Sri Lanka, The Land Like No Other.......
Welcome to the wonderful island
lies in the Indian Ocean which brings you fantastic adventures and mild
feelings of Asia.
Sri Lanka is a land of paradise
and famous travelling destination located in Indian ocean. Sri Lanka is a
multinational country with a peaceful surrounding.
- The golden beaches around the island allow you to feel the glamour of sun shine.
- Leisurely stroll along the sandy shores.
- Friendly Sri Lankans all around the country always there to help you anytime.
- Meet the unity and the diversity of a multy ethnic country.
- Be impressed with the traditional pride of Sri Lankans which they preserve from thousands of years.
- Discover the crouching leopard and the timid deer together in Sri Lankan Safari parks.
- Be surprised to meet giants on the Earth. Herd of elephants are so often in National Parks.
- Taste eastern cuisine and makes your tummy feel awesome.
- The country is famous for traditional Ayurveda hospitals and spas, yoga training and a large number of medication centers.
- Precious gems and jewelry are available to enhance your beauty.
The Temple of The Tooth
The Temple of The Tooth in
Kandy is the Buddhist’s most sacred place in the country. King
Wimaladharmasooriya (1592-1603), the first to select the Kandy as the capital
built a two storied temple to the tooth relic and brought the relic from
Delgamuwa in order to give a permanent protection. Next to the temple, the
Kandy National Museum once housed the king now provides safety to the valuable
monuments and memories of the Temple of the Tooth. The entrance to the temple
complex is through ‘the Maha Vahalkada’ After passing the ‘vahalkada’, you come
to a ‘Makara Thorana’. The tooth relic is kept in the upper floor in the
chamber called ‘Vadahitina Maligawa’. The chamber is covered with gold,silver
and precious jewelry. The relic casket is carried out once a year for the world
famous procession ‘ Esala Maha Perahera’ during August.
Kandy Esala Perahera
How the sacred tooth relic was
came to Sri Lanka
Legends say that the Lord
Buddha’s canine tooth was rescued from the sandalwood funeral pyre after his
cremation at Kusinara, India . The
sacred tooth relic became a symbolic representation of Lord Buddha. Eight
centuries after the Buddha’s pass away, in the 4th century A.D, king Guhaseeva
of Kalinga , became the guardian of the venerated tooth relic.
He secretly sent the sacred
tooth relic to Sri Lanka with his daughter princess Hemamala and his son
Dantha. He selected Sri Lanka mainly because of the Lord Buddha’s declaration
that Buddhism remains and practised in Sri Lanka for 5000 years. According to
the Sri Lankan fables the tooth relic was being carried by princess Hemamala by
hiding it in her tightly bound hair bun. Their journey to Sri Lanka was really
dangerous. The sacred tooth relic was passed from kingdom to kingdom.Finally,
it was brought to Kandy in the 16th century. Since the ancient time, the tooth relic has
played an important role in local
politics , because it believed the one who holds the sacred tooth relic govern
the country. The Kandy was the last capital city of the country. The Temple of
the tooth is announced as a UNESCO heritage site in Sri Lanka.
The History of the Esala Maha
Perahera
Esala Procession has a history
that runs back to the 3rd century B.C. This was a ritual enact to request the
gods for rainfall. After the sacred
tooth relic was brought to the Ceylon in 310.A.D, King Keerthi Margawarna who
reigned in that era initiated the Anuradhapura Dalada Procession. Kandy
Procession was introduced in 1592 when the sacred tooth relic was brought to
Kandy. In 1753, king Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747 – 1781) added the pageants of the four guardian deities
Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama and Pattini to Dalada Procession.
British rulers banned the
pageant from parading the streets from 1818 to 1828. However, they were forced to lift the ban in 1828 due
to the drought that followed. History records that once the procession
commenced again showers befell in all parts of the island.
National Museum of Colombo
The Colombo National Museum is
the largest and the most important Museum in Sri Lanka. It nestles at a corner
of the Wiharamahadevi Botanical garden in urban Colombo city. It is maintained
by the department of National Museum of Central Government.
The founder of the museum was
Sir. William Henry Gregory the British Governor of Ceylon in 18th century. J.G
Smither of the Public Works Department designed the structure and completed in
1876. The museum commenced in the following year (1877). The museum contains a
collection of paraphernalia used in the colonial era, ancient statuary, antique
demon