green trees & sun lightning of the sea. It is also in s particularly good state of repair.” Van Diessen: in March 1986 it was an excellent condition; at that time it was not being used.”

Heydt, 1764 describes it thus, “the fort itself looks very well, although it is not very large, and in its longest diagonal line has not much over about 80 meters. It has fine walls, made of good freestones and a pretty gate way on which a little tower of masonry is erected, with a bell, the ware house is not only well built… but it is two storey high, and can be well seen in spite of the height of the walls. Although there would be room enough in the fort, yet the folk have their kitchen in front of the gate way”. It is only to be regretted that no trees grow on this island.

This fort has only a small garrison. It can sweep with its guns effectively the two small arms up to the island, and no vessel may dare to sail through, without the risk of being sunk.

Steiger’s delightful drawings show us two different views of Hammenhiel. The first depicts the fort when approached by sea form a westerly direction. The palm-fringed shores of the two islands Karaitivu & Velanai (Kayts) are seen on the left and right respectively; the Jaffna lagoons is seen it the distance.

The second view shows the fort from the southeast. The arched entrance gate, over three meters in height, in clearly depicted as too the small jetty & the little out buildings to which Heydt refer as the fort’s kitchen.

The views together show all eight sides of the fort with the gun embrasures and the sentry towers. Except for the roofs of the two buildings within, which are now of different shapes, and all the bell-arch above the gate which in no longer there, the drawings show Hammenhiel exactly as it is today.

Ancient Dhowa Cave Temple Ella Bandarawela

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howa rock Temple is one of the great heritage showing temple  in Sri Lanka. The temple situated in Uva province. Dhowa is a beautiful small village which is situated on Badulla, Bandarawela main road. Previously it was known as kumbaltispaha Ariyagala viharaya. It was the name given by the instructor who got initiated to build this temple on behalf of a huge Cave.

This temple is thought to be done by King Walagamba in the in first century BC. This is one of the many temples built by the king while taking refuge in the Uva province after an Indian invasion. King Walagamba had so many hiding places to get protection from enemies. Some believe that the Dowa Rock temple is also such a place that used by King Walagamba.

The temple has gain popularity mainly due to its massive 38 feet uncompleted Buddha Statue carved in the granite rock; it can be identified as Mahayana iconography. But this temple also hides some secrets that time has forgotten. King walagamba was unable to complete the construction of the temple. Therefore it was completed during the Kandyan kingdom. Reference sources reveal that the statue was carved by King Walagamba himself while hiding in the temple. Unfortunately he had to leave the place remaining a half completed sculpture.

Passing through the ornamental gateway you will find a newly built stupa. is stupa is the on the same level as the road and it is the only indication of a temple to a traveler on the road. Further a sacred Bo tree and a natural water pond are located in front of the Vihara Geya. The Gal Vihara Geya or the image house is also adorned inside a rock cave.

The Image house built inside the cave is full of colourful murals and Buddha Images and consist of 3 chambers  with kandyn style. The cave constitutes of 28 buddha statues, Samadhi Buddha statue, God statues and paintings On the sides of the main entrance to the image house is two guardians, one with a elephant in its mouth and the other with a bull in its mouth. It is said to be they are Watuka and Kuvera, two Rakshasa tribal leaders, guarding the entrance to the shrine room. The door frame of the Image House in the temple is made out of solid rock and has a inscription to say it was built in 1880. The outer most chamber is filled with murals from the Kandyan Era. Entrance to the second chamber is decorated with a elaborated Makara Thorana . In the second chamber is a row of Buddha images along with paintings.

At the rear of the image house is a small stupa inside a cave. Behind this stupa, inside the cave is a tunnel called the Ravana Guhawa guarded by a figure of a Clay King Cobra. Eventually this secret tunnel, a kingdom of bats, was supposed to be used by king walgamba to escape. No one has got the permission to enter the tunnel .This 11 km long tunnel is said to be connecting the Ravana Maha Viharaya at Ella and the Bogoda Raja Maha Viharaya. But unfortunately this tunnel entrance has been sealed off with cement by the temple due to various vandalism acts by treasure hunters. It said that the king walagamba disappeared from the area overnight using the the tunnels and thus the working on the Buddha Statue was abruptly stopped.

On the way you will get feelings of peace and tranquility when visiting the Dowa temple. Even today the ending point of the tunnel is unknown. Due to the folktale’s hided among the people, believe that the tunnel is being guarded by a huge snake. The 38 feet Buddha statue and the beautiful gateway to the temple are the most valuable attractions of the temple. Hence a beautiful river was flown near the temple. But today the river has turned into a stream due to the lack of water resources.

Mannar

The district of mannar is rich in legend and history. The “Mahavamsa” records that Vijaya, the legendary paterfamilias of the Sinhala race, landed north to Mannar in the ancient port of Mahatittha, now called Mantai. It was here, as recounted in the Ramayana epic , the Hanuman, the monkey god, crossed over Adam’s bridge from India to rescue Sita, the wife of Rama, who had been abducted by the king Ravana.

Mannar Island, on the west coast south of the Jaffna peninsula, reaches out across the Palk Strait towards India. It is connected to the mainland by a railway bridge & causeway two miles along. About twenty kilometers away, near the western most tip of Mannar Island is the town of Talai Mannar, which literally means the “Head of Mannar” a ferry service operates from here to the island of Rameswaram on the Indian coast. West Talai Mannar, a series of reefs and rocks forms a ridge called Adam’s Bridge. This extends to Rameswaram. Mannar fort stands on the eastern tip of the Island shore, overlooking the narrow stretch of water which separates it from the mainland.

Remarkable features of the town are the huge baobab trees, natives if Africans & Madagascar doubtless brought over by Arab traders centuries ago. The emblem in the coast of arms of the Mannar district is represented by the Indian Madder. It is called “saya” in the Sinhalese and “Chaya” in Tamil. The plants grow mostly as a weed to a highest of 10-25 centimeters. It is the roots which produce the bright red dye that formed a source of revenue widely used for dyeing cloth & also in temple painting. Heydt writes, “There Handkerchiefs which are made here are prized and esteemed before all others because of their lovely & very fast red color Baladaeus writes, Mannar is in length a good fire hours walk or so, and two in breath. In front of the fort, there runs a canal which admits the navigation of small light crafts drawing three, four & five feet of water, these vessels sailing to jaffnapatam. The fort was considerably improved in our time, with a deep, wide and fine trench and in every respect rendered more defensible.

There are on this isle seven churches, one in each of the principal villages, the main one being the town church, next come Toppaveli, Karikal, Erukkalam Piddi,Pieter’s Kers, in the fishers quarters, pesalai & Talai Mannar being the furthest list of the strand.

This isle was famous in former times for its pearl fishery. The island is productive of an abundance of fish which the inhabitants not only use for their own sustenance but also known how to drag it for exportation to other places. There is here a species of fish which could be given no better name than “ Sea-Calf” it is amphibious, and when well dressed for food, surpass the steur in Hollant, and the person partaking of them might well believed that he is feasting on goodveal.