This was a long pending trip in my list. Initially we have planned to explore Kandy area by spending 3 days. Unfortunately it was continuous drizzling throughout the day. Hence we decided to leave Kandy on the second day to Anuradhapura. This report contain only Kandy visit.

Lankathilake Viharaya

Built by – Minister Senadilankara of King Buwanekabahu IV of Gampola (AD 1344 – 1354)
Architecture – South Indian
Painting – Kandyan era
Designer / Artist – Sthapathirayar

Lankathilak Viharaya

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Degaldoruwa Viharaya

Built by                   – King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandy (AD 1747 – 1782)

Completed by        – King Rajadhirajasinghe of Kandy (AD 1782 – 1798)

Artists                    – Devendra Malachari (Chief Artist), Dawaragampola Unnanse, Hiriyala Naide and Nilagama Patabandi

Painting                  – Kandyan era

Moon Stone

Shrine room

Vessanthara Jathakaya

Suthsoma Jathakaya

Gal Maduwa

Uncompleted building

Construction started by       – King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandy

Architecture                          – Hindu style

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Dalada Maligawa

Built by                             – Many Kings

Completed by                    – King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe of Kandy (AD 1798 – 1815)

Designer of Paththirippuwa   – Devendra Malachari

Paintings                            – Kandyan Era

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Embekke Devalaye

Built by – King Wickramabahu III of Gampola (AD 1357 – 1374)

“Vahalkada Mandapaya”

“Digge” Dancing Hall

Madol Kurupawa

“Pekada” top of the pillars

There are 64 Pekada wood cavings

Different Pekada designs

Different Pekada designs

Ancient door with wooden hinges & beautiful brass ironmongery

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There are 128 wood caving in the column sides (32 columns x 4 Sides)

Animals

Lion	Lion & Elephant

Lion

Swan

Designs

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Imaginary Animals

Sharapendiya

Berunda

Gajasingha

Eth kanda lihiniya

Human – Actions

Horse rider (Portuguese

Wrestlers

Sri Lankan – solider

Dancing girls

Human – Imaginary

Mermaid

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Liya thambara

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Thank you.

Waterfalls have played a major part in my life in 2014. I’ve been going all over the up country searching for pristine white beauties with many of my friends and the hunting was a runaway success. As the rainy season shifted from South-West to North-East, that had been long overdue, I too decided to shift my focus from hill country to somewhere else. This was not because I’d lost interest in my beloved waterfalls, but just wanted to have a change of scene. However very little did I know even though I wanted a change of scene from hill country, I’d end up yet another hilly place.

Staying at home, doing nothing in my weekend can depress me to no end. It’ll further increase when the darn weekend falls on a weekday. There’s a limit that I can sleep so when I knew I was in for yet another useless two days of weekend, I wanted to scream my head off. Amid all the confusion I browsed Lakdasun looking for somewhere to go and I hit the jackpot after a few tries. Ritigala has always been a mystery to me as much as to anyone else. So the need to go see was like a sleeping lion in me, or rather a semi-active volcano, bubbling inside trying to burst the outer crust.

Having failed to find a mate for this hastily arranged journey, I decided to do another solo stunt. Thinking back, I’ve only done 2 solo stunts before out of all the journeys. So this came as the third and I hope it’ll be the last as travelling alone is such a bore. There’s no one to talk to and make plans, it can also be a pain having to satisfy the curious people who are only interested in getting information from me, not giving the information to me.

So thankfully I got a very useful contact number from Ashan and called Dayarathna (Daya for his close friends) who was very cheerful and helpful. However, he said that the rains have started their sing-song and for me to be ready. Well, what on earth was there to be ready other than either call the whole thing off or go get soaked to the bones? I went home on the 18^th evening, still undecided whether to go ahead or not. Around 8pm, I was beginning to sweat profusely and had begun to feel feverish too. These symptoms had only one cure, to cut lose and go somewhere.

Day 01

Having called Daya, I got ready to go and slept fitfully till 4am. Getting up, I saw plenty of mist hanging around in the air and on tree tops. I washed my face quickly to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming or I wasn’t in Nuwara Eliya. This was the sign of the Winter had arrived and the chill sent shivers down my spine. I got ready and reached the Fort Station around 5.15am, way too early for the 6.05am train. It was the Udaya Devi Train that runs to Batticaloa. Even though, Podi Menike has been my favorite train to date, not so after the name used on those S-12 Chinese power sets, Udaya Devi took a very good impression on me immediately. Powered by M8 engine, a clone of former Canadian Engine, built in India she had those newly acquired blue and white stripped wagons giving it a matching color combination of the dark blue engine.

During my wait amid less crowded Fort Station unlike on weekends, there was the newly introduced AC Express train to Jaffna that leaves Fort at 5.50am. Finally Udaya Devi reached the number 4 platform in her majestic style and waited for her passengers to get on board. The 2^nd class was not at all crowded giving a wider array of seats. It actually made most people go haywire as they simply couldn’t make up their minds about where to sit. They kept hopping from one to the other and then realizing the former was better than the current one, and then going and sitting somewhere else.

It was so fun to watch this drama unfolding and the sun had a tough time penetrating the thick layer of clouds. The seats however were too straight for my liking; it makes you sit upright right throughout the journey with no option to angle it back even slightly. This is the only thing I didn’t like about the train and it was a big mistake by the designers. At the chime of 6.05am, she pulled out of the station sending a jolt through my bones.

Away she went passing the smoky and stinking Colombo suburbs, adding more poisonous black smoke to already over smoked city sky. Reaching the wetlands and swamps in around Ragama and then towards Gampaha in the wee hours was a treat for the eye and the mind. The mist had come in full force the previous night covering the lush green marshlands and paddy fields with her white cloth. I felt so cold when the train went cutting through the morning mist that had hung across the railway line. This was a journey to treasure. The trees stood in the distance amid paddy fields and wetlands covered in mist giving it a ghostly impression. Something you usually experience in Nuwara Eliya, the pine trees covered in mist. If it wasn’t for the paddy field and stretches of open marshy lands, one could’ve easily mistaken the surrounding to be Nuwara Eliya.

Tour Highlights: 

1. Awkana Buddha Statue
2. Kala Wewa
3. Vijithapura RMV
4. Ritigala Archaeological Remains and Una Kanda
5. Andiyakanda Hermitage

The train journey was nice and smooth and I had the carriage pretty much for myself. What irritated me somewhat was Udaya Devi retouching her make up at Maho Junction. She kept looking at herself this way and that way still not satisfied, finally when she managed to make up her mind about her look, we were late by more than half hour. My plans nearly were shot to hell. From Maho, it’s the thick forest and isolated villages the train runs through. It’s very sad to know this is the most evil track for elephants in SL. Hundreds of jumbos have sacrificed their lives for the Iron Monster between Maho and Batticaloa despite various unsuccessful measures taken by our authorities.

The time table from 5.40am (Click image to enlarge)

@ Maho

Having a bath

Changing the sides

Overseeing the operation

The rainy clouds in the distance

Curious

Awkana Buddha Statue

Finally, after 4.5 hrs of travelling, I was on the platform at Aukana looking left and right feeling completely lost. I reached the main road (Galnewa-Kekirawa) and found a tuk-tuk and headed towards the statue while the laden skies decided to unburden themselves. It was pouring with rain by the time I reached the temple and had no umbrella to go up to the statue. Thankfully, Niroshan, the tuk-tuk driver had a jacket which he lent me. Using that I managed to reach the temple and keeping my cap as a cover for my camera (thanking my wisdom for sticking with point-n-shoot not with mortar-sized SLR), went towards this beautifully carved Buddha Statue.

I was stopped in my tracks, the rain was pouring over my exposed head, the cap was getting soaked leaking water onto the camera but I was frozen at the sight of this majestic creation. The police officer and another fella kept firing questions at me and they all fell on deaf ears as I was too busy admiring this gigantic and sensational rocky statue. This was a master piece created by the best artists at that time. Every nook and corner with carved with such precision and smoothness, I felt awed by simply looking up the serene looking Buddha.

It’s said and believed a drop of rainwater, detaching itself from the tip of the nose of the statue, would drop in perpendicular into the small depression (providing there’s no wind) carved between the big toes of the statue. It shows the sheer skill and accuracy in those days. I felt proud of our ancestors but sadly can’t say the same thing now. When the rain was too much for me to stay closer, I borrowed an umbrella from one of the tourists and went and took some more pics.

They’re planning to build a roof covering the statue in order to protect it from winds, rain and piercing sun. Whether this will pay dividends is yet to be seen. Having worshipped and said my prayers I left donating a small amount to the foundation and got back in the tuk-tuk in search of Vijithapura RMV.

Good bye Udaya Devi

Here I am

Majestic looking Buddha

Closer

The Stupa near the statue

The plaque symbolizing the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with then President J. R. Jayawardena back in 1981

Simply unbelievable craftsmanship

Side view

Raining very hard

Can’t believe this is done out of rock

Upper part

And the lower, would be a sight to see bathed in flood lights

Very old

Kala Wewa and Vijithapura RMV

The sky was heavily pregnant with water and looked at me gloomily. I stopped on the bund of this mighty creature pondering of King Dathusena who had built many tanks and canals. Unfortunately, his fate was sealed at the Kala Wewa itself when his son, gone insane killed him by burying him alive on the bund of this tank.

My next stop was Vijithapura RMV, a temple believed to have been built by King Dutugemunu after defeating Elara. Vijithapura is supposed to be the great battlefield where King Dutugemunu re-united the country defeating South Indian invaders. The rains had eased by the time I got off the tuk-tuk and went in, having paid Rs. 400/- for Niroshan for his troubles. The Stupa is something I hadn’t seen anywhere before with a uniquely design structure. I’ll let the pics do the explaining. There were many remains of ancient civilizations.

Out of all the historical remains, the “Kadu Ge Gala” (The rock where the swords were sharpened) is the main highlight. It’s believed this was used to sharpen the swords by King Dutugemunu and his soldiers. The rock itself is showing so much erosion in the middle proving it was very heavily used. Bidding farewell to this historic place I got into a bus and reached Kekirawa in the middle of yet another heavy shower.

Kala Wewa

Water levels increasing

One of the many sluice gates for canals

Isolated

At the temple

Majestic

With the thousands of years old stone pillars

One of the beautiful Stupa’s I’ve seen

The top of it

Famous Rock where the swords were sharpened

Showing heavy use, that sword is not a real one

You know what these are

Some more

Another

The main image house but not open at the time, thanks to treasure hunters

The steps to the Stupa

On the left

And the right

The full package

Towards the top, this looks like a king worshipping but the head is broken

Seeking some warmth

Remains

Foundation of a former complex

Another

Mmm, mouth watering

Scattered across

Fully stone

The official logo of the Department of Irrigation nowadays

Many more across the road too

Keeriyagaswewa, Ritigala

Daya was waiting for at Kekirawa and after a hasty lunch, we wanted to the go see some more archaeological remains in a place called Divulwewa but the intermittent showers made the decision for us. Having abandoned our plans, we reached his house in Keeriyagaswewa, right in front of Ritigala Visitor Centre and settled for the night.

The jumbos usually roam around the area at will but I wasn’t lucky enough to see any. However I took the opportunity to roam about the Ritigala Visitor Centre and take some pics. Then it was time to call it a day and go to sleep. So after a wash and a heavy dinner I was fast asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. It was a very good night with no troubles from jumbos and I slept without a dream till 6am.

Note: Before I get up, just wanna keep you guys in the loop about another blunder by the officials. They had started a project very much similar to Udawalawa Ath Athuru Sewana called “Ritigala Ath Athuru Sewana” and was open to the public. Having spent millions of public money for this, now they’d simply abandoned the whole thing and giving away the remaining baby elephants to places even the wildlife officials have no clue.

So this is yet another blunder by the officials and I guess mainly the politicians. I also received some inside information from someone who likes to remain anonymous that the number of baby elephants that were stolen in the recent past is well over 100. This is very reliable information coming directly from the people who know it for a fact. Just imagine the plight of those poor fellows having no freedom and separated from the warmth of their mothers and care of the families.

Instead they are kept as a symbol of status by those who can pay large sums in either bribes or illegally to those corrupt officials and politicians. Unfortunately many tourists, especially the foreigners, get misled by these boards which are located at Kekirawa Town, Galapitagala Turn off and near the premises too. Someone has written on the board close to the premises with some paint “Wasa Atha” or “Closed” trying in vain to keep the tourists informed about it not functioning anymore.

Buildings of visitor center

The range

Kodi Gala

Rest of the range

Only the boards

Causeway aka Shoe Bridge

Against the dark sky

Huge mushroom

The full package

The old board

Built in 2008

Open to the public

Either side of the entrance

The other

The pathway

Higher up

The summit over the roof

Do this please

Interior

Towards the cafeteria

The prison is around the corner

A big complex

Like walking through a jungle. Reminds of a theme park in Malaysia or Singapore?

The icing in the distant

Can’t get enough of it

Colorful fella

Water dripping off

Some more

Day 02

Nothing beats a good night’s sleep which was exactly I had last night making me feel nice and fresh in the morning. The wildlife kept making various kinda noises throughout adding flavor to the music industry. I had big plans for the day and hurriedly got dressed and was about by 6.30am while the sun was fighting a fierce battle with the clouds. The clouds were not in the mood to give in and instead gathered so thickly covering the tip of Ritigala as if icing on a cake.

With Daya, I went to see the Keeriyagaswewa Tank in the hope of seeing a jumbo but the Nuwara Eliya-esque climate kept them hidden deep in the jungle, probably still snoring loudly. Unfortunately, the renovated tank in 2008, now in a very bad shape as there hasn’t been any maintenance. We saw some foot marks of the elephants and had to be content with that. The Rigitala Range with 7 peaks was covered in mist and were looking absolutely breath-taking in the morning.

It was time to have an early breakfast and Daya got one of his cuisine brothers, Thissa to accompany me to Ritigala. Thissa is a very good fellow with loads of knowledge about Ritigala and its historical value. He claims that he’s visited Ritigala more than 100 times covering most of its area. After talking to him, I came to believe that he knows what he was talking about. So time to go see the Majestic and Tranquil Kingdom of Ritigala.

Daya and Son

Posing shyly

The path towards the Archaeological Site

Keeriyagaswewa Tank

The right plank of mighty Ritigala

One of the peaks

This is the left plank

Very hard to get a clear pic…

Busy early morning despite being so old

Pinkies up in the morning too

Some yellows too

Not edible, unfortunately

Daya’s son keeping an eye out

The last in the herd

He could drive this as good as any

Ritigala Archaeological Remains and Una Kanda

Facts on Ritigala in Pics:

Do check the information given at the Visitor Centre that I took on my lenses below. It helps to check the pics rather and reading them I guess. Then let’s go to the fairy tale bit.

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There’s 2km of muddy road till the archaeological site of Ritigala from the Visitor Centre. This has many pot holes and extremely slippery even after a slight drizzle. Low clearance vehicle such as a car will have a rough journey, so better to avoid going in one. Instead, you can walk this 2km along a nice and shady road or use your jeep, van or 4X4. If none of them suits you, hire Daya’s tuk-tuk from the Visitor Centre which I did.

The sky looked threatening and very dark; the picture became even gloomier inside the forest-covered road. We reached the archaeological site around 8am and obtained the permission to go see them from the officer on site. I felt it was a pity they didn’t charge anything to see them as anything given for free has very little value. Hope they will start charging to enter the site in future.

As soon as we entered the site, there were remains of what looked like a big tank and Thissa duly informed me that it is called “Panda Wewa”. There were these huge rocky slabs (must be about H x W x D = 4’ x 1’ x 0.5’) used as the outer wall making it a set of steps that lead to the tank gradually. I was immediately fascinated by the sheer ingenuity of this structure. These rocky slabs were placed so close to each other and they must’ve used some kinda very special cement mixture to keep them in place and retain the water without any leaks. I even heard that those days, they used bee-honey as well in those special cement mixtures.

Passing this, we kept going uphill along the well-paved 10-12ft wide rocky path. Similar kind of rocky slabs used to border the path wile even wider ones were used along the path placing them closer to each other making a nice path with steps where necessary and resting places too. I was lost for words and was staring at these wonderful creations as if they were talking to me. I was hypnotized by the ingenuity and creativity of our ancestors. Everywhere I looked, there was abundant evidence to the mastery of our former architectural skills.

Thissa gave a running commentary over the ruins telling me of their significance. I was a kid once again listening to a very interesting history lesson from his teacher. One such extraordinarily place was the remains of the ancient hospital. There were many rocky mills, where they used to grind medicine. The rocks looked heavily used over years of grinding and blending many different medicinal leaves, flowers and barks. There were a couple of medicinal boats in which the patients were submerged in medicinal liquids. To the center of the complex there was the place where the seriously injured were treated. A rocky bed was laid with a fascinating drainage system to remove the urine and bowels.

The whole mountain range was self-sufficient in every way. There were medicinal gardens, fruit gardens and tanks along with watch towers and their own hospital. This was a very modern living system created some thousands of years ago in this country that was beyond the wildest dreams of many others at the time.

At the archaeological remains

Some of them kept in front

Mud-walled Office

Here we go

Panda Tank

See how neatly it’s done

Path

Very big

Scattered all around

Shady path but no sun to disturb us

Circling around these obstacles

Going up

Beginning of the mile long rocky stairway

Climbing all the while

Resting places

Just can’t get enough of these

Rounding paths

Goes on

A huge complex

Must’ve been a grand construction in the past

The ancient hospital

Remains

Where they blended the medicine

Medicinal boats

Where the severely injured was treated

Drains

Sandy path

Many more to see

To another level

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Amid the trees

Never ending

Almost 150-200m long this direct stretch

Not explored properly yet

Gigantic trees

To the watch tower

Closer

Here it is

Going up

The solidly built walls

View not clear due to gloominess

This is believed to be the pillow used by the guards to rest. Just imagine having to rest on a rocky pillow this big, the guard must’ve been so big

From the watch tower

Much much more

Higher ground

More resting places

Another of buildings

Looks very well planned

Must be the most artistic commode

Framed

This is a meditating chamber

Time to go see the Bamboo Mountain

Passing all these we went further up. Our target was to reach one of the seven summits of Ritigala called Una Kanda. Others are Andiya Kanda, Awshadha Kanda, Amarapathi Kanda, Na Ulpath Kanda, Palathuru Kanda and Kodi Kanda. Out of these, Kodi Kanda aka Kodi Gala is the highest summit point with a height of 766m.

The forest was so dense and there was no sunlight, though there was very little of it, coming through the thick tree cover. Led by Thissa we started the ascent amid a moderate trail uphill. There were a few snakes that went across the path at intervals sending fear through the ears. However, Thissa was unfazed by any of that and kept climbing. It was tough going and the humidity was unbearable despite it being so cold the previous night and early morning.

Closer to the viewing points, the going became a bit treacherous as the terrain was soaked in rain and all the rocks were as slippery as an eel’s back. Finally, with a lot of going around and hanging dearly for tree branches, we were at the viewing point but the dark umbrella overhead didn’t help the visibility at all. The Kodi Gala, highest point of Ritigala, rather the whole of North Central and Northern Province combined, was to our right covered by the mist. While thick grey clouds were going overhead towards Minneriya, Dambulla and Matale.

The weather held all the time but now the rain was imminent, so without wasting any more time, having done a very quick documentary we started our descent while the rain started hammering the tree cover above us. I panicked big time but thankfully, the rain gods took pity on us as they sent it farther away after a short burst. We made to the office where Daya was waiting patiently for us. It was time to go see the last of the tour highlights, Andiyakanda Hermitage.

Some more mammoth trees

Mushy mushrooms

Artistic

Just look at the path

Now the thick forest

Goes up around these

Colorful

Wasps’ nest

Full of snakes too

Twisting

Towards Habarana, Minneriya and Pollonnaruwa

Kodi Kanda covered in mist

Thissa giving a running commentary

Where we went in the middle

Zoomed

Got back

Daya must be waiting

Majestic and Mysterious Ritigala

Andiyakanda Hermitage

This is located about 2km from the Ritigala Visitor Centre along Keeriyagaswewa-Galapitagala Road. You need to take a similar road to the Archaeological Site for about another 2km which is also not in good condition for a car. The road is among the forest and Daya kept a close watch for jumbos. I was yearning for them to appear but none of them did for my disappointment. Daya’s little son too came with us.

We could see the Andiyakanda in the middle of the mountain range. According to folklore, one old person had been told about a treasure at Andiyakanda and was specifically asked to take only a small amount. However the sheer greediness of the human nature took the better of him and he went inside the cave on the Andiyakanda for more and more treasure. Sounds like Ali Baba and 40 Thieves, doesn’t it? As a punishment for his greediness, once he was inside the cave, one huge rock had fallen barring the entrance trapping him inside.

Listening to all these fairy tales, we reached the hermitage which was so calm and quiet save for the wind rustling the leaves, birds, mainly peacocks, making different tunes and our feet crunching on the gravel. The monks were having their meals and without disturbing them, we went for a look see. There were many caves with drip ledges. The outer walls have now been built using bricks and cement making them protect from insects and other animals for the monks.

After a brief tour, we got back to the alms hall where the monks were doing the post-meal rituals. There was a tiny deer named “Bindu”. It had been wounded on the thigh and now receiving treatments from these monks. The chief monk was very kind and understandably even Bindu felt it as it kept running towards him whenever a stranger or some fearful noise was heard. After a short stay, we returned to the tuk-tuk and were on our way to the Galapitagala Junction. I then bid farewell to my hosts and got into a bus to Habarana from where I took a very fast bus to Colombo.

Our last destination

Finally the mist drifted off. Can see some Elephant poo on the road

Here’s the Andiya Kanda

Entering the Monastery

Do read this. (Click image to enlarge)

Water beginning to find new paths

Through the dense forest

The main alms hall

Going uphill

The Bo Tree is around the corner

Here it is

One of the modified caves. Note the drip-ledges

A close up of a drip-ledge

Choco and Creamy Mushroom

Backwards

Another similar cave

It’s believed the whole of Ritigala housed some 500+ Arhath Bhikkus during Aritta Thero’s era

Another drip-ledge but very special

Coz of these writings

Few more

Here’s Bindu

Can’t stand properly due to the injury

Seeking protection under the Saffron Robe

Compassion

Knows no harm will come to him

Here’s the wound being treated by the monks

Time to go

The stupidity of the officials

Check the couple of Panos I took:

Well, folks, that’s the fairy tale of this unbelievably beautiful and tranquil place. You’re bound to be awed by its history and the majestic craftsmanship of our ancestors.

Do pay a visit if you already haven’t done so. This is Sri signing off for now and hoping to see you once again with another journey…

Until then, be safe and keep travelling.

Adiós!

Sri…

The travelling frenzy started nice and proper when a gang of us (Tony, Hari, Dhana, Thilini, Harsha, Wumi, Prince and Me) got together and went to Bathalegala in Mar, 2013. Since then, for the last 20 months, it’s been travelling from one end to the other with scarcely a few breaks. The Lakdasun Gathering in Feb, 2014 triggered this as we met so many other like-minded travelers. We just had yet another on the 23 Nov at Muthurajawela doing something worthwhile for the nature cleaning up the polythene and plastic filled Hamilton Canal. Hopefully this too will form new friendships that will lead to more travelling and greater causes.

Something very similar happened to me as well in this gathering as I met one of the like-minded waterfall-crazy fellow (Shareez), who’s been in touch with me but never bumped into each other before. Fortunately for us, his annual leave coincided nicely with the gathering and we agreed to look each other up and probably do some waterfall hunting as the rains were falling freely. On a different note, it’s a real pity (as Atha keeps saying) that we ain’t got any waterfall closer to the heart of Colombo as the rainfall Colombo receives would create some beautiful and overflowing waterfalls.

Well, I’ll leave the details of the gathering for the time being as many of you must’ve heard what went on including all the mud-slinging campaigns too. It was really good to get together and share all the expertise, fun moments and much more with the fellow hikers. It was good to see Shareez and we planned to go see the waterfalls in Walapane including the evading Kurundu Oya Falls. I’d failed both of my previous attempts at visiting this 2^nd highest beauty but decided I was in with a good chance this time.

However, little did I know that I’m still not qualified to go see this girl as all our plans were shattered like a fallen egg on concrete? First of all, Tony Mama who was keen to get together with us damaged his finger trying to do I don’t know what and missed out at the eleventh hour. Then Sheham had other plans preventing us leaving our usual time, early in the morning.

Having called each other trying to work out something for the whole day Tue, 25 Nov I was ready to quit. However Shareez kept on and finally we decided to change plans and visit one of the beauties at Aranayake, Asupini Ella and providing we have enough time to go see some others as well. Fittingly, I rather we, had missed visiting Asupini Ella during our Bathalegala Journey and never got the chance to go see her after. So I jumped in at the opportunity and finally we decided to leave late and cover as much as we could within the short time available.

So on the 26 Nov, Sheham picked me around 7.30am and we struggled for nearly 2 hours zig-zagging through the over-crowded Colombo s

ts to reach Peliyagoda where Shareez was waiting for a good one hour or so. I was going crazy but there was nothing either Sheham or I could do. Finally we caught up with Shareez at Peliyagoda around 9.15am and went on towards our target.

Tour Highlights: 

1. Asupini Ella, Horawela.
2. Selawa Cave Temple, Aranayake.

Asupini Ella

Having driven along the ever-so-busy Kandy Road we reached Mawanella and turned towards Aranayake which is another 15km away. The whole sky looked grim and not a sign of sun appeared through that cloud cover. The whole day remained the same constantly dripping water through the holes in those clouds making life hell for us but enjoyable for the damning leeches.

We reached Aranayake and then took the road towards Horawela which goes direct without crossing the bridge on the left. This road goes passing Horawela and you’ll reach Naththakanda, about 4km from Aranayake. Just bear in mind this road is good for about 2-3km and afterwards it’s in very bad condition despite having occasional concrete patches at intervals.  So if you’re in a car or a low clearance vehicle, then you’re dead meat. Ideally stop the vehicle as close as you can get then either walk or take a tuk-tuk. I’ve given some good contacts at notes.

The unexpected occurred as we reached this terrible bit (we had no idea the road was too bad and we were in a Maruti which considerably higher compared to many in that class) when Sheham got a call asking him to return as his wife was not feeling well. We were in a dilemma whether to go back empty-handed or let Sheham go and do this by some other means.

I didn’t wanna turn around having come so close coz not being able to visit especially a waterfall going all the way is something that tastes bitter. It not only tastes bitter and it keeps nagging at me. Reluctantly, we decided to let Sheham go and Shareez and I walked up for another 1-1.5km along the road till we reached a sign board giving details about a Asupini Ella Village Project with half a dozen faces of politicians. The road forks into two here and you have to take the right turn that goes uphill.

Another 500m or so will take you to a stream that flows across the road. Pass this and you’ll come to a sharp right bend with a black wooden electricity pole on the left. On this about 6ft up is nailed a tiny board saying “To Ella” with an arrow. We were grateful for this and followed it. The path hasn’t been used recently, must be due to rain and was infested with leeches. We kept going uphill and Shareez who had had very little physical activities in this kind was ready to give up after a 1km or so.

“Sri, machan shall we go back?” was his words but I wasn’t ready to do that. I just left him there and did a quick recon ahead and found the path to be flat after a short hike. So encouraging him we reached the flat terrain and after another 400-500m came to a concrete-slab paved path. The falls was visible through the trees and we hurried and saw the viewing platform below. The concrete path runs for another 200m or so towards the top of the falls (you can’t get down to the top especially in rains) and we followed it.

Finally getting there and seeing the top of her was something that’ll remain in my mind forever. She was so beautiful, not overflowing even after all that rain, and looked very serene. The leeches nonetheless had different ideas as they kept coming wave after wave at us while we were enchanted by this beauty. We got back to where the viewing platform was and got down to it. This is a highly commendable job by whoever did this as it makes the life so much easier for the tourists to this remote falls.

Unfortunately, it’s now in a somewhat dilapidated state maybe due to the lack of maintenance and adverse weather. I felt some warm liquid running along both my feet and removing the shoes found nearly two dozen leeches hanging onto me merrily sucking what little blood I have. Removing them left some long trails of blood but I couldn’t bother with it much as the sheer beauty of Asupini Ella took hold of me.

She was similar to a Bo Leaf, especially the upper bit. Unfortunately from where we stood, there’s no chance to take a picture of the full package. We saw a damn built at the base of the falls diverting water to the light house we saw in our last journey. The water taking huge tunnel could also be seen while we were coming down the road towards Aranayake and probably we could reach the base along that tunnel providing the path is ok.

Having spent about half hour with this beauty and unplugged all the leeches we were ready to get back and face the second attack.

Initially we took the wrong turn but rewarded with this view

Young plants

Raksawa Mountain Range with Asupini Ella in the middle

The view was breath-taking despite gloomy skies

Closer view

There’s the beauty, very much like a Bo Leaf

Closer view

Further more to go, this is just before Sheham had to turn around

Take the right uphill road

The turn off to the footpath is just at the end

Here’s Shareez with the sign

Leech territory

Soaked mountains

Endless view

The path is somewhat better around here

Closer

Another sign

Where Shareez had had enough

Finally, the viewing platform is just below

Zoomed in

We went up the path looking for the top and found this on the way

The top

Closer

Plunging down

Back to the hut, Shareez going down

There she is

Lush greenery

Sweet white foam

View is mostly obscured by those trees

Closer

The top

Drops

Surrounding mountains

Wow

My dream shots…

Selawa Cave Temple

The time had gone past 3pm and we knew there was no hope to visit any other falls. While walking back we met a tuk-tuk (Ananda’s) and he agreed to take us back to Horawela. From there we got into Indika’s tuk-tuk and headed towards Selawa Cave Temple which was built by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe about 400 years ago.

This is located about 6km from Horawela and you need to cross the big bridge and take the right turn towards Horawela-Rahala Road. This is as soon as you cross the bridge at Horawela, to your right with a big sign board. As this road was being repaired, we took the Horawela-Hemmathagama (the left turn after the bridge) and took a cross road to join back with this road.

We reached the temple while the rain kept on. After a set of cement stairs we reached the main image house which was locked. There were some elderly people at the Sanghawasa watching us and we went to speak to them. After a short deliberation among themselves, they finally decided no harm will come to them by opening and showing us this majestic creation. Shareez looking like a foreigner also helped make up their mind. They were under that impression so deep when we spoke in Sinhala they had asked Indika how on earth this foreigner is speaking Sinhala for which Indika had replied after a few tours they might know the language. It had apparently satisfied their curiosity.

Until we were back on the road, even Indika didn’t know that Shareez was Sri Lankan, born and bred. According the elders, the image house had been broken into by the treasure hunters who don’t believe the temples can look after these precious artefacts. It’s a pity to see almost all the temples in Sri Lanka have suffered the same fate despite authorities boasting about improved security measures. Archaeology department is helpless and probably tooth-less too.

Whenever, we go to an ancient temple like this, they all give the same disgusting look suspecting each and every one to be treasure hunters for which we really can’t blame them. Thankfully these elders were very supportive and gave us a good narration of the value of the place. It’s even sadder to see they had ruined the precious wall paintings doing the wiring for electricity.

There was a big stone inscription elaborating the story behind this temple and we spent good hour or so admiring this marvel and while we were leaving the chief monk who’d been to Kandy was coming up the steps. The elders pleaded not to tell the monk that they had shown us the interior fearing he would scold them and we duly obliged. I hope you too will keep that as a secret.

Here’s the notice board I told you about

The path to the temple

Towering rocks

The image house

Here’s the front

The whole thing is underneath this huge rocky boulder

The stone scripture

Closer view from the left

And the right

At the door

Some more, wonder if it was wise to paint them over. See the wiring too

The corridor

Entrance to the main image chamber

The paintings on the rock

The door with paintings and ancient lock

Solid locks despite the age

Built in 2222, Buddhist Calendar (Some 380 years ago)

Renovation in 2471, Buddhist Calendar (Some 131 years ago)

Paintings on the rocky ceiling

More

The treasure hunters had broken the back of this Buddha Statue’s head

This pillow apparently had a nice gem carved into it but was stolen. This is a renovated one by the Archaeology Dept.

Just look at these paintings

Paintings-covered wall

Hundreds of them

Many more

Towards the back of the statue, these are fading away

Nearly gone

The other chamber

One of many Buddha Statues

Fading away

Similar one to the statue at the main chamber

Another

In this room, the paintings are not so preserved like the main one

Not in good condition

Some wall paintings too

This was on the roof

Time to go

Afterwards, we got Indika to drop us off at Mawanella around 5.30pm and on his recommendation we went to Seetha Restaurant which turned out to be a grand one. As usual, we had had nothing to eat since the breakfast which was so light (two buns) I was surprised we kept going with no problem. After a hearty meal, we took Gampola-Colombo bus and reached Kadawatha where Shareez bid farewell to me around 8.00pm.

This turned out to be a yet another super-duper journey despite plagued with many hazards. It was good to see Shareez and actually being able to do a journey with him.

Well folks, this is where I say good-bye to you all. Hope you enjoyed this report and introduction of a new mate to my old gang (Shareez is not that old, mind you).

Well, keep travelling but be safe.

Cheers,

Auf Wiedersehen!

Sri…

Pitakotte Gal Ambalama

On a sunny day at around 8.00 am we reached kiribathgoda to travel to Pitakotte. We came to Borelle and took a bus to Pitakotte. We came there by 10.00 am.

The first remaining ruin of the Kingdom of Kotte which we were able to see was the Gal Ambalama. This was a resting place during the Kingdom of Kotte for people who visited the Kingdom for various purposes.The Gal Ambalama 20 feet and 15 feet in length.There are 10 posts made out of stone and the roof has a beautiful Kanimadala.(Configuration of the roof at that time).This is being used by people even today as a resting place.

Pitakotte gal Ambalama

Click Image to Enlarge

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Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya

The Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya is situated 100 meters through “Rajamaa Vihara” road from Pitakotte-Nugegoda main road.

This road ends with the main entrance of the Rajamaha Viharaya.At the time of Kingdom of Kotte the Dalada Maligawa(the palace which the tooth relic is preserved)

was situated in this temple. Salalihini Sandeshaya( A massage written in the form of series of poems which was taken by a bird) depicts that this palace had three floors and the tooth relic was kept at the upper floor.

The was created by Parakramabahu VI (1412 BC-1467 BC).

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National Museum of Kotte

We had to take a bus to Pitakotte Bangalawa junction from Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya. The National Museum of Kotte is situated along the main road. The information about Kingdom of Kotte can be obtained from this museum. We could not take any photos as it is prohibited.

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Rampart of Kotte

After that we turned to a road called Rampart road where we saw the ruins of Ancient Rampart.

Rampart of Kotte

Rampart of Kotte

Rampart of Kotte

Rampart of Kotte

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Alakeshwara Palace

Then we came to the archeological place called “Alakeshwara”. This is a ruin of the palace of Nishanka Alagakkonara,well known as “Alakeshwara”. He was the pioneer in building the Kingdom of Kotte.

Alakeshwara Palace

Alakeshwara Palace

Alakeshwara Palace

 Beddagana weherakanda Ruins

These ruins are located in Weherakanda road turning from Baddagana Road in junction Banagala of the Nugegoda – Rajagiriya main road. The distance from junction Bangala to Weherakanda road is 2Km.The Weherakanda ruins are at the end point of Weherakanda Road.

The ruin is two Stupas of two different sizes built on a rectangular base. One stupa is 30 feet in diameter while other is 24 feet in diameter. There are three Pesha Walalus (Rings around the stupa) in each stupa. The staircase for the stupa is created in the drection north and west of the base. A ruin of foundation to a Pilma geya(A house which the status are kept) also can be seen on the base.

Beddagana weherakanda Ruins

Beddagana weherakanda Ruins – Click Image to Enlarge

Beddagana weherakanda Ruins

Beddagana weherakanda Ruins

There are two different ideas about this place. Most of them believe that this is a ruin of a temple at that time. But according to the idea of Professor Senarath Paranawithana this is a ruin of the tomb of king parakramabahu VI and his queen (Ranmanika). Also there is an idea which is not very famous that is this is a ruin of a dewalaya offered to a god of Kataragama.

Thanks for Reading !

Year and Month	January, 2015 (11th)
Number of Days	One Day Trip
Crew	3 + 2 guides
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Private Vehicle
Activities	Trekking, Hiking, Photography, Archaeology
Weather	Sunny
Route	Narahenpita -> Kadawatha ->Warakapola -> Polgahawela -> Deliwala -> Padavigampola
Tips, Notes and Special remark	You can easily reach Padavigampola from Rambukkana. Water- 1L per person is sufficient. This is a remote village where electricity is limited. Avoid rainy seasons. 1st half of the mountain trek is steep. Ascent takes about 1 hour. But if you are planning to explore the whole mountain, this could increase. Better to start the journey as early as possible. Respect the views of the villagers’, refrain from vandalizing the inscriptions, meditating domes etc. Chathura- 0779696275 lives near the temple. Do contact him if you need any assistance, but he may not be able to guide you to the inscriptions.
Author	Dhamz
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Portal Tomb & Hidden Inscriptions at Padavigampola

Little I knew about the mysterious mountain, which is quite close to my friend’s organic farm. Once he described about the caves with inscriptions, I was skeptical. All sorts of thoughts were running inside my head….. Would it be a new discovery? What kind of history would it unveil? Or are they simple inscriptions done by villagers? etc. I was eager to visit, but it kept on postponing for several months due to various reasons.

I’ve almost spent two months without an expedition. Lack of workouts due to a back injury and post election crisis were driving me crazy. On a Saturday night, I was wondering whether to contact my friend and see if he’s going to the farm anytime soon. Strangely, he sent a massage, requesting to visit the farm on the following day. This sounded like the perfect getaway.

Around 5.20am on the following day, we left Narahenpita. We had breakfast soon after passing Warakapola and reached Padavigampola via Polgahawela-Deliwala around 8.00am.

How to get there

You can easily reach Padavigampola from Rambukkana. Take the bus which goes to Walgama from Rambukkana and get down near the President’s College. It’s around 1KM from the college to Padavigampola Grama Niladhari Office. Temple with the portal tomb (Maliyadeva Guharamaya) is right next to the office.

Click Map to Enlarge

 

What is a Portal Tomb / Dolmen?

A dolmen, also known as a portal tomb, portal grave or quoit, is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone (table), although there are also more complex variants. Most of them date from the early Neolithic period (4000 to 3000 BC).

Exact reason for erecting these monuments is unknown, though it is believed that they were used as tombs or as worshipping sites.

Maliyadeva Guharamaya is the only known dolmen in Sri Lanka.

Maliyadeva Guharamaya / Dolmen

A Polish couch surfing group was already present by the time we arrived at the farm. They had spent two nights already, and were packing to leave. We were expecting some more, and thought of waiting till they arrive.

A Chinese photographer straight from India came after about an hour but was too tired to travel. So we kept waiting till Monica arrives.

Finally, she came around 2 pm, and we sent off Polish group to Hatton.

The mountain

There are two treks you can select. Both of them cover more or less the same set of rock shelters.

One trek starts few meters before the shop, if you are coming from Walgama. The temple (with the Dolmen) is just after the shop, and the other trek starts soon after you pass the temple.

We decided to take the one before the shop. Sachintha had done the trek near the temple previously

Two kids volunteered to guide us. It was around 2.50 PM

Off we go

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The trail becomes steep after several meters from the trail head, and expect 50% of the trek to be steep. After about 15 minutes, I was panting heavily, as if it’s my 1st ever hike. I’ve realized that my back injury and lack of exercises made me weak. We’ve paused for several minutes and resumed again. However, I wasn’t getting better as I struggled to hike at least for 5 more minutes.

All sorts of thoughts were running in my head. How can I hike Roopkund in May, if I cannot do a simple hike like this? Will I ever be able to lift weights because of the back injury? etc

After another 10-15 mins, we were getting close to the 1st rock shelter.

Kataaram

Kataaram

Villagers believe that the cave was offered by King Valagamba to the monks. When inquiring about the presence of archaeology department, the villagers said that it was them who translated this and mentioned about King Valagamba. However, the plaques you see at archaeology sites with the translations are not installed here (or at any of the caves in the mountain).

1st Inscription

After that, we passed several rock formations before reaching the next destination.

Rock formations

Rock formations

We came across a meditation house, which is probably modern than the inscriptions.  Another meditation house can be seen soon after. We were told that a monk used to meditate here. However, authorities (archaeology/wildlife/forest department?) had requested him to move out.

1st Meditation house

2nd Meditation house

The 2nd meditation house is much larger and seems to have several rooms and a living area. Only the remains/foundation of the living area is present. Though I don’t have a picture to capture all of this, you can check the same from my video. 2nd meditation house is vandalized pretty badly. I wonder when will our countrymen learn to respect the ancient heritage.

After trekking for few minutes, we witnessed the largest rock face on the mountain.

At the base of the cave shelter, a foundation is laid. A large number of monks can flock here. In here, the inscriptions are seen at least 30-40ft higher from the foundation. The tree in 2nd pic below is at least 50 ft in height, and we couldn’t believe the technology they used to make kataram /inscriptions so high.

Top most kataram is at least 50 ft high from the ground

Top most kataram is at least 50 ft high from the ground

A closer look at the inscriptions on the 2nd rock shelter

We spent some time here, listening to wonderful stories of treasure hunters getting in to trouble. They kids shared some more experiences, which I do not intend to reveal in this report.

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Next, the kids showed us a buried tunnel entrance, which they claimed that they’ve crawled inside years ago

Buried tunnel entrance

Then we proceeded towards a flat rock surface. It’s a nice place to rest, and was the ending point of our journey. However, there are many more caves in the mountain. We simply didn’t have time as it was 3.50 pm by then. We had to get back soon, in order to reach Colombo before midnight. It took another 45 mins for the descent.

While descending, I was thinking how lucky I am, to do the exploration without a backpack. It would have been a disaster with my physical condition. I got carried away and slipped at one place. I was hit hard on the ribs by the tree I tried to hold on to. It was a “ali madiwata koti” situation as I thought it damaged my rib cage. Luckily, no damage had been done.

On the descent, closer to the starting point, there’s a small fountain on the right side (left side if you are ascending). You have to detour few meters to get there. The kids say that it never dries. Apparently, the village pump water from it.

By 4.50 pm, we were at the small shop. They were kind enough to offer us tea. After spending some time there, we headed back to the farm and started packing up.

You can view the video from below link. Apologies for the bad quality. J Did not want to upload the raw 800mb video file to YouTube.

Thanks for reading.

For a change,This one I planned as a combination of targets. Following are my targets for the day.

1. Visit to Unknown “Kamani” Falls of Doloswala Kanda
2. Climbing up Pitakele via “Stone ladder”
3. Visit to Streepura @ Pitakele
4. Climbing down to Doloswala Kanda via Stone staircase

Though I have mentioned them separately, above places are situated in close proximity within few kms radius.
First, a brief description about Kamani Falls…..
This is an unknown hidden beauty found in Doloswala Kanda area few meters from foot path to Pitakele from Doloswala Kanda….. It is roughly 30 feets in height and has three main sections. Amount of water is less now a day as there is a diversion for mini hydro plant. The name “Kamani” which some people in Doloswala unheard of given after a 16 year old girl committed suicide by jumping from the top of the fall few years back.

Top part of “Kamani” Falls….

Whole package….

Top part zoomed….

After enjoying this beauty we started next phase of our hike-stone ladder…. In early days there was no proper road to travel to Pitakele, so people with the help of the government built two ways of travelling to Pitakele. On method is Stone ladder. Other method is Stone stair case. We decided to reach Pitakele via stone ladder. Early days as in Sri Pada, series of ladders were placed to conquer the Doloswala Mountain. But at present ladders were replaced by concrete bars which are fixed to the stone wall without any pillars to support.

Concrete stepping stones…

Climbing up….

Within one hour we reached Pitakele. As it situated on top of Doloswala Kanda the view was superb……. We were able to appreciate stunning view of the surrounding areas….

Sri Pada…

Karawita mountain range….

Kiribathgala mountain….was there one month back….

Walankanda range….

Tiriwanaketiya-Agalawatta road(between Nivithigala and Kalawana)….

One end of the Nivithigala town….….

We went in search of our next target The Streepura….. It is situated between Pitakele and Pabotuwa… It is said to be one of the hide out of Anthapura of King Walagamba during difficult times…. It is said to be a complex of tunnels and underground hideouts. At present only entrances for this tunnel complexes remain intact…. Aside from the historic value the natural beauty of this hide out is breath taking……

@ one of the entrance….

Side wall near entrance….

High walls….

Well protected..….

Myself getting down….

High roof..….

Inside the Streepura….

After the visit to Streepura, we got down to Doloswala Kanda via the stone stair way which has more than 500 steps..

Steps….

Out of nowhere I had a great desire to do some exploration few weeks back…. After quick thought, decided to pay a visit to Kolonna area hoping to cover Maduwanwela Walawwa and Kolonna Doowili falls complex.

Road condition up-to Panamura is quite good with carpeted road…. But after passing 2-3kms road become old tar road with on and off road constructions. As there were no big pits on the road, easily motorable by a car with less speed. One has to beware of the edges of the road as road constructions and erosions have caused considerable height difference….

After 45 mins drive from Embilipitiya I reached the Maduwanwela walawwa which can be found on the left hand side of the road in Maduwanwela area just before Kolonna town.

I found following description on the internet which had few bits of history of Maduwanwela walawwa by Deepika Priyangani. If one needs more information, there is a Sinhalese Book ‘Maduwanwela Walawwa” written by Dr Shantha who works at Balangoda Base Hospital. It has many local stories on Walawwa, its occupants and the village which was compiled by Dr Shantha when he was working as Medical Officer of Health-Kolonna.

Click Image to Enlarge

Few snaps of the present status of Maduwanwela walawwa…

Entrance by the road….

Entrance…..

Rear side…..

The initial view….

Front view…. PVC pipes destroys the ancient look

The floor…

The view inside….

The elephant….

The design…..

Maha Disawe….

After some time, I head onto Doowili falls complex. I was lucky that I found a villager who was willing to show me the path. We took the path which lies opposite to the entrance of Maduwanwela walawwa. We traveled about 1km and came to a Y junction. We parked the car and took the right path and walked about 500ms until we met the “Anicut” and the paddy fields belonging to the temple. The foot path lies along the paddy field and cultivation. She has 3 sections. Below are few pics of the waterfall complex.

Foot path lies near this tree….

1st Part……..

2nd part…….

Left side of 2nd part….

Top of 3rd part….

3rd & final part….

3rd part…….

3rd part….. most beautiful section of the fall…

Thanks for reading……

Map of kaytes -click to enlarge

Map around Thondaimanaru – click to enlarge

I have heard that Jaffna is like paradise especially after the monsoons so I wanted to witness it myself. Since I have visited all of those main attractions around Jaffna I was more focused on some mysterious caves plus bird life. (By the way I did visit Jaffna on the next weekend too will update you guys on that expedition in my next travel log) We had many plans during this weekend but the bad weather made us differ the plans. We were left stranded and no other option other than heading towards Jaffna where Amila’s hotel is been currently completed.

We arrived at Jaffna around 6.30am where we refreshed ourselves and started exploring the peninsula on a bike within no time. Our main objective was hunting bird life specially the Flamingoes. For this we picked the Kytes road across Mandathivu. Not more than 3Km’s from Jaffna we spotted a flock of Flamingoes but all our efforts to capture them on image weren’t successful. They seem to be so shy that even we were few Km’s away they would fly far away. Along the road we came across many species of ducks mainly. We captured them effortlessly while traveling to Velanei. After getting to Velanei and sipping some Palmyra toddy we headed towards the famous Chatty beach.

Chatty beach was so calm and quiet on that particular day and we enjoyed a good one hour bath. After having lunch at Velanei we went to Kytes and took the AB19 road to enjoy a duck fiesta.

beauty of lagoons

still a sleep

glimpse of Flemingoes

huge prawn

finally captured one

grey heron

a flock

Black headed gull

Asian Open Bil

black headed ibis

Little Ringed Plover

spoonbill

ah there they are!

can you count them

Northern Pintail

lovely

painted stalk

Eurasian Curlew

Ashy Wood Swallows

a Brahmin kyte

Wood Sandpiper

northern shoveler

northern shoveler female

Black Winged Stilt..

lot of ducks

flying away

lonely guy

Spot billed duck

bit of land

populated

Gargeny

Wigions

you know these guys

and more

close up

Northern Pintail

pelicans

indian rollar

paddy at velanei

tobacco

chatty beach

calm oceans

enjoying the bath

Fort Hammenhil seen from kaytes jetty

the colours

wow

more landscape

mode of transport

Day two was a magical one; the sun rise we witnessed from AB19 was the best I have ever witnessed. The oceans were like on fire and shining like gold. We did enjoy every moment we witnessed that morning. Next it was all about cave hunting. After seen Dhammika’s post on lakdasun I was tempted to explore a huge unknown limestone cave complex close to Vallvettithurai. On our way we did step in to Rajamanthris mansion too (for details on that refer this trip report). The Point pedro road was through paddy cultivations and was a dreamily ride. After reaching Thondimanaru we had breakfast and took off towards Kerudavil village where we met a friendly local chap who showed us the way to “Periya Mandapakadu”( 9°49’15.49″N   80° 8’40.46″E).

This cave which is located in Kerudavil villege was one of the best places I have been to. It’s just like a crater and from that crater a huge “Siyambala” tree rises up providing a roof to it. There were many cave openings in it and Amila did manage to explore one of those by crawling. This is an amazing masterpiece of Mother Nature which one needs to visit. After getting out of it we searched for “Sinna Madapakadu” but the efforts were in vein.

After the cave expedition we crossed Thondaimanaru and headed towards KKS but at many instances we had to back track because we reached the boundaries of the high security zone. Tough we were disappointed with all those restrictions we were also pleased to take alternative routes through rural Jaffna and witness how people cultivate. These people are courageous not like some who cry for everything and request the government to help them. These hard working people with blessed fertile soil do wonders in this deserted peninsula and we were lucky to witness it.

here she comes

perfect shot

livelihood

from here onwards its just a big woooow

golden oceans

what a sight

more	a wallpaper

Poothathamby Arch

Rajamanthri mansion

transport service jaffna style

onions

natural art

on the way to PPD

paddy at PPD

Periya mandakam cave complex is near this tree

entrance

a big wow

inside the cave

a tunnel

friends

plenty of room

more chambers

exploring

the tree

lovely roof

an opening

they were shy

his smile

hard working people

lovely oceans

triple cycle

working under the sun

more onion cultivations

beet and potato

only in jaffna

Our next target was Keerimalei snake cave but again we were told that it lies in the high security zone. We had to contemplate ourselves by visiting a small lime stone cave in front of Naguleshwaran kovil ( 9°48’39.73″N   80° 0’46.72″E). Next we wanted to have a bath a Casuarina beach at Karainagar but instead of the regular place we decided to try out a new place. There was another casuarina beach marked on Google maps and we headed that way to try it out. It was a lonely and lovely beach but there was a small problem, to reach the calm and shallow waters one needs to cross a 10m dead coral reef. We did cross it and enjoyed the new found location before we returned back to Jaffna for a lovely sun set. That night we got in to Colombo bus and headed towards Colombo because there was a Eli hatha expedition around the corner..

Entrance to keerimale cave

inside it

the roof

capturing

Kareinagar

New Casurina beach

lonely beach

sea weed

what we found

he was having problems with lighting his “beedi”

Tamusela koheda????

time for a sunset

wow	there she goes

THE FORT OF COLOMBO

The Fort of Colombo, known as the Mother of evil by the Kandyan Kings was built in the 1520s by the Portuguese as an outpost to protect their factory and to house the garrison; evolving into a mighty fortress repelling many sieges.

In 1665 after the capture of the fort by the Dutch, they demolished it and built their own mighty fortress according to the prevailing architectural design known as the Star Fort (i.e. Galle Fort). Serving as the Command Center for all 3 colonial powers, the Colombo fort would have been the biggest and strongest fortification in the island.

The Dutch fort was demolished in the 1870s by the British to create space for administration buildings but not entirely.
Hardly anyone knows that the name sake of Colombo 01, Fort still exists among the busy streets.
There are 3 locations of the remains of the fort.

THE DELFT GATEWAY – the entrance to the fort, known as the Delft Gateway is preserved in the Commercial Bank Building premises on Bristel Street. As you enter the building one could find the well preserved gateway, but photographs are not permitted!!!! -.- you need to get permission from the Security Manager; I somehow managed to take some snaps before they noticed!

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THE MARITIME MUSEUM – the building housing the maritime museum is also part of the fort, I could not find written evidence on this but it is very clear from the out look, the people there confirm it is a Dutch building and say it was used to house ammunition, but I believe it was part of the ramparts.

This museum houses a superb collection of paintings, artifacts and models of the Colombo habour and its life throughout the ages.

Anyone interested in model ships should visit here as there are about 10 big model wooden sail ships from the ship of Vijaya, Marco Polo, Chinese Junks, to Portuguese, Dutch and British war ships. The museum is well maintained but there is hardly anyone to see it. The museum is down the Chaitya road along the beach from the roundabout near the Kingsbury.

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THE RUINED RAMPART – this ruined wall is situated inside the Colombo Port; access restricted. I came to know of the ruins from the news first documentary on Colombo aired last year. When we visited the museum, we inquired from the security there and they confirmed the existence of such a wall and we identified the location when we climbed the Chaithya. With the help of my cousin brother I got access to the habour and found the ruins of the wall. The following images are highly classified

the location from the Chaithya, the red circle marks the spot; the east side is covered by a concrete wall and exposed to the west

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a drain in the wall

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.	the Portuguese court of arms, at the Habour Masters office; this was carved by the Portuguese when they landed in the 16th Century – Click Image to Enlarge

The 3 red circles marks the locations of the fort in Colombo

I wonder if these will be the last photographs of this once mighty fort. Hope the Ports Authority will take measures to preserve this wall for the future generations; for a lot could be learned of military engineering by studying this wall

THE FORT OF NEGOMBO

The Portuguese were the first to build a fort here to protect Negombo, the export processing zone of the cinnamon trade. The Dutch destroyed the Portuguese fort during the siege in 1644 and built their own fort on its ruins on the star fort design. The fort was located on a narrow strip of land between the lagoon and an inlet of the sea. It was surrounded by moats, and the gate was accessed via a drawbridge. The area to the west was regularly flooded by the sea, changing the land on which the fort stood into a peninsula. Governor Rumpf described the fort as a ‘fine defensible structure’ when he visited it in 1720.

Today only ruins are left. The Fort was demolished in the late nineteenth century by the British, who used its stones to build the prison. The main remnant is an ambivalent mound and part of the eastern wall with the main gate that gives entrance to a tunnel that opens into what was once the courtyard.

Red star marks the spot !

water colour from 1720

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My Archaeology/History/Camping & Hiking buddy Minol Peiris examining the walls ! :-)

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THE END

The staircase of Yapahuwa is one of the most recognizable and reproduced icons of our cultural heritage. However, the actual ruins themselves are visited by only a small percentage of people visiting the cultural triangle. Sharing many similarities with the more famous Sigiriya, the mystique of Yapahuwa is enhanced by its turbulent past, majestic ruins, impressive fortifications and the vivid descriptions left by the travellers of antiquity who visited its kingdom. Its easy accessibility using public transport should make this an ideal location for a one day excursion for photography enthusiasts like me or those who are planning an educational, enjoyable and affordable day out for the whole family. Perhaps the greatest mystery in Yapahuwa is why so few Sri Lankans have actually been there to experience its splendors first hand…

I had a good night’s rest and left home only at 6.30 am to catch the 7.15 am Jaffna bound express from Fort. I got off from the Maho junction by 10.15 am and got to a three wheeler which took me the last 4km to the temple entrance. The three wheel driver name was Sampath (Mobile: 0723850800) and he knew about many archeologically interesting places in the vicinity of Yapahuwa

Passing a recently built arch I entered the archeology site. Today visitors enter the temple through the eastern gate of the ancient ramparts. Once entering the inner city I was greeted by many crumbling remnants of buildings scattered in the temple premises. The main attraction of Yapahuwa is undeniably in its majestic staircase. This magnificent structure climbs the lower southern slopes of the rock to a natural terrace where the Temple of the Tooth once stood.

Standing at the foot of the staircase and gazing up at the rock rising almost vertically for 90 meters above the ground…. I could not but wonder why an ancient kingdom was located here. The answer to this must be sought, deep within the history of our island.

The chronicle Mahawamsa records that a military leader named “Subha” using the Yapahuwa as his stronghold successfully repulsed Magha’s (1215-1236 AD) forces from marching southwards. This would have been no small feat as Magha of Kalinga is said to have led an invasion force of 24,000 soldiers. What was thereafter called ‘Subha pabbata’, “Subhavala” and “Subhagiripura” in honor of this victory was later known as “yaha pabbatha” and currently as “Yapahuwa”. However the reference to Yapahuwa as “Sundara Giri Pavuvva” in the Bodhivamsa in third century B.C during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa provides clear evidence of the locations ancient Buddhist origins.

Yapahuwa reached prominence as the 4th kingdom of Sri Lanka after the chaotic decline of the Damadeniya kingdom. Vijayabahu IV (1271-1272), the last king in Damabadeniya was assassinated by a general name Mitta who was himself killed by the Rajput soldiers within the palace. Thereafter the late Vijayabahu IV younger brother who had fled to Yapahuwa for hiding was crowned as Buwanaikabahu I (1272-1283 AD) in Dambadeniya with the help of the same Rajput soldiers. The king’s initial years of rule from Dambadeniya was troubled by rebellions and invasions from Vanni and North. After overcoming his opponents Buwanaikabahu I moved the royal seat to Yapahuwa for security reasons, thus heralding its golden age.

Buwanaikabahu I conveyed the tooth relic from Dambadeniya to Yapahuwa and gave his patronage to the Sangha, thus succeeding in making his rule was acceptable to the people. The names of surrounding villages such as Daladagama (the village where the tooth relic was kept for a short while during its journey from Dambadeniya to Yapahuwa), Dunupathagama (the village where the kings archers resided), Ullalapola (originally “Ula lana pola”: the place where the offenders were punished) and Makaduwawa (originally “Malkaduwawa”: the village where flowers were supplied to the shrine) provides further indication that Yapahuwa became a well-established kingdom within a short space of time. It is recorded the king sent an embassy to the Sultan of Cairo in April 1283, showing his keen interest in international trade. The influence of which is still visible in the majestic staircase even today s later discussed.

Unfortunately, Yapahuwa was only a royal capital for a short time as it was abandoned after the invading Pandyans of southern India seized the Sacred Tooth Relic. This happened soon after Bhuvanekabahu’s death in 1284. It is said that Parakramabahu-the third, his successor, in 1288 went to the Pandyan court in India and successfully negotiated the return of the Sacred Tooth Relic. It was brought eventually to Polonnaruwa after a brief stint in Kurunegala. Thus the 12 year span of the Yapahuwa kingdom makes it the shortest surviving seat of rule in our history.

Intriguingly, there is no recorded mention of Yapahuwa beyond the 13th Century in our historical sources. After the Fortress was abandoned monks converted it into a monastery which still continues to this date. The caves still containing “Kataram” or drip ledges found as one climbs closer to the top of the Yapahuwa rock and the Kandy era cave temple at the foot of the rock bears evidence to its close affiliation with the Maha Sangha after the 13th century. The first archaeological excavation at Yapahuwa was done by H. C. P. Bell, Sri Lanka’s first archaeological commissioner who held the post from 1810 to 1811. The excavations still continue today and the local residents believe there are many more ruins to be uncovered in the vicinity.

Some of the defense fortifications which played a pivotal role in Yapahuwa being selected as a kingdom are still visible today. The remains of two wall fortifications and the moat extend from west end of the Southern part of the rock and are connected to the other side of the rock resembling a horse shoe. The inner rampart is built on a higher elevation than its outer counterpart. The homes of the ordinary people are speculated to have been between the outer and inner walls while king’s palace, administrative buildings and of course the Temple of the Tooth were within the inner wall. Though smaller in scale these bear many similarities with the fortifications found in Sigiriya. These remain as stark reminders that many ancient seats of rule like Sigiriya, Dambadenya (Maligagala), Yapahuwa and Kurunegala (Ethugala) were selected primarily as defensive locations. A fascinating find was made just outside the inner moat by the Archeological Department when they excavated a stock of rounded stones. These round stones are believed to have been used as missiles.

In today’s era of “shock and awe” tactics of warfare, one cannot but wonder whether these simple ramparts, ditches and moats could really have kept an invading force at bay. However, it is in no uncertain terms that the Chinese military theorist Sun Tzu cautions against attacking walled fortifications in ancient warfare

Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy’s plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy’s forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy’s army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities. The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided……You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked

Source: www.gutenberg.org

The famous staircase is constructed in three tiers where a flight of steps lead to a broad landing to be followed by another staircase. The first tier is stark in design and provides an easy climb

A tantalizing view of the entrance to the Dalda Maligawa nearing the top of the stairway

The landing at the top of the first flight of stairs provided me a tantalizing glimpse of the entrance to the Dalda Maligawa and the fine examples of sculpture flanking the stairway.

An alternate footpath to climb to the temple by avoiding the steep stairs

After reaching the first landing, I decided to climb using the alternate path seen to the left hand side of the staircase. This provides a relatively easy climb for someone like me carrying a heavy camera backpack and a tripod. The top of this footpath is connected to the terrace where the temple of the tooth was located.

Those who opt to climb the last stage of the staircase will be faced with a difficult climb. Historians say that the steepness of the stairway and the narrowness of the steps were intended to protect the most treasured item in the king’s possession…the sacred tooth relic. Even with the aid of the recently installed steel railing, these steps can neither be ascended nor descended hastily. Those who have climbed the “Maliga-gala” where the royal abode of Dambadeniya was located would also be familiar with parts of a staircase narrowly constructed with similar intentions.  When climbing down these steep stairs one cannot turn ones back to the shrine on top. Hence, the theory that the stairway was designed to avoid the disrespect of turning ones back to the sacred tooth relic. The final part of the stairway leading to the temple of the tooth relic is richly decorated, well befitting a shrine of its importance.

A very coy smile indeed…

At the base of the final climb I was greeted with two graceful female “doratu palika” sculptures bearing a pot of plenty. Some experts identify these as goddesses Ganga and Yamuna bearing evidence to the Dravidian influence in the architecture in Yapahuwa.

A mythical lion or a feng-shui dragon?

The lions of Yapahuwa are arguably amongst the most iconic images of our past. It is thought that these wide eyed lions with snarling jaws were placed to ward off unwelcome visitors. The image of this lion printed in the countries 10 Rupee currency note, also bears an uncanny resemblance to the Chinese dragons on sale in the newly opened feng-shui shops in the city. The discovery of Chinese porcelain and pottery along with more than a thousand Chinese coins in Yapahuwa provides evidence of trade along the Silk Road. It also indicates that the similarities between the Yapahuwa lion and the Chinese dragon are not coincidental.

Another fascinating proof of links between Yapahuwa and China was recorded by Marco Polo, in his delightful travel log. The venetian traveller describes how the Great Khan of China sent ambassadors to procure from “Seilan” the Tooth, Hair and Bowl Relics and how the Sri Lankan king shrewdly appeased the mighty grandson of Genghis Khan by dispatching two fake teeth. The year of the expedition in 1284 indicate this king to be Buwanaikabahu I of Yapahuwa.

Now it befell that the Great Khan heard how on that mountain there was the sepulcher of our first father Adam, and that some of his hair and of his teeth, and the dish from which he used to eat, were still preserved there. So he thought he would get hold of them somehow or another, and dispatched a great embassy for the purpose, in the year of Christ, 1284. The ambassadors, with a great company, travelled on by sea and by land until they arrived at the island of Seilan, and presented themselves before the king. And they were so urgent with him that they succeeded in getting two of the grinder teeth, which were passing great and thick; and they also got some of the hair, and the dish from which that personage used to eat, which is of very beautiful green porphyry. And when the Great Khan’s ambassadors had attained the object for which they had come they were greatly rejoiced, and returned to their lord. And when they drew near to the great city of Cambaluc, where the Great Khan was staying, they sent him word that they had brought back that for which he had sent them. On learning this the Great Khan was passing glad, and ordered all the ecclesiastics and others to go forth to meet these relics, which he was led to believe were those of Adam.

(Source: www.gutenberg.org)

Gaja Simha standing vigorously with one fore-leg raised and the tail curved up

The balustrade behind the two lions is carved with a majestic gaja simha (a mythical beast with a lions body fused with an elephant head).

To the tune of musical instruments still used today…

Parallel to the balustrade running around the building is a frieze of energetic dancers and musicians. These fading carvings are believed to represent the great yearly procession of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Unlike Sigiriya, where the palace was constructed at the summit, the Yapahuwa palace was built on a lower level at the top of the staircase. An impressive stone door way, harmoniously flanked by big walls and two exquisitely carved windows greets visitors at the top of the staircase. The joining of stone slabs to make the arch of the doorway and the intricate lion carvings found in the pillars on either side amply demonstrates the mastery of stonework by our ancestors. The main pillars of the porch are composite pillars; each comprises three pillars.  At the back of the porch are two more additional pillars. Passing the doorway, one enters the shrine where the tooth relic was venerated. Today only its foundations are to be seen as a result of the destruction caused by the Dravidian invaders and the later plundering by the Portuguese.

And the view can only be described as serene and calming

There are two bare stone windows on either side of the doorway. These were once decorated with profusely carved stone slabs with holes through which rays of soft light filtered in to the hall. Called the ‘Sivumenduru Kavuluwa’ (perforated palace window); these were adorned with delicate carvings of bacchanalian figures, women, swans and animals. Today, visitors can admire one of the windows in the nearby Yapahuwa museum whilst the other is preserved in the national museum in Colombo. These windows are a highly praised piece of work, accepted as unique and not found anywhere else in the country. The islands first archeological commissioner, H.C. P. Bell acclaimed them as the gem of Yapahuwa sculpture.

Intricate carvings of Kibihi Muhuna and Gaja Lakshimi decorations in the arch of the window

The makara-thorana decorated with a kibihi-muna (sneezy faced dragon with a lion face) over the original positions of the windows is beautifully carved. Placed under each thorana is the figure of Gaja-Lakshmi, seated cross-legged and holding a lotus in each hand. Two elephants on either side bathe her with the pots they hold in their trunks. The Gaja Lakshmi carving reminded me of the similar carving seen in the Galpotha next to the Sathmahal Prasadaya in Polonnaruwa.

Wabi-Sabi …….just three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.

The staircase is not the only place in Yapahuwa where the lion motif is used as decoration. Beautiful lion carvings stand guard at the base of pillars on either side of the temple entrance. The manner in which their decay and aging seems to somehow add to the aesthetic value of these sculptures brings to mind the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi”. Starkly contrasts with the western notion of beauty as symmetric perfection, “wabi-sabi” nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect…

As the centuries pass by…

In the twilight as the sun goes down the horizon…

A couple of attractions not covered in the report, but possible to be explored within the same day to see are as follows

• The remnants of a secret escape tunnel. This is below the paws of the lion to your right hand side as you ascend the stairs. To enter this, one must very carefully step-down from the right side ledge next to the lion and search for the opening.
• Yapahuwa museum located in the public car park at the bottom
• The Kandy era cave paintings in the temple at the bottom of the rock which has been constructed with the approval of King Rajasingha of Kandy in the 18th Century. You must ask the head priest for permission as it is normally kept closed
• Continue climbing to the top of the rock and see a Stupa and pond. The view is also more scenic from the top albeit a few telecommunication towers rising above the tree line.

I took one last look at the lions and promised to come back again before slowly walking down the footpath. The owner of the shop right opposite the road to the temple entrance arranged a three-wheeler for me to go to Daladagama junction. From there I took two more buses to Kurunegala and Colombo respectively. Though it was a long journey seats were readily available and the ride was not bumpy due to the well carpeted roads.

For the briefest moment in the island’s long history, Yapahuwa served as the capital of Sri Lanka. In just twelve short years between the chaotic decline of the Damabadeniya kingdom and the final tragic invasion and carrying away of the tooth relic to India by the Pandyan invaders, our ancestors were able to create a fully-fledged kingdom with trade and diplomatic links as far away as China and Cairo. Today it lies in a seldom visited corner of the cultural triangle almost forgotten by the descendants of its mighty founders. Ravaged by time and forces of history …the lonely ruins of Yapahuwa, though not many, are still cause for fascination.  The  elaborate  stone work, the  fusion of  art and architecture, of gods, goddesses, animals, mythical creatures, dancers and musicians, columns and structures, make it a  simply delightful  sight for the lucky few who visit to experience it first-hand. Lulled by its secluded charm, one can truly lose oneself in meandering fantasies of our glorious past. Gazing up at its majestic staircase you too may conclude as the western scholar Rowland Raven-Hart writing in Ceylon: History in Stone (1964) – “that it is like nothing else in Ceylon; nowhere is there such a riot of sculpture with such revelry of stone frozen movement.”

Year and Month	October, 2014
Number of Days	Four Day Trip
Crew	3 adults between 35 and 45
Accommodation	Homes of friends
Transport	Bus, car
Activities	Helping a friend move house and exploring
Weather	Gloomy, rainy. No sun
Route	Colombo –> Trinco –> Kallarawa ( on the Pulmudai road, just past Tiriyaya turn off) –> Valathamalai site (less than 50km from Trinco)
Tips, Notes and Special remark	The main road is excellent. If there has been no rain for months, and you are in a 4WD, you may be able to drive closer to the site than we did. We parked on the main road and walked…or rather sloshed in the mud till we got to the hill! It’s not a long walk, it took us about 20 min from the main road to the top of the small hill. It’s not thick jungle but its deserted. No houses anywhere near. Plenty of evidence of wild life. Elephant droppings everywhere. Surprised a jackal …or rather it surprised us. Not sure who was more taken aback! Think it had come for the carcass in the water. The buffalos – though not quite wild – were far from friendly! Strongly suggest you go with a villager, unless you are very confident. There is always the issue of nidan horu. The whole area is absolutely clean. Think we picked up just one or two biscuit wrappers.
Author	NG
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Nagathambarani : Naga and lady on a hill

This is not really a trip. It’s just one site. But thought of writing it up as it is one of those ‘hidden gems’ …and I have partiality towards it as I had been searching for it for awhile. Yes, one of those! And since it was not in Ashan’s zone he could not oblige has he so often does
First saw it as a small photograph titled ‘Nagathambarani, Tiriyaya’ in the book ‘Eloquence in Stone’ . ( Ashan renamed this book “gal potha” due to its size and contents!). This is the same book that gave us the clue to finding Budupatuna.

Followed up a few leads, but could not trace it. So mailed the Studio Times  (the publisher of the book) and got further information on its location and a tip on a potential guide.

We were in Trinco a few weeks back with a day to spare, so we went looking for Mr. Dayananda Manawaduge – the potential guide. The directions we had – just by the 47/1 culvert past 46th km post on the Pulmudai-Trinco road – proved to be spot on. And what a find! Mr. Manawaduge welcomed us to his home like long time friends, though we had never met before! He proved to be a mine of information on the area with an unending supply of stories about his growing up years in a village beyond Thiriyai, the multiple displacements and trauma of war and unexpected experiences of peace.   Pulled in to the conversation we almost forgot our target: Nagathambarani – the five headed naga carved on a rock.

You would need a guide for the simple reason that there are no real landmarks. If anything, I can only offer, look left when travelling along the Trinco – Pulmudai road, just past Kallarawa, between the 49th and 50th km post,  you can see a small hill. You need to head to the top of it. This hill is known as Valathamalay, we were told. The longer hill to the south that you see is ‘pansal kanda’ ie where Girihandu saye is.

The Valathamalay hill

What we found was a potentially large and unusual site. Believe it or not – I forgot to take my camera and had to learn my friend’s camera rather unsuccessfully.  Most of the photos given here are Gayathri’s.

Unusually this Naga stone is not carved by a water /irrigation site. It is right at the top of the little hill where you find a cluster of boulders.

Set in a cluster of rocks

Found! right on the peak

And for the first time, we saw a figure carved next to the Naga. It is clearly a female figure, in a posture similar to the ‘man and horse’ figure above the pond at Isurumuniya.

Female figure detail

Female figure

The thirnunoor (three lines in ash) has been drawn on the figures by Hindu devotees who come here for a special puja. The bulk of the white on the naga figure also seems to be a similar colouring. Apparently the naga image is a popular place of puja, especially with Hindus living overseas. They come here to fulfill vows and usually offer milk based preparations.

In addition to the white, there is a distinct bit of colour ( orange – red – white) in the groove of the naga at the bottom. So it must have been plastered and painted at some point in the past.

Detail – note the way the faces are turned and the expressions

What seems to be remnents of the original plaster and paint

The rocky peak with the naga and female carving seems to have been surrounded by buildings. There are steps leading right up to it ( below the steps nidan horu have been practicing their sub-human activities), and behind it is a low cave complete with kataram , remains of plaster, and gal andan. On the rocks that make up the cluster, there are lots of cuts and niches that indicate considerable construction.  And strewn all around, and down the slope of the hill, there are stone pillars, steps, paving stones, door niches, etc.

Cave with gal andan and traces of plaster

Remains of buildings

At the bottom of the hill – first signs that we were nearing the site

Behind the carving, drip ledges, cross beams

When we were climbing up we were so focused on finding the naga stone that we did not pause to explore the mash land we crossed at the foot of the hill. On the way back, we walked around and realised it was not just a marsh that sucked us in, but the remains of a pond – one that had been built up with rows of cut stone. Not unlike what you find in monasteries of the Anuradhapura period.  Something like a rala panawa. No restoration has been done, but the layout of the stones is clearly visible.

What used to be the pond at the base of the hill

Rocks forming the ralapanawa of the pond

But, this apparently was just a small source of water. The real wewa had been further up, with the bund being built across two hills that were visible through the trees from the peak where the naga carving was.

Where the tank is supposed to have been – zoomed

All the time we were walking, Mr. Dayananda kept a sharp look out, and since there was so much fresh elephant dung around it was not hard to figure out what he was peering at!  So when we saw a body in the water, we jumped to the conclusion that it was an elephant..a baby elephant..no, actually a full grown buffalo!

The jackal could not reach it

After we cleaned up – in not so clean water!

The day did not end there as Mr. Dayananda invited us home for a super lunch, and proceeded to extend the invitation further saying to come and stay whenever we want as there was plenty more to explore!!

Their lovely home

Next time you are in Trinco – do take a look. And the 16 dagaba rock  in Kuchchaveli  is also on this road.

The region Kala Wewa is renowned for the tank bearing its name, the Avukana Buddha and the ancient temples of Ras Vehera and Vijithapura. Its grandeur, historical significance and spiritual importance continues to attract thousands of pilgrims and visitors each year. And the temple of Avukana is said to be the place to witness one of the most spectacular sunrises in the island. A dawn of colors, when the east facing statue made out of yellow sandstone is lit up with the first rays of the day. But only a handful of pilgrims and visitors actually visit Avukana at the crack of dawn to witness this incredible spectacle. For many, it is a passing stop in a crowded itinerary of places to be covered within one day. And very few of them are able grasp the true mystique of this enigmatic region. A mystique that lies almost forgotten within the astonishing array of oral traditions preserved by the local community. Hence, the objectives of this trip were two fold. One, to witness the fabled sunrise at Avukana. And secondly, to explore the link between historical fact and folklore by gathering firsthand accounts from local residents.

My plan was to travel to Kekirawa in the night bus and hire a three wheeler to visit Avukana and Sasseruwa in the morning. Thereafter, I was planning to return to the Kala Wewa bund, Kadawara devalaya and finally Vijithapura by the latter half of the day

I left home at 10 pm to catch the Jaffna bound night bus (route 15) from the fort bus stand. Having got off at the Kekirawa junction clock tower, at 4 a.m. I was picked up by Sabri (mobile 0719870363), who was my three wheeler driver for the day. This was the second time I went to Avukana with him, and he proved to be trustworthy and reliable on both occasions. From Kekirawa junction we came to Ihalagama junction and took a left turn to the road that goes towards the Galewela passing Vijithapura and Avukana. Driving by moonlight we arrived at the Avukana temple within 40 minutes. It would have been a much more comfortable journey had I travelled by the 7.15 pm night train from fort and got down at the Aukana station at dawn. It is only 15 minutes by three wheeler from the station to the temple. The security personnel asked me to wait till 6.30 am at the police check point till the temple was opened to the public.

By 5.50 am I could sense that the hustle and bustle has already started at the temple. I quickly climbed the staircase and had a brief chat with the head priest regarding the purpose and objective of my journey. After obtaining his permission I registered myself at the security check point. To reach the statue one has to climb a slight incline and walk past the temple premises and a bana maduwa. Even in dim light, the first sight of the colossal statue was awe inspiring. Long ago the statue had been protected within a large image house or shrine nearly 70 feet in length. In moonlight the giant remnants of this imposing structure resembles a stone maze surrounding the Buddha. Walking towards the statue through this maze, one’s gaze is invariably drawn to the dark silhouette of the Buddha’s face. There was barely enough light to focus the camera…but the suspense of not knowing what was to come with the dawning day made all sleep and tiredness vanish.

The drama of light and shade, shapes and lines and yellows and blues which unfolded within the next half hour is difficult to be described in words. It was truly an unforgettable spectacle. Hence, I have left the pictures unedited, attempting to capture the events exactly as seen through the third eye of the lens. Using a heavy tripod, the DSLR controls were set to ISO 200, auto white balance and aperture priority mode at f/12.

6.04 a.m. –30 second slow shutter. Things were a lot darker to the naked eye.

6.11 a.m. – 2.5 second shutter. The light has just improved enough for me to manual focus with difficulty

7.08 a.m. – 1/60 second shutter – standing regally yet serenely

7.13 a.m. – 1/40 second shutter

7.15 a.m. – 1/160 second shutter – The impassive expression of the face reflects the supreme spirituality and benign power

In my eagerness to witness this spectacle I had arrived at the temple far too early. The real drama began to unfold only at about 6.55 am. I watched mesmerized as the first rays of the day slowly illuminated the siraspatha of the Buddha. Then the eyes and the face was also lit up in yellow by about 7.10 am. By 7.30 am the whole statue seemed to be ablaze with a golden hue created by the yellow colored sandstone lighting up in the morning sun. It was almost as if the statue must have been meant to be worshipped as it stood shining against the deep greens of the trees behind and the blues of the skies above. The finish, polish and design of the sculpture clearly seems to have taken into consideration the drama of light and shadow unfolding with the dawn of each day. The Buddha seemed to gaze towards the tank with such serenity, power and compassion that all beings, human or animal could only be humbled by its presence.

The surveyor and historian Brohier describes his first encounter with the Aukana statue

“I felt an insignificant pigmy in its presence and humbled. Yet grasping hold of the tail end of my reason there gradually seeped into my mind enough clarity to perceive the still, unmoving features and expression on the face of the statue, the idea of majestic compassion it conveyed, the emotional poise and the mellow beauty with which the sculptor has draped it…”

The eccentric Raven Hart summed it up best… in just two sweeping sentences

“It is indescribably impressive, the face of benign power, confirming the blessing given by the right hand. The robes flow as you would think granite could never be made to flow – they almost move in the wind.”

Avukana is arguably the best crafted and preserved standing Buddha statue in the island. Visitors belonging to any faith, culture or religion, would invariably admire the artistry, craftsmanship, history and the scale of this 40 foot colossus. Just the big toe itself is over a foot long and the ankle eight feet round. The estimated weight is said to be 75 to 80 tons! What impresses most, about this sculpture is not its size or proportions, but the delicate craftsmanship displayed by the sculptor. The artistic manner in which the Buddha’s robes chastely reveals his underlying physique is a prominent feature of the sculpture. When one stands at the foot of the statue and gazes upwards… the robes look as if flowing with some unseen breeze.  Some have even speculated that the flow of robes depict the waves of the Kala Wewa.

It is said that a Buddha has 32 features that reflect his enlightenment and greatness. The ancient Sinhalese sculptors have paid particular attention to depict these characteristics correctly and clearly in their work. And in the Avukana Buddha statue 16 of these features have been visually identified. The right hand of the Buddha faces the viewer sideways in what is known as the “Ashisha Mudra” or the “posture of blessing”.  If not for the spirituality of the face, one may almost anticipate a swift Karate chop about to be delivered. The symbolism of the left hand shows the gathering up of the robe in preparation to step over a river – a representation of the cycle of rebirths in the “Kataka Hastha” mudra.  The figure is carved in the round, narrowly connected at the rear to the rock.

According to folklore the ancient sculptors have executed their task with such precision, that even a drop of rain that fall on to the top of the statue would flow along a path over the nose of the statue and fall to an exact point between its toes. Thereby preserving the statue from erosion caused by the monsoons. Till this date, a small depression mark is seen placed precisely between the two toes and directly below the tip of the nose.

The small depression mark between the two toes where rain is said to drop straight from the tip of the nose

To me… the facial expressions of the reclining statue in Gal Viharaya in Polonnaruwa portrays a “calm peaceful face”. Thereby striking the viewer with a feeling of spiritual bliss and serenity. I felt that the impassive visage of the Avukana Buddha portrays a “strong face”. Thereby conveying supreme spirituality and power. And from his curled hair there sprouts the flame called siraspatha signifying his enlightenment. The gaze of the Buddha is forever, fixed in the direction of the tank. And at a certain time of the day, the eyes are said to level with the water.

I had a quiet chat with the temple priest about the history, folklore and legends surrounding the Avukana statue and temple

• According to the priest the statue was constructed by King Dhatusena at about the same time as the tank. The existence of caves with drip ledges and Brahmin inscriptions prove this to be a pre Christian era monastery in existence long before the reign of Dhatusena. According to the priest the word “Avukana” is said to be evolved from “Pabbatha Kona”, “Pawuru Kona” and “Paukana”, meaning the edge of the rock. This is said to be because the statue has been carved at the edge of a rock face. There is another theory that the word Avukana is derived from “Wawu Kona”, meaning the corner of the tank. Its close proximity to the edge of the Kala Wewa may have given rise to this thought
• “Avukana” is popularly thought to be derived from the meaning “sun-eating” or dawn. This seems to be a most logical conclusion for anyone who has witnessed the statue being lit up by the morning sun. However, it is generally accepted as a recent evolution, as the temple was known as “Kalagal Viharaya” till the 18th Century. Probably because of the close proximity to the Kala Wewa (tank). The word “Kalagal” could be translated to Pali as “Kalasela”. A place called Kalasela is mentioned in the Culavamsa as containing an image for which King Dhatusena (455-73) had a diadem made. As the Avukana statue dates from around the 5th century AD, it is generally accepted as this statue mentioned in the chronicle
• There is a village nearby named “Gal Waduwa Gama”, meaning the village of the stone craftsman. Pleased by the skill displayed in carving the Avukana Buddha, king Dhatusena is was said to have donated all the lands of this village to a single sculptor by the name of “Bharana”. Thus the memory of the “Bharana”, is still preserved in oral tradition.
• The Avukana Buddha is contemporaneous with the images at Buduruwagala, Maligawila and Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara and Lankatilaka. This brief craze for such gigantic monuments may have been inspired by the Indian Mahayana influence, with its emphasis on the Buddha’s superhuman, transcendental powers. It is said that Deepankara Buddha (one of the 28 Lord Buddhas in Buddhism) was 88ft tall and that Aukana Buddha statue reflects Deepankara Buddha. Statues of the Gods Indra, Brahma, Yama, Suyama and Santhusika who were the Gods affiliated to the Deepankara Buddha were said to have been found near the flower altar and provide further proof of the identity of the statue. However, another thought is that the statue was sculptured as a form of blessing to the people in the area. As the gaze of the Buddha is directed towards the tank, some other have speculated that the statue was carved to protect the tank.
• The neat folds of flowing drapery and the posture of blessing of the statue is said to bear signs of influence from the Ghandhara and Amaravati schools of art in India. The Ghandhara School of art developed from the mix of Greek, Syrian, Persian and Indian artistic influences which merged along the Silk Road in the regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. There is unconfirmed speculation that the word Avukana is derived from the word “Avagam”, which means Afghanistan in Turkish. If this be true… the influence from the Ghandara School of art in creating the Avukana Buddha may have been derived from the now destroyed Bhamiya Buddha statues in Afghanistan…

Probably the most popular of all folklore is said to be those linking Avukana with another statue of similar proportions, situated just 8 miles away. To explore this I journeyed to my next destination of Sasseruwa in Galewela.

The serene pond at the temple premises overlooking the landscape

Farewell to Aukana

The bumpy road from Aukana temple to Sasseruwa temple winds through about 15km of varied terrain dotted with patches of lush greenery, lakes with mesmerizing reflections, pleasant stretches of paddy and typical dry zone vegetation. The road is quite bumpy and public transport highly unreliable along this route, necessitating a three wheeler or an off roader to reach the temple. The unmistakable sight of elephant dung, attala and electric fences gives hint to roaming elephants in the area. Hence it would be best to avoid this route before 9 am and after 4 pm.

A scenic ride along a tank through the “Naegama” village

A calming pool of water just outside the entrance to the Ras Vehera temple

Sasseruwa had been one of the earliest, most significant and largest Buddhist monastic complexes in ancient Ceylon. The archeological site is littered with more than 100 drip ledge caves which would have provided abode to a massive population of forest dwelling monks. Thus rivalling even Mihintale and Ritigala in sheer scale. Forest dwelling monks depend on alms offered by the local population for sustenance. Hence, such large monasteries are invariably constructed only a short distance away from a large population of devotees. Thus, providing further proof to the existence of a flourishing agricultural community in this region. The Brahmin inscriptions in some of these caves bear evidence to their pre Christian origin. Ruins of stupas, ancient moonstones, stone inscriptions and stone pillars can be seen in every direction. The sapling of the very first 32 saplings (Dethis Maha Bo Ankura) of the Sri Maha Bodhi in the Anuradhapura is thought to be planted by king Devampiyathissa (250 – 210 BC) at this temple. Folklore asserts that on the day the tree was planted the area was lit by colorful rays of light (ras). Thus, the name ‘Ras Vehera’ has been attached to this temple. This tree is still protected by an ancient Bodhigara, and surrounded by a grove of Araliya trees.

The ancient bodhiya surrounded by a bodhigara as well as an aralia grove

Remnants of shrines shaded by the jungle.

However, the main attraction of Rasvehera is undoubtedly the gigantic 13 meter, image of the Buddha. A steel railing has been newly installed to aid the pilgrims in their short ascend to worship the statue.  The sacred feet, the creases in the siura or robes, the posture of the arms and the serenity of the smiling face invoke all viewers to discard all worldly concerns and enter into a moment of calm contemplation.

Majestic and gigantic…

Unfinished ear and the crack in the torso of the statue

This shrine is also called Sasseruwa (or Sas-seruwa) which could be interpreted as the “similar statue”. Thus hinting the connection of this statue with the one at Avukana. Even a casual observer would not fail to notice the striking similarity in size, stance and basic form between these two statues, located just 8 miles apart. The plains of Kala Wewa, where simple farming folks have been engaged in an unhurried way of life for more than a thousand years have fostered many imaginative tales, that have passed on to folklore and legend. In such a place, one can hardly expect so remarkable a coincidence to pass unnoticed. Thus giving rise to many a tale linking Avukana with Sasseruwa.

• Arguably the most popular story asserts that a master craftsman and his student set out to carve two identical statues in a classic “Guru-Gola” (master pupil) rivalry. The Ras Vehera statue was said to be assigned to the student while the master set to work in Avukana.  . The completion of either masterpiece was to be signaled by the ringing of a bell. The master and pupil got down to the job of finishing the statues furiously. And one fine day the sound of the bell was heard… The master had completed the statue at Avukana. Defeated and disheartened, the student laid down his chisel. Never to be picked up again.

• Once upon a time the same artist was said to have sculpted both statues, beginning with the one at Sasseruwa. It was during the carving process that a large cracks was said to form in the torso of the statue (still seen today). Thus frustrating the sensitive artist abandon the sculpture. He had packed up his tools and moved to Avukana to start work in a fresh masterpiece.

• The southern Sinhalese hero Dutugamunu, on his way to attack Vijithapura, was said to be forced to camp along the flooded Malwathu River. The river was said to be full to the brim and too perilous for the army to wade across. The king had given orders for his men not to be idle and do whatever they were skilled with. The craftsmen who were there had started to carve this Buddha image. These craftsman have stopped their work half way through to join the rest of the ranks when the river subsidized enough for the army to cross it. Thus, the statue was said to remain unfinished to this date. Perhaps these warrior sculptors never returned from battle.

Paranavitana in his masterpiece “Sinhalayo” noted that the statue at Avukana near Kala Wewa may be of the same date as the tank, and the Sasseruwa Buddha may be even somewhat earlier. He pointed that colossal Buddha images of this type carved on rock faces are not found in India but was discovered in larger dimensions in modern day Afghanistan.

Further illustrating this in his work “the art of the ancient Sinhalese” Paranavitana writes

“The statue of Aukana appears to be o be the image referred to as the “Kailasela” Buddha in Mahawamsa. The site was known in the eighteenth century as “kala-Gal” viharaya which in Pali would be “Kailasela” Viharaya.  As there is reference to it in the reign of king Dhatusena, the image most probably dates from that reign. Kailasela can be taken as the equivalent of the Sinhalese “Kaliya” a title of Dhatusena.

The colossus at Sasseruwa is of somewhat lesser height than the Aukana Buddha, and it is not so imposing. It is carved in high relief inside a niche, and has no pedestal placed against its feet. If the tradition which was prevalent in the fifteenth century about this image can be relied upon, it is the earliest Buddha image found of this type in Ceylon. The author of “Rajawamsa” when he returned from his travels abroad, gave king Mahasen an account of the two colossi on the rock at the “Bhamayana Vihara”  (Bamiyan) in the Sugdha (Udyana)  country, which were intended to be portraits of two kings  father and son, who ruled that kingdom in the third century., and ere in the form of Maitreya Buddha Mahasen decided to have his own portrait carved in the guise of the maître Buddha on the face of the rock at “Rahera” Vihara (modern Sasseruwa) on the likeness of the Maitreya Bodhisattva. Though wearing the monastic robes, and the hair on the had shown in ringlets, the image is that of a bodhisattva as indicated by the left hand holding the hem of the robe, Mahsen did not live to complete the image, and after his death, his son “Srimeghawarna” stopped work thereon, in order to placate the followers of the Mahavihara. But the image appears to have received worship as that of a Buddha in subsequent ages.”

Comparing the Avukana Buddha with the earlier sculpture at Rasvehera is in many ways similar to comparing the statues at Thanthirimale with the later sculptures in Gal Viharaya in Polonnaruwa. The statue at Rasvehera with a missing “siraspatha”, an unfinished ear and a large crack in the torso appears somewhat incomplete and less well preserved in comparison to the pristine condition of the Avukana Buddha. This could be partially explained by it being constructed several centuries before the Avukana Buddha. Though not all legends connecting these statues may be accepted as fact, it is very unlikely that the sculpture at Avukana was not influenced by the earlier statue in Ras Vehera.

Two of the caves used by meditating monks in pre Christian era have been converted to image houses during the reign of king Walagamba. Today they contain beautiful dragon arches, seated Buddha statues and wall paintings dating from the Kandy era. The fading paintings closely resembles the mara parajaya in Dambulla and Degaldoruwa. Though generally kept locked, the priest kindly assigned a guide on my request to see the caves. And they were well worth a visit…

One of the caves is said to be guarded by a giant snake – who to my great relief had not been seen by anyone in the past 50 years. A Kandiyan era reclining Buddha nearly 40 feet in length dominates the interior of this “Naga Lena”. Worshippers can walk right around this statue using a passageway behind the statue and the cave wall. It is said that a hand woven cotton thread has been pasted to represent the waves of the robe and plastered and painted over to finish this statue. This thread was said to have been woven by single poor woman as an offering to the great teacher. One can still see the thread in places where the statue has been damaged

The lines of the robe made with thread pasted, plastered and painted over…

In a dark corner behind the Buddha statue lies a wooden bed… covered with the dust of many years. It is said to have been donated to the temple nearly four hundred years ago, when only royalty and aristocrats were allowed to sleep on beds. Most common folk had to content with sleeping on the floor using paduru. Apparently not all common folk were content to sleep in paduru…as according to oral tradition, a woodworker in a nearby village had secretly constructed this bed, to placate the naggings of his wife. Not surprisingly… the wife could not keep it a secret for very long. In a typical village context, where nobody minds their own business… the word spread far and wide. By the time it reached the kings ear, the wood worker had managed to save his neck by donating the bed to the temple. What happened thereafter in the drama between the wood worker and his better half is lost in time. However, this same bed is preserved as a curious attraction to this day. The four leg posts of this bed have been decorated with carvings and very solidly constructed. I commented to my guide that the bed seems to have been quite a sturdy design… and we both had a quiet laugh over it.

Quite a sturdy design…

After thanking the head priest I returned to the Kala Wewa bund along the same bumpy road.

Kala Wewa ranks with the pyramids and the great stupas, as one of the great engineering marvels of the ancient world. With a circumference of 40 miles, an embankment of almost 4 miles, a total capacity area of seven square miles and a spill (pitawana) measured to be 216 feet in width and 170 feet in length its sheer size and scale is staggering. To fill such a massive reservoir, a dam was constructed across Dambulu Oya and Mirisgoni Oya. Additional water was diverted from Hawnell Oya and the drainage coming from the lush Matale hills. A 54 mile long canal from Kalawewa to Anuradhapura known as Jayaganga was built to carry its waters to four major reservoirs in the city more than fifty miles away. They are Abhaya wewa, Tissa wewa, Nuwara wewa and Nachchaduwa wewa. Jayaganga is approximately 54 miles in length and 40 feet in width. Its gradient was measured to be only 6 inches per mile. (1:10,000). Maintaining such a gradient is an extremely challenging task even for the modern Engineers using laser guided survey technology. An engineering project of this scale and precision more than a thousand years ago, is indeed a stupendous achievement

Kalawewa and Jayaganga formed the very heart of a vast irrigation network that sustained one of the most populated and long standing capitals in the ancient world. It is in no way an exaggeration to state that the very existence of Anuradhapura was dependent on this crucial supply of water.  In sheer size and scale Kala Wewa and Jayaganga rivals the Minneri/Elahara scheme of Mahasen as well as the mighty Parakrama Samudra of Parakramabahu.

Many think of giant tanks as isolated masterpieces of ancient ingenuity. But the network of canals and feeders to collate and distribute their waters were a crucial link in these vast irrigation networks. Some may have wondered why the waters of Kala Wewa are collated almost 50 miles away from its intended destination in Anuradhapura. Our ancestors have selected a location where the downpour of the monsoons draining from the Matale hills and the flow of two branches of the great Mahaweli may be amassed and distributed along the most favorable features of the landscape. These tank builders have clearly identified the unique location of the Matale hills, placed in the path of both eastern and western monsoons. Thus ensuring access to a constant source of rain fall throughout the year. They have also been capable of somehow surveying and measuring every nook and corner in the region. How else could they have identified such optimum placements for canals, feeders, bunds and sluices? Perhaps placing this crucial lifeline some distance away to the south of the capital may have rendered it less vulnerable to the invasions from the north. The irrigation network of Kala Wewa and Jayaganga is indeed a product of local ingenuity, resourcefulness, simple practicality, foresight, centuries of acute observation and the astounding unity of purpose of our ancestors. Something that their descendants may admire and be justly proud of. And surely, aspire to as well.

Rowland Ravenhart wrote a glowing tribute to the ancient tank builders.

“The tanks are a constant feature of the lowland landscape, and a beautiful one. Climb any hill there and see them steel blue in the darker forests; see also the fiery green of the rice fields they nourish; and salute those engineers. There were no “cats” or bulldozers; there were giants of large conception in those day….The irrigation engineering was consistently excellent. New canals have been sited with modern instruments, and found to run a few feet from the old ones; sluices have been planned in the optimum positions, and excavations for them have found old ones just there.”

The visit to Rome of the four envoys from Ceylon in the year 45 AD, is one of the most puzzling episodes in our long history. There is no mention of this event in our oral or written traditions. Neither is there any Roman record of Emperor Claudius having spared them an audience.  Fascinatingly, it is this same Claudius who was selected as the main protagonist in the fictional novels of Robert Graves. While the emperor was quite busy defending his empire and planning the murder of his third wife, a Roman historian by the name of Plinius or “Pliny the elder” as we know him today, took a great interest in the four Ceylonese ambassadors. We know this, as he had dedicated a complete chapter in his lively narrative of “natural History”, to the island of “Taprobane”.

“IT hath been for a long time thought that Taprobane was another World under the appellation of the Antichthones. But from the time of Alexander the Great, and the intercourse in those parts, it was discovered to be an Island… And hereupon especially was he moved to seek for the Friendship of Rome; and so despatched four Ambassadors, of whom Rachias was the chief. From them it became known that there were five hundred Towns in it; and that there was a Harbour facing the South, lying conveniently near the Town Palesimundum, the principal City of all that Realm, and the King’s Seat; that there were 200,000 common Citizens: that within this Island there was a Lake called Magisba, 270 Miles in Circuit containing in it some Islands fruitful in nothing but Pasturage. Out of this Lake issued two Rivers ; the one, Palesimundas, passing near to the City of the same Name, and running into the Harbour with three Streams ; of which the Narrowest was five Stadia Broad, and the largest fifteen ; the other Northward towards India, by Name Cydara : also that the next Cape of this Country to India is called Colaicum, from which to the nearest Port (of India) is counted four Days’ Sailing : in the midst of which Passage, there lieth the Island of the Sun. They said, moreover, that the Water of this Sea was of a deep green Colour; and, what is still more extraordinary, full of Trees growing within it : 1 so that the Pilots with their Helms broke off the” Crests of those Trees…

…The King is adorned like Liber Pater : but others in the habit of Arabians. If the King offend in anything, Death is his Punishment : but no Man doeth Execution. All Men turn away from him, and deny him any Intercourse, of even a Word. They are destroyed during a solemn Hunting, which, it appears, is exceedingly agreeable to the Tigers and Elephants. They cultivate their Ground diligently. They do not use Vines ; but all sorts of Fruits they have in Abundance. They also take Pleasure in Fishing, and especially in taking Tortoises :and so great are they found there, that one of their Shells serves to cover a House. They count a hundred Years no long Life. Thus much we have learned concerning Taprobane”

(source: archive.org)

Parts of Pliny’s exaggerated and baffling account may be attributed to these ambassadors wanting to paint a glowing picture of their country in the minds of Rome. Perhaps some of it could have been misinterpreted when translating their accounts with the aid of the sailors who accompanied them. However, roman coins of Claudius have been found by the Portuguese in Mannar in 1574. Neither was it unusual for Ceylonese kings to send ambassadors to foreign kingdoms. And nor is there any doubt that the “trees whose crests are broken by the helms of boats that grows within deep green seas” may have been a reference to the corrals adorning our shallow shores. Likewise, it is generally speculated that the giant lake Magisba mentioned by Pliny may have been the “Kala Wewa” we know today.

A giant stone mass which was part of the ancient spillway… the grey shape behind the tree line is the modern spillway built by the British – a short distance away in the exact same location.

A lone fisherman braves the open spill gates to cast his net at dusk

The vastness of Kala Wewa in dying light at about 6.00 pm..

The shady three wheel drive along the bund of the tank was one of the most pleasing experiences of the day. It must be such sceneries that inspired R. L. Spittle to write….

“Through forest roads flanked by scattered homes and tanks melodious with the cries of water-fowl. And so we attain a pleasant goal by pleasing paths”

A pleasant goal by pleasing paths..

Starting the day’s work…

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I saw plenty of bird life with kingfishers, herons and Brahmin kites on and above the tank bund. However, the highlight of the day was the abundance of butterflies… bringing to mind fond memories of walking along the Bududruwagala tank in Wellawaya. Roaming elephants are also said to visit the other end of the tank bund by evening.

A fluttering of colours..

The origins of Kala wewa is steeped in local legend and history. The popular version of folklore says that there was once a man so disgraced by the behavior of his wife that he fled to the forest. Rumors began to spread that the wild man was hiding some treasure in the jungle, prompting the king to have him brought to his royal presence. But the man said that the only treasure he knew of was a lake held by an entanglement of “Kala” creepers. (This tall creeper “Derris Scandens”, still flourishes in the tank today… with huge white flowers and clumsy bean pods). The king replaced the creeper with a dam and made him its guardian. One day there was a breach in the bund. In order to stop the breach, its guardian placed himself bodily in the breach until workers arrived to repair it, losing his life in doing so. Having selflessly dived into the “kada vala” (broken hole), he was, in time, deified as “Kadawara” Deiyo (God). To this date he remains the guardian deity for all whose livelihood, way of life, customs and traditions are revolved around the tank. A small temple in the old spill way, remains dedicated to this God.

As I entered the Devalaya a puja was going on. My attempt to patiently wait till the ceremony was over and have a quiet chat with the Kapu mahattaya was well rewarded. The oral tradition maintained by those serving the temple is a darker version of the popular legend.

“The God Kadawara was once a resident of the region by the name of Seneviratna. He was a person who really enjoyed his food and drink. (Hondata kana bona kenek). One day after a drunken brawl with his wife, he walked into the jungle in a terrible rage… wowing never to return. Seven years elapsed, during which time he lost touch with all humanity and roamed the wilderness with a herd of deer. One day it came to the king’s ear that a wild man was obstructing the palace servants from obtaining venison for his table. It was also rumored that he was guarding a treasure in the jungle. Enticed by these tales of gold and precious stones, the king ordered the whole army to be deployed to capture this enigma. Bound and caged, the man was neither willing nor able to speak in human tongue. Drummers were sent to all corners of the kingdom announcing a reward of 1000 gold pieces for anyone who could make him talk. Time passed and no one could claim the prize. One day a woman came forward and suggested that the wild man be fed with tasty morsels with plenty of salt and lime. (Hondata lunu ambul). To the surprise of all, the man recovered his ability to speak. And the woman was found to be none other than his estranged spouse. Even to date, a special list of food is cooked and offered to the deity during the puja. The king inquired how he survived in times of drought in these dry forests. The man replied that he ate leaves and bark of plants and drank water from a lake formed by “Kala” creepers blocking the flow of a river. The king ordered a mighty dam be built in the place of the Kala creepers. The tank thus formed was named as the Kala wewa. A second tank was also ordered to be built at the other side of the river. As the second tank was built by looking (balaa) at the Kala Wewa, it was named as the Balalu wewa. A pirit mandapaya was built and 62 priests were invited to chant pirit till the tank was filled with rain water. The king decreed that Seneviratna be appointed as the guardian of the tank. His first duty was to guard two clay pots which were placed to measure the water level of the tank. Once the water level reached the required level the sluice gates were to be opened and the water distributed to the paddy fields. Thus was the wish (Wara) of the king. All seemed going well for Seneviratna basking in royal favor. But tragedy was destined to follow. During the ceremony both clay pots was accidentally broken by an aged monk who got up to leave the pirit mandapaya. Knowing that he would surely be executed for failing to carry out the royal wishes, Seneviratna committed suicide by jumping into the tank. In a fit of rage he is said to have broken the necks of all 62 monks before taking his own life. The place in the old bund still called as “Pannuma”, is said to be the very place where Seneviratna jumped (panna) to his end. Soon after the local residents started to suffer from bad dreams and frightful apparitions. The spirit thus reborn from a broken (kada) wish (wara) was thereafter named as Kadawara. To appease this powerful spirit the king built a temple on a rock in the middle of the tank.  During times of extreme drought and receding water levels, this “Kovil Gala” is still said to be visible from the tank bund. Thereafter the spirit went to the banks of the Menik Ganga and started terrorizing the Kataragama pilgrims by grabbing their food offerings. The mighty God Kataragama summoned the spirit and enquired the reason for his wanton acts. Kadawara replied “mata badagini wuna mamma kewa” (I became hungry, I ate). After admonishing him God Kataragama inquired if he is willing to wage war with the “Asuras”. Borrowing the golden sword of God Kataragama, Kadawara boldly vanquished the feared Asuras in combat. The head that the God Kataragama is holding in his hand, seen in some religious iconography is said to be a decapitated Asura offered by Kadawara. It is said that only lord Buddha was able to defeat the Asuras in battle before this. As reward for this feat, Kadawara was appointed as the guardian of the southern entrance to the palace of God Kataragama, and given the right to be worshipped alongside the deity.  To date daily Puja is offered at 4.30 am, 9.30 am, 12.30 pm, 7.30 pm and 12.30 pm at the Kadawara devalaya to exactly match the times when rituals are observed at the Kataragama shrine.”

The Kapu Mahattaya swore that the “deviyan wahanse jeewamanawa wada sitinawa” (the god is alive and present) and is all powerful in his adaviya. Nothing for better nor for worse (hondata ho narakata) is said to happen without the deity’s consent. Even the slightest improper utterance (kata waradda gannawa) must be avoided as there is “aayith no katha no hellum” (not a chance to talk or even budge), should his wrath be aroused. The vengeance of Mul Kadawara Seneviratna Devatawun Wahanse… is said to be certain on those who deny him overlordship in the region. During my brief stay, I could observe a steady stream of visitors to the shrine. Some seem to stop by in the midst of their daily errands to make a brief prayer, while others arrived bringing offerings for puja and wows. The look of piety, trust, fear and reverence in their faces said it all…

Maha Kadawara Devalaya – A sense of eeriness as darkness descends…

Mul Kadawara Seneviratna Devatawun Wahanse

The king in this legend was Dhatusena, a warrior from the Deep South who vanquished the Tamils who were in possession of Anuradhapura. Dhatusena ascended the throne n 459 A.C. thus restoring the Sinhalese sovereignty at a crucial juncture. He was the first monarch of the mysterious Moriya dynasty. No reliable information can be extracted from existing sources as to who the Moriyans were, and what claim Dhatusena had for the throne. However, there is no doubt that the brief rule of the Moriyan’s provided royal patronage for an astonishing flowering of art, sculpture, architecture and irrigation. The mere mention of the names of Dhatusena and Kasyapa should itself suffice to summarize their reign of glory.

According to Culawamsa the building of the kala wewa was itself predicted by the great thera Mahanama. During the time when the youthful prince Dhatusena was being groomed in state craft at the Gonisa-Vihara, the Pandu invaders sent forces to have him captured and killed…..

“In the night the Thera had a dream about it and fetched the boy away. Scarcely had he departed when the people surrounded (the house) but did not find him in the parivena. The twain (uncle and nephew) departed thence and when, farther south. They reached the great river called Gona then just in flood, they were obliged to halt, much as they wished to press forward. The Thera spoke: “even as this river holds us back, so do thou (in future time) hold back its course by collecting its waters in a tank,” and he descended with the boy into the stream…”

Those like myself, born in the late seventies, were probably the last generation to witness the end of the age old bond of the extended family. Before the onslaught of cultural change heralded by the open economy, uncles and aunts were very much part of the family. And in many situations, played an active part in supporting their siblings and their children. The Mahanama thera who is mentioned above is said to be the maternal uncle of Dhatusena. And it was his uncle who was said to have played a key role in placing young Dhatusena in the throne.  According to oral tradition, he was also the learned compiler of the Mahawamsa. Though some experts think the author was not this Mahanama, but another monk of the same name, most of those who have actually read the Mahawamsa would be inclined to disagree. The deep piety, patriotism, humility, zest and wisdom of this charming old monk glows between the lines of his chronicle. Also the author of Mahawamsa ended the saga with Maha Sena. Perhaps not trusting himself to record impartially the occurrences that so nearly touched him. The story of Dhatusena is recorded at the beginning of Culawamsa.

The Culavamsa portrays Dhatusena as a mighty builder of tanks and a righteous ruler. It also records the misdeed which foretold the kings’ tragic undoing.

“When this king was building the Kalavapi tank he saw a bhikkhu sunk in meditation and as he could not rouse him out of his absorption, he had a clod of earth flung at the bhikkhu’s head. The consequence of this deed experienced in his lifetime has been described in the story of his violent death.”

The doom which was to follow is vividly narrated by the ancient chronicler. The king’s eldest son Kasyapa seized the throne, “having every scoundrel as his comrade” against his father, imprisoning him and demanding the treasures held in secret (he thought) for Moggalana, the rightful heir.

“When he heard that, this most wicked of men grew furious and sent messengers to his father with the command to make known the place where the treasure lay. The latter thought: this is a pretext of the villain to kill us, and he kept silence. The messengers went and told the King. He became very wroth and sent (messengers) again and again. Dhatusena thought: it is well, I will visit my friend, bathe in the Kalavapi and then die, and (he) spake to the messengers: “if he lets me go to the Kalavapi he shall learn it.” The messengers went and told the King and the King joyful in his thirst for gold, sent messengers to whom he gave a chariot with a damaged axle. As the Monarch drove thither, the driver who guided the chariot, ate roasted corn and gave him also a little of it. He ate of it, had joy over the man and gave him a leaf for Moggallana asking him to make him gate-keeper as a reward. Thus is good fortune fleeting as the lightning? How then can the sensible man be intoxicated by it? When the Thera Mahanama heard: the King comes, he put aside the bean soup and chicken he had received remembering: the King likes that, and took his seat awaiting the guest. The King came, greeted him respectfully and took a place at his side. Thus the twain sat side by side joyfully as if they had gained a kingdom, and their mutual converse chased their cares away. After the Thera had entertained the King, he admonished him in many ways and encouraged him to strive ceaselessly, showing him how the world is subject to the law of impermanency. Then Dhatusena betook himself to the tank, plunged as he liked therein, bathed and drank and spake to the King’s henchmen: “This here, my friends, is my whole wealth”.”

Kasyapa was furious. He had his father stripped naked and chained, and walled up to die. Some say at the bund of the same tank

Passing the devalaya, the road continued through lush paddy fields towards my final destination for the day…the ancient raja maha viharaya in the village of Vijithapura.

Nil Goyama Meda…

Vijithapura which is also known as Vijitha Nagara or Vijithagama, is one of the earliest recorded cities in the island. When Vijaya, the first recorded ruler of the country arrived from India, he brought a large retinue of his followers with him. These followers spread throughout the country, and established settlements. One of his chief followers named Vijitha founded the establishment which was then known as Vijitha Nagara (city of Vijitha) or Vijithagama (village of Vijitha). The city is believed to have been founded during the reign of king Panduvasudeva, the third recorded king of Sri Lanka, who was the brother in law of the chieftain Vijitha.

As usual I had a quiet chat with the temple priest about the temple and its history. And what a conversation it turned out to be…According to him the stupa has been constructed at the very center of the ancient fortress of Vijithapura to commemorate the great victory of Duttugamunu at this very site. The original stupa built at the same time as the Maha Seya in Anuradhapura, is said to have been built on the very spot where the kings standard was said to have been raised to signal victory to the troops. The unusual features of the stupa seen today have been added during its reconstruction as a memorial stupa.

Unique memorial stupa…

I could see no remnants of a fortress at the temple premises. But the priest pointed out that due to the sheer scale of the fortress it lay scattered over a wider area of about 8 km across. There is still said to be a part of the Vijithapura wall about 4 km away near the Hiripitiyagama junction in the Thalawa Kekirawa road. The eastern part of the wall was said to be submerged by the Kala Wewa built on a later date. About 3 km to the west of the temple, another part of the wall is said to be still standing in a village called “Galnaewa”. The priest pointed out that the original fortress would have been eight to ten kilometers wide and would have encircled the whole settlement of Vijithapura. If this be true it may have looked very similar to the ancient defense fortifications still to be seen at Polonnaruwa.

In places like Vijithapura legends and place names continues to be remembered, long after cries of battle and even whole fortress walls have disappeared into the abyss of time. Though unsupported by written proof, they constitute an accumulation of circumstantial evidence which cannot be ignored.

The hillside surrounding the temple is still said to be dotted with remains of guard posts. These “mura kutti” are said to have been used to relay messages from one hill to another warning the approach of enemies. Two of these hills are still called as “oththu gala” (spying rock) and “Us Gala” (high rock) by the local residents.

Mahawamsa records that king Elara was killed outside the southern gates of Anuradhapura in a final duel with Duttugamunu. But according to local folklore the two kings fought a prior duel in Vijithapura as well. King Elara was said to be defeated, but managed to escape using an underground tunnel. Less than 2 km away from the temple is a place called “Gal-Linda yaya”, meaning “field of stone well”. I was told that remnants of an ancient structure resembling a well is still seen there. The locals still say that this was entrance to Elara’s escape tunnel.

The ancient fortress was said to be protected by multiple moats or “agal”. With the passage of time, whole villages are said to been built over these gigantic moats. Village names such as “Pahi Vala”, “Digan Vala and “nabada vala” are said to be places where these moats have once stood. These places called “Vala” meaning hole or depression in the ground may have originally been abandoned moats.

Scattered village names in the region such as “demala akkaraya” (acre of Tamils), Karukkankulama, Puliyankulama and Ichchankulama may be remnants of a strong Dravidian influence in the area.

The ancient road to Anuradhapura is said to lie behind the current temple. The remnants of a building said to be a three tiered gate house controlling the entrance to this road is still found in the temple premises. Thus indicating that the temple is indeed at a strategically important location in the ancient route to Anuradhapura

The gate house to the ancient route to Anuradhapura…

The “Kadu Gae gala” which was said to be used by Duttugamunu’s warriors to sharpen their swords, is a key attraction at the temple. The wear and tear of the stone, does indeed look as if caused by sharpening a thousand swords.

Looks like thousands of swords have been sharpened long ago

The exact location of Vijithapura continues to be debated even today.  Many historians and archaeologists believe that ancient Vijithapura is situated in close proximity to Polonnaruwa, where the southern border defense fortifications of the Anuradhapura kingdom has been traditionally located. When travelling to Polonnaruwa from Colombo Fort, one takes the “Kaduruwela” bus. The word Kaduruwela is said to have been derived from “Kandawuru wela”, meaning the field where camp was set up for battle. The residents in that locality maintain an oral tradition that, this was the place where Duttugamunu pitched camp during the bloody siege at Vijithapura. While carrying out aerial mapping for the Mahaweli Development Project, surveyors came across a location which indicated to the existence of three ancient moats and a square fortification. This site located between Kaduruwela and the new town of Polonnaruwa, is now generally accepted as the location of Vijithapura.

(Source: sirimunasiha.wordpress.com)

Since neither the priest nor I was able to agree as to the exact location of the fortress we decided to call a truce, and discuss about the archeological importance of the site. According to local folklore the Avukana temple was donated by king Dhatusena to the monks of the Vijithapura parapura (dynasty), bringing it under the administration of this raja Maha Viharaya.  It was at this temple, that the king was said to have resided whilst, supervising his mighty constructions. In a neglected corner of the temple lies a mound of ancient brick guarded only by a few crumbling pillars. This is said to be a stupa built to preserve the ashes of the great Mahanama thera. For according to oral tradition the great thera is said to have passed away in this very temple.

The possible resting place of the ashes of the author of Mahawamsa…

The attack of Vijithapura is arguably the most vividly described battle scene in the Mahawamsa. The author of the great chronicle regales the reader with lively prose, not dissimilar to the grand style of Homer narrating the siege of Troy. I could not but wonder if this was in some way influenced by the author’s personal connection to Vijithapura

“…………….. All the Damilas on the bank of the river who had escaped death threw themselves for protection into the city named Vijitanagara. In a favorable open country he pitched a camp, and this became known by the name Khandhavarapitthi……………………………. Near the south gate befell a fearful battle between the warriors. But near the east gate did Velusumana, sitting on his horse, slay Damilas in great numbers. The Damilas shut the gate and the king sent thither his men. Kandula and Nandhimitta and Suranimila, at the south gate, and the three, Mahasona, Gotha and Theraputta, at the three other gates did their (great) deeds. The city had three trenches, was guarded by a high wall, and furnished with gates of wrought iron, difficult for enemies to destroy. Placing himself upon his knees and battering stones, mortar and bricks with his tusks did the elephant attack the gate of iron. But the Damilas who stood upon the gate-tower hurled down weapons of every kind, balls of red-hot iron and molten pitch. When the smoking pitch poured on his back Kandula, tormented with pains, betook him to a pool of water and dived there.`Here is no sura-draught for thee, go forth to the destroying of the iron gate, destroy the gate !’ thus said Gothambara to him. Then did the best of elephants again proudly take heart, and trumpeting he reared himself out of the water and stood defiantly on firm land.The elephants’ physician washed the pitch away and put on balm; the king mounted the elephant and, stroking his temples with his hand, he cheered him on with the words: `To thee I give, dear Kandula, the lordship over the whole island of Lanka.’

And when he had had choice fodder given to him, had covered him with a cloth and had put his armour on him and had bound upon his skin a seven times folded buffalo-hide and above it had laid a hide steeped in oil he set him free. Roaring like thunder he came, daring danger, and with his tusks pierced the panels of the gate and: trampled the threshold with his feet; and with uproar the gate crashed to the ground together with the arches of the gate. The crumbling mass from the gate-tower that fell upon the elephant’s back did Nandhimitta dash aside, striking it with his arms. When Kandula saw his deed, in contentment of heart he ceased from the former wrath he had nursed since he (Nandhimitta) had seized him by the tusks. That he might enter the town close behind him Kandula the best of elephants turned (to Nandhimitta) and looked at that warrior. But Nandhimitta thought: `I will not enter (the town) by the way opened by the elephant’ and with his arm did he break down the wall. Eighteen cubits high and eight usabhas long it crashed together. The (elephant) looked on Süranimila, but he too would not (follow in) the track but dashed forward, leaping the wall into the town. Gona also and Sona pressed forward, each one breaking down a gate. The elephant seized a cart-wheel, Mitta a waggon frame, Gotha a cocos-palm, Nimila his good sword, Mahasona a palmyra-palm, Theraputta his great club,’ and thus, rushing each by himself into the streets, they shattered the Damilas there. When the king in four months had destroyed Vijitanagara he went thence to Girilaka and slew the Damila Giriya. ……………..”

The current temple may… or may not have been the exact location of this epic battle. However, a quick study of the numerous sacred footprints, guard stones, urinal stones, building structures, stone pillars and treasure containers littering the site, provides ample proof as to the significance and the antiquity of the temple.

A plundered treasure container lies open and forgotten…

I thanked the priest and continued the last leg of the three wheel ride to Kekirawa junction. As the three wheeler was driving away, I took one last look at the stupa glistening white against the blue skies. Where giants have said to have attacked in all four directions, royal elephants have thundered on to iron fortifications and a bloody victory has been cheered by raising the lion flag of Duttugamunu… only the silence and symmetry of the stupa seem to remain.  From Kekirawa I took a bus to Colombo. Seats were readily available, and it was a most welcome opportunity catch a nap.

Sri Lanka possesses several renowned and venerated statues and sculptures of Lord Buddha. Among these the ‘Avukana’ statue commands a prominent position. This statue is adored all over the island to such an extent, that several full scale copies have been erected in Colombo (opposite BMICH), Dondra, Ratnapura, and Trincomalee.  But those who have actually been to Avukana are unlikely to compare these modern replicas molded from bricks and cement with the magnificent the original carved out of a living rock. The best time of the day to see the “Avukana” Buddha is definitely at sunrise around 7 a.m.  Watching the first rays of the sun unveiling the Siraspatha, the eyes, face and finally the full length the colossal statue is indeed an unforgettable experience. The statue at Avukana is inseparably linked with the giant sculpture at Ras Vehera, the Kala Wewa tank and the Vijithapura temple. Grand conceptions such as Kala Wewa and Jayaganga, are a proud testimony to the accumulation of local ingenuity, foresight, centuries of acute observation and the astounding unity of purpose displayed by our ancestors. Nourished by the waters of a giant irrigation network and shrouded with many a tale of Gods and kings, the basin of Kala Wewa remains one of the most historic and enigmatic regions in the island. Not all of these tales and folklore can be verified as factual. Some of these oral traditions even contradict what is generally accepted as historical fact. Thus, in many occasions being promptly dismissed as amusing tales. But none can deny these age old legends their charm. Like in all ancient communities around the globe, these oral traditions reflect the history, values, aesthetic sensitivity and spiritual beliefs of our ancestors. They have somehow retained the very “pulse” of a community long disappeared. Theirs was a way of life was untainted with the modern confusion about the meaning of life, erosion of fundamental human values, and disrespect for nature and for each other. Hence, these age old tales and beliefs are indeed windows through which we may gaze at ourselves through the centuries.  And the few who look, might catch a glimpse of what made us all “Sri Lankan”. It is said that the appeal of the western fairy tales lie not in the terror they invoke about dragons, but in showing us that even these terrifying creatures can be defeated. Perhaps our own oral traditions show us more than a glimpse of what life “used” to be. Perhaps their wonder and wisdom may open our eyes to see what life “can” be as well. But the true magic of these tales must be their absolute defiance to time itself. For in places like Vijithapura, these figments of imagination have proved to be far more enduring than the granite walls of legendary forts. And in the banks of Kala Wewa, the meeting of fertile minds and fertile plains have nourished an astonishing array of these timeless tales. There is something very special about observing a sunrise at Avukana, offering flowers at Ras Vehera, taking a pleasant walk along the bund of Kala Wewa, listening to a dark tale about the local deity or searching for traces of Vijithapura that inevitably draws ones thoughts to a distant past. In silent moments such as these, it is not difficult to picture Mahanama thera stepping into a raging river to save a young prince or Dhatusena surveying the giant mass of water with sad pride. The drama of Kadawara jumping to his death, Bharana chiseling a masterpiece, Kandula charging the gates of Vijithapura or a defeated sculptor laying down his tools at Ras Vehera all seemed very real as I watched the sunset at Kala Wewa. I had left Colombo the previous night eagerly prepared with a list of places and folklores to be explored. I left Kekirawa the next day completely exhausted, and with a mind filled with far more questions than I could have ever imagined…The drive from Kekirawa to Avukana by moonlight the same morning seemed a very long time ago. Who were the Moriyans? What caused the astonishing flourish of art, architecture and irrigation under their patronage? Who was Mahanama thera? Why did he end the chronicle of Mahawamsa with king Mahasen? Did he reside in Vijithapura temple? Why is Vijithapura given such a prominent place in his writings? Was Avukana sculpted by a sculptor named Bharana? Why was the statue at Sasseruwa left unfinished? Was there a connection between the statues at Ras Vehera and Avukana with the now destroyed Bamiya Buddha statues in Afghanistan? Did God Kadawara lose his life in a heroic attempt to save the tank or in a suicidal rage? Why is there such faith and fear for this Deity? Was the fortress of Vijithapura situated in the Kala Wewa region or close to Kaduruwela? Is the remaining parts of the ancient wall in Hiripitiyagama part of the Vijithapura Fortress? Did Duttugamunu and Elara fight an unrecorded duel during the battle of Vijithapura? Could Elara have escaped to Anuradhapura using an underground tunnel? Perhaps another visit to seek a few more answers…or discover more questions and folk lore…

Sri Pada, probably the most sacred and worshipped mountain in the whole universe, is a place where millions of pilgrims visit year after year. This is not just another mountain to be climbed but a place where people from many different religions, races and nationalities pay homage. This is a hallmark of the Buddhists where they worship the footprint of one (probably the greatest) of the great philosophers, mind you not just a religious leader, who had walked on this earth. However, there are a few other religious groups that believe this to be their religion leader’s footprint.

For the past hundreds maybe thousands of years countless number of people has visited this sacred place in the hope of getting some inner peace into their troubled minds. Not only those who seek some peace and quiet conquer this mountain but also adventurous travelers who need to test their stamina and add this mesmerizing peak to their ticked list. There are many others with so many reasons that come to this place in numbers.

Talking about Sri Lankans, they have been doing this journey from as far as we can dig into the history. The conditions had been so arduous and dangerous due to the sheer height and unforgiving terrain. However nothing has so far been able to stop the relentless trying and courage of the people and I’m very sure nothing will change that in the future either. From newborns to the great grandmothers and fathers this is a journey that needs to be achieved at least once in their lifetimes. It’s become a dream for many and even an obsession for some but everyone regardless of their age, physical & mental conditions and gender this is a must-do.

There are many people who have done and still do this journey as many times as possible. That is for many, something to boast about. To symbolize the number of attempts, there is a ritual they perform once at the summit. That is to ring a bell located at the peak depending on the number of times you’ve been there. For example, if that is your first time, you can ring the bell just once. If that was your tenth visit, you could ring it ten times. This is not a rule, but a simple and a long-lasting custom out of many by the pilgrims. Among them are some very interesting rituals performed by the devotees but I’ll leave you to search for them that are widely available in many reference books.

Recollections of my first visit to this sacred place are vague and sketchy. It occurred when I was a kid, probably around ten. Out of the few things I can recall are the overflowing people, Seetha Gangula (the stream that flows from the Sri Pada Mountain), darkness, extreme cold, never-ending steps and a rock hard fish bun whose exorbitant price made my granny’s eyes pop clean out of their sockets. She could only afford one and I can remember my teeth biting into the rocky bun and the pain which shot through the jaws all the way into the brain. We traveled in the night after a cold bath in the Seetha Gangula, climbing countless steps being chilled to the marrow making one of the team to lend his sweater to me. I had no idea as to why on earth we were doing that at the time. It all seemed very peculiar to see that many people trying to get to the top amid so many hardships. I was just another curious but childish kid who had no clue about this custom then.

Looking back I feel ashamed of feeling like that at the time. To this moment I’ve been to the Sri Pada five times, forgive me if I sound boastful. Out of them, except the first time I’ve done the other four times not because my family or anyone else but I really wanted to go there and feel the inner peace that course through my veins right into the mind and soul. It’s magical and I’m helpless if you ask me to put it into words. You gotta do it to be able to experience the sensational feeling runs through your mind. Those who have done it will surely know what I’m trying to get across to you.

There are six known paths to the top of the highest peak of the Samanala Mountain Range that is also the fourth highest in Sri Lanka. They are if I’m to list them according to the mostly used by the pilgrims:

1. Hatton Route.
2. Rathnapura aka Sri Palabaddala Route.
3. Kuruwita aka Erathna Route.
4. Rajamale Route.
5. Maliboda Route.
6. Dehenakanda aka Hapugasthenna Route.

This is also the ascending order in terms of difficulty as well. The distance ranges from 5km up to 14km depending on the trail. The shortest is believed to be the Hatton Route while the longest is the Kuruwita Route. The adventurous folks try to get to the top by all six routes while extra adventurous types keep searching for either to uncover the old ones or find new ways to reach their goals. That is one of my dreams as well, try and conquer this magical mountain in all six routes before I call it a lifetime and rest my bones. So far including the first time, I’ve been to the top thrice via Hatton Route (Check One of Them here) and once each via Rathnapura Route and Rajamale Route. What I’m trying to bring you is the latest of my journeys through the Rajamale Route.

Ana, Atha & Prasa had been with me (not forgetting the old Tony) for some unforgettable journeys recently. It’s been a great pleasure being able to travel with guys who share the same passion and their combined experience in life is a real bonus when it comes to planning and tackling difficulties. This time we chose Sri Pada mainly for two reasons. First to take Ana to this wonderful location for the first time and second I wanting to try a different way to the top. We carefully picked out the ideal time, accommodation, transportation and the route making sure the foundation stage of our journey was firmly placed. Then it was all down to our dedication, luck and the blessings of the Mother Nature which all fell nicely into place like a perfectly solved jigsaw puzzle.

Ana booked Fishing Hut, an isolated log-cabin-type place at the border of the Peak Wilderness with Baththulu Oya flowing right next. It’s like a paradise on earth surrounded by the lush greenery rain forest, set at the edge of a tea patch belonging to Moray Estate bordered by one side by the virgin flow of Baththulu Oya with an amazing view of the Sacred Mountain in the distance. Having been used by the English during the colonial era for trout fishing gave it the name Fishing Hut. The trout and fishing all have now become a part of the history but the isolated and peaceful environment is a stress buster for the workaholic. I’d wanted to visit the place so much after all the good things I’d come across about it. So finally being able to go and stay there for a couple of days was yet another dream come true for me. Additionally,climbing the Sri Pada through a trail not attempted before was a gem of an opportunity. I wasn’t gonna miss it for the world.

Tour Highlights:

1. Fishing Hut.
2. Sri Pada via Rajamale.

Day 01

We set off in the wee hours of 24th Saturday towards Del Housie aka Nallathanniya. It was during one of the Waterfall Hunts that I learned Nallathanniya was also called Del House. However in this journey it was revealed that the real term was Del Housie not Del House. I seem to learn new things quite a lot in my travels. The heavy rains that troubled more than three quarters of the country wreaking havoc had gone to a faraway land. The crescent moon shone up in the sky signaling perfect weather and someone had taken so much trouble to paste a few million diamond-like stars across the sky.

When we arrived at Kalugala junction it was still dark and we decided to take the old road via Laxapana to Maussakelle. The headlights made a big pool of light in front helping Ana maneuver the hairpin bends. We saw a couple of vehicles going to pay homage to the sacred mountain as this was Saturday. Arriving at a small Kovil with an abandoned tea factory below gave us a perfectly good view of the Seven Virgins and Laxapana Falls. The sky had turned off the halogen lamp and taken off the expensive diamonds she was wearing. Orange and pink glow appeared to the left most edge of the Seven Virgins notifying us of the arrival of the sun. The clouds were ablaze with bright yellow and golden rays reflecting on them while the sky was slowly getting into her more comfortable royal blue wrap. Tips of the naughty Seven Virgins got the first of the rays giving them a beautiful contrast between the top and the bottom. This called for a few pictures and we got down to be hit by a blast of cold air. It was scented with the freshness of the morning and we breathed in hungrily.

With it woke the ravenous worms in our bellies demanding for breakfast. We had no choice but to pamper them. The vegetable sandwiches tasted delicious. I’m no vegetarian but had always taken an effort to remain vegetarian during the previous visits to the holy mountain. Even that rocky fish bun I had in my first visit had nothing discriminating than a touch harmless vegetables as far as I can remember. I believe that it helps cleanse my mind free of wickedness and evil thoughts remaining vegetarian. It will also help you have a safe journey and do your rituals in peace. Some of you would want to differ but this is purely what I feel. Ana took great pains to plan our meals with no hint of meat of any kind. After a delicious breakfast (still wishing there were more of those lovely sandwiches) and a dozen or so pictures we got back into the vehicle and drove on.

Viewing point of Laxapana Falls…

Mighty Seven Virgins, note the tiny streak of Laxapana Falls

Enjoying the breakfast while dogs kept begging for scraps

Sun opens shop

Lighted

The road was largely devoid of any traffic and we turned onto the Del Housie at Maussakelle. The police check point was active once again and they will take care of your musical instruments for you should you have any with you. Remember, you are visiting a very sacred place and must give the respect it’s due regardless of who you are. It’s advisable not to do anything to destroy the peacefulness of the surrounding by your reckless behavior. We drove on with a placid Maussakelle Reservoir to our left. Mulgama Lower Falls still had a decent amount of water but turning on we saw the sorry state of Mohini. She looked as if someone had kidnapped not only her child but also her white Saree as well. She was practically naked save for a few strings of muslin cloth hanging loosely over her. We felt shy to get down so drove on towards Mulgama Junction. Just before we decided to stop for a plain tea. The shop had just been opened up for the day and ginger-flavored plain tea warmed our bodies by a few degrees.

At Mulgama Junction, we turned to the left and stopped at a shop close by for a few provisions. There is closer to 12km from here to the fishing hut along a terrible road full of pot holes and jutting out rocks. A car or a similar type of vehicle will have a serious problem in this road whose condition got worse after the showers. Despite the bitter condition we enjoyed the scenery alike especially the Maussakelle Reservoir and perfectly plucked tea bushes glistening in the first rays of the day. In the far distance beyond the Maussakelle Reservoir lies urbanized Maskeliya town. After a couple of km, we entered Moray estate and reached the fishing hut turn into the right. The straight road will take you to the Moray tea factory and beyond towards the Peak Field Falls.

Entering Moray Estate

Beautiful day

Wondering towards the reservoir

Mist rising from the water

Perfect shadow

Gorgeous sky

Royal blue

All around green

Ana with his million dollar smile

The road goes through the tea estate with a splendid view of the reservoir and beyond that Gartmore Falls. There is a short stretch of concrete paved road that will make your battered vehicle smile. We soon arrived at the summer hut which overlooks the Maussakelle Reservoir and to the right is the silky flow of Gartmore Falls and above her the hills and upper cascades of the Gartmore Estate. We carried on without stopping for a picture and entered the dusty estate road. Beyond the tea cultivation is the Peak Wilderness Nature Reserve. We got a grand view of the Sri Pada after a while. The sky was blue and a few stray clouds hung mischievously here and there. The cone-shaped peak had a gorgeous color combination of green and grey where the rock was exposed. The yellow painted structure on the top could be seen clearly. Ana had a helluva job of maneuvering around the uneven road and finally we arrived at the entrance to the fishing hut.

There were signs of various wild animals fixed among the tea plants such as Leopard (according to Prasa, Running Coach), Porcupine, Sambar Deer, Rabbits and Wild Boar. It’d gone 10am and as usual we were early but used the time to get used to the environment. Already there were three vehicles parked signaling some visitors were staying. Fortunately for us, they were going back on the same day and no other group had made a booking during our stay leaving the whole of the fishing hut for us to enjoy. I’ve put a separate post on the fishing hut which surely is useful for the future travelers. However, I’ll just run through the setup of the location so that you can get a feel of it.

Landscape

A bridge along the road.

Sri Pada covered in the mist

Closer

Oranges

The cabins are close by

There are four accommodation options at fishing hut. They are Cabin 1, 2, 3 & 4. They are located among the taller trees hidden from the view giving the much required privacy and isolation. There is a workers’ hut as well where they keep stuff and even stay over. Baththulu Oya flows closer to all the cabins separating the estate from the forest reserve. When you look from the front, the cabin 3 is at the extreme left while the camp site to the extreme right. Between these two are the cabin 2 & 1. The workers’ shed is between the cabin 2 & 1. There’s plenty of space separating the cabins and the parking space is big enough to keep more than half a dozen vehicles. Each cabin has their own access to the river should they feel like a cold bath. They also have a splendid view of the holy peak which is outstanding especially in the night when the summit is all lit up.

The other group left around 11.30am wishing us a happy holiday and we went to our cabin to prepare ourselves for the stay. The beds are made of the wooden sticks so they are not perfectly balanced. The mattresses are good but covered with a waterproof plastic cover. This was a bit uncomfortable as the bed sheets kept slipping in and around in the night. That cover feels very cold and should you come into contact in the night in your sleep, it’s bound to jolt you out of your dreams. It was very quiet save for the rustling of the leaves. Water levels were low so that the river kind of stayed still without making a sound. The caretaker was John, one of the estate workers and boy, he could cook really well. Ana took charge of meal planning and gave him a pre-planned menu for the entire period. Vegetarian was the theme and I’m sure we must have been the only group to have gone like that. While the lunch was being prepared, we went for a bath in the river. The water was freezing but Ana and Prasa didn’t mind one bit.

Around 12.30pm, we returned to the hut to find the laid table. There was Samba Rice with Dhal, Gotukola, Coconut Sambol and Papadam. We made short work of the food and devoured a cashew nut chocolate before going for a nap. It was cold and we slept soundly till 3.15pm when Ana woke us up for coffee.

Path to our cabin

Heavenly

There it is

Doesn’t look much but adequate for our purpose

Main structure

Leisure hut

Ana posing in front of where the usual travelers had left their mark

Tree house too

Leisure and tree huts

Our verandah

Dining area

Two rooms and the bathroom

One of the rooms with bunk beds

The other

Going for a stroll

Another viewing platform

Not the Bogoda Wooden Bridge

Nicely maintained

Towards Hut No. 1 and beyond camp site

Just look at this

Still covered

Entrance to the camp site

Above ground

Steps to the top

Nice place

Baththulu Oya calm and placid

Another view

Framed

Viewing hut and the bridge

Finally the veil was lifted

We were treated by this view

Prasa showing his skills

Baththulu Oya another angle

Doing the hardwork with a smile

From the tree house

Calm water but very cold

Doing the house keeping too

Beds are made

Washroom

Insisted to go up the rickety steps

Shaky legs

From our hut

This is the Hut No. 2

Main structure

Front

Summer huts

Other side

Very cold

Where our guys had a bath

Still water

John doing the cooking

Ana already munching on a papadam

Hungry

Steaming cup of coffee was all I needed and we then took a stroll towards the Rajamale trail head. There’s no electricity or mobile reception at the fishing hut which is always a relief. However if you want to make a phone call, walk up to the entrance gate (about 500m from the cabin) and then turn into the left uphill road that leads to the trail head after a km or so. As soon as you turn, there’s a signage saying mobile reception is available to that point with the service providers’ names. While others made calls, I spent previous fading light to take pictures. Walking up proved to be a bit too much so decided to cut the stroll in half and get back to the hut.

John and two other people were preparing for the night. There were four hurricane lamps and a Petromax lamp as well to light the cabin. The authorities were providing the kerosene for them as well unlike old days. Cutlery and gas (both cylinder and the cooker) are also provided. We enjoyed a rest in the open verandah-like area while they got busy with dinner. It was Rice once again with Canned Polos, Leeks, Beans, Mango and Papadam. It too was tasty. While Ana went to bed early, we kept experimenting with our point-n-shoot cameras to take some good shots of the lit holy peak. The upper lights along Hatton route were clearly visible while one from the Rathnapura side as well. The huge Buddhist Flag kept flashing while patches of mist covered the summit every now and then. No camera could have a better sight than with your own eyes. So we savored this magical moment to the maximum. None of us felt the cold staying out with our cameras and Atha’s tripod. Around 8.30pm, we felt tired and sleepy. As the following day had greater prospects, we decided to go to bed. The blankets helped to retain the warmth but a few times I was unlucky to feel the icy cold plastic cover. We slept like logs till I heard scraping and moving noises coming out of our room. I was all of a sudden as white as an A4 with fear.

Hey	Innocent look

Another

Almighty yawn

John getting the firewood ready

Rabbits

Our cabin

Going for a walk

Winding roads

Ana showing the tongue

Sacred mountain in the distance

There

Porcupines too

Here’s the junctin where the road forks. The left to Fishing Hut and the right to Rajamale Trail

Prasa feeding the fish

One of the few mobile reception spots and Ana making full use

The road

The team

No Hunting

Ripe

Preparing sandwiches for tomorrow

Final touches

Hurricane lamps

Lighting the petromax lamp

Taking pics

Getting the dinner ready

Polos

Mango

Leeks

And Beans

Tasting

Hmmm… Just what the doctor ordered

Nice and quiet

Crescent moon

Day 02

I pulled the blanket down and listened hard, but nothing came. The phone showed the time as 3.23am. Gosh, what on earth am I supposed to be doing? Prasa was sleeping like a grizzly bear snoring so loudly as if a chainsaw cutting into a teak trunk. I got down trying to figure out what was the noise. The hurricane lamp in our room sent a faint beam of light which did very little to light the surrounding. Then I heard shuffling feet and clearing of the throat. Ana was already up and about. “Good morning!” I greeted him and he was already getting ready to make coffee. I too badly wanted a cuppa and in a little while both Atha and Prasa, having sawn the day’s quota of wood, joined us. By 4am we had all finished our morning coffee and got out to take a look at our target.

Sri Pada mountain peak was illuminated with the lights along the Hatton route. The mist came in and out blocking the view but mostly we had a better picture. You can get an even better view closer to the hut number one so Atha and I walked towards it leaving Prasa to help Ana organize the day. Our plan was to leave at 6am so we had to get everything ready in time. Thanks to our headlamps, we managed to get closer to the hut number one and set up the tripod. When we reached there, the view was even better. We could see a larger part of the mountain and spent more than half hour taking pictures. However, our not-so-complex point-n-shoots couldn’t get the desired effect of the long exposure shots but it couldn’t discourage us from trying. We got back to find John too had arrived and busily making Kadala for breakfast. Our water line was cut off and John said that it must have been the Sambar Deer. He’d spotted two of them near the entrance and they had apparently kicked the pipeline loose.

Cluster of gems, the Uda Maluwa seen from Fishing Hut

Closer, note the Buddhist Flag

Closer

While he went to check on it, we packed the stuff we needed for the hike. Soon the water was back and we washed ourselves while John made tempered grams for breakfast with garlic, onion and chilies. Chef Ana and Assistant Chef Prasa had made two different sandwiches to take with us. Tomato & Chutney Sandwiches and Tomato & Seeni Sambol Sandwiches. We got everything into the vehicle and after a hearty breakfast drove onto the trail head which is about 1-1.5km away. It was 6.20am when we arrived at the summer hut marking the trail head set amid the tea estate. Looking back towards fishing hut we saw this beautiful sunrise. Of course we only saw the colorful clouds painted by the most creative artist in the whole wide world. They were pink, orange, purple, red, gold and grey. Just imagine the color combination being unfolded in front of your eyes. This was a real treat and we spent about 10 mins taking pictures when out of nowhere everything vanished as quickly as they arrived. In a way it was good as this change brought us back into the earth from heaven.

What an amazing sight

Mountains outlining the picture

Burning Sky

End of the show

Little bit more

Summer hut

Newly built

Getting ready

Lawrence of Arabia or Yasser Arafat?

Running Coach

Our vehicle is over there

Going uphill

Uphill Journey

Ana was impatient to get to the summit so hurried us on but after a short time we realized that the oxygen levels are so thin and breathing was not so easy. In the end we settled for a slow but steady rhythm. First few hundred meters were through the tea estate before we entered the jungle. We soon arrived at the head of the jungle trail to find, to Prasa’s horror, leopard poo. There was so much and Prasa simply refused to go in front thereafter. We kept going feeling the chill but after a while we got used to the condition and kept going. There was a huge tree fallen across the path and an earth slip too. From there onwards, it was a steady climb. The path had gotten wider and due to the dry conditions, only a handful of leeches disturbed us. If you are doing this in the wet season, leech protection would be a must. We climbed for nearly two hours taking regular 15-60 second breaks. Sometimes they got dragged into minutes.

Our first target was the Sandagalathenna, a place set amid the forest but clear of any trees,  maybe the size of couple of volleyball courts. Anyone hiking via Rajamale stop here to rest and it’s an ideal camping site. However thanks to our reckless and destructive travelers camping here is not allowed now. Just imagine being here on a full moon Poya day admiring the majestic Sri Pada. Back to the four hikers laboring uphill panting like hunting dogs. We soon reached a somewhat flat area with a small rocky surface. Lowering our backpacks onto the ground we breathed a sigh of relief and looking in front saw the holy peak through the trees. It was simply breathtaking and looking closer thanks to the zoom capability, we could see the people coming down after the morning rituals. We rested about 10 mins while Atha making Jeewani for dehydration. The trick is to sip it before you get dehydrated or cramps paralyze you. After a couple of mouthfuls of them, we resumed our journey with renewed energy and courage. The sight of Sri Pada revived our bodies and our goal. Atha and Prasa had been on this trail before about a year and half ago. It’d been in wet conditions and they had been relentlessly attacked by the leeches. They further claimed the path had got wider and we saw the trees had been cut off using chainsaws not so long ago.

Had the treasure hunters been here with the blessings of the powers that be? The path was largely bordered by bamboo and Nelu, favorite snacks of the jumbos. Unfortunately many of them, especially the tuskers had paid with their lives for the greediness of the human kind. The water streams were dried out but we saw one about a km before Sandagalathenna. Around 9.30am, we came out to the open area of Sandagalathenna. It’s a rocky surface with a few patches of grass and the border consisting mainly of bamboo. There were a couple of Buddhist flags put up on sticks and they were flying in the air as if saluting the gorgeous looking Sri Pada. There wasn’t a hint of mist or clouds and we had this unbelievably rich color picture in front of us. This sure is heaven, the grey and green pointed peak set against a shiny blue sky dotted with a few milky white clouds. Below us were surrounded by the light green bamboo and plants. The ground was a mixture of sunburned grass and deep black rocky platform. Against all this stood four mesmerized hikers staring up at the sacred mountain with wide eyes and open mouths. A couple of birds chirped in the background and apart from that no other sound came. We were scared even to move a muscle not wanting to disturb the peacefulness of the place.

Entering the jungle path

Leopard poo

Fully eco friendly

Through the thick bushes

First of many breaks

Golly!

Bending the backs

Prasa leading the way

Much needed break, see the turn off around the fallen tree

Tree cover from the sun

Uneven ground

“Is there more to go?” Ana wondering out loud

Clear blue sky through the trees

First glimpse

Typical Yasser Arafat symbol

Sadu! Sadu!! Sadu!!!

We gotta get there

Mini Sandagalathenna, a tiny space before the Sandagalathenna

Making patterns

Bamboo border

More garbage bins

More of them

Door to heaven

Blooming

Dead tree art

Dew

Just lost for words

I don’t know what to say

Here we are at Sandagalathenna

Flying in the wind

Heaven on earth

He couldn’t have been happier, see the million dollar smile

Posing

Time to get going

We had a biscuit and some more Jeewani. Sun was up and gearing up for a fiery noon. Thankfully the path apart from Sandagalathenna was nicely shaded by the trees making it a treat for not only the body, but also the mind. We cut our break short and got underway. I had my time clock set inside the brain counting off the minutes. There were deadlines to meet but I kept them all closer to my heart not wanting to make others panicky should we got behind the schedule. Ana, as usual, a systematic person, was keeping a close eye on the time and passed on the remarks but I was unmoved. My target was to take him to the summit, that was all that mattered. The way got narrower and steeper as we went on. Sri Pada kept looking at us waving her arms at us encouragingly. She got bigger and prettier as we closed in. After another hour or so we came to a height from where we could clearly see the Maussakelle reservoir below and miles beyond. Maskeliya town and many hills were there in the distant while a mist appeared to the left. Further up we got the first glimpse of Peace Pagoda below at Gangulthenna. Not a week before we saw the Peace Pagoda in Walapane on our way to the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, Kurundu Oya Ella.

Soon we knew that we were within touching distance of the Mahagiridamba or the final part of the Sri Pada. Mahagiridamba is roughly consisted of one thousand steps set in the steepest part before the peak. Rajamale trail joins the Hatton route at the Mahagiridamba saving many steps below and the open path that pilgrims have to take being scorched, if done in daytime, by the sun. That is the main reason why most people opt to hike either in the evening or night. It’ll also give them the opportunity to witness the sunrise as well. If you are wondering how we knew that we were close to the steps, well it was the smell. Not a very good one though, it was the stinking smell of human excrement and urine. Many so called pilgrims disgorge themselves at the entrance to the Rajamale trail thinking it is a natural toilet even though there are toilets built along the Hatton route at decent intervals. It’s a real pity that people don’t understand the value of keeping places, especially such sacred ones, nice and clean. Not only that we witnessed so much thrown food either side of the route as well. It was such an unpleasant sight and the smell coming from rotten garbage destroyed the beauty of the place. To make matters worse there’s plenty of polythene, such as biscuit wrappers, toffee wrappers, soft drink bottles, etc. The impact on the virgin rain forests is so great that at this rate we will have nothing but plastic-filled deserts. Therefore may I take this opportunity to request from everyone who visits this sacred place to try and help keep the environment clean please?

Back in the jungle

Flowers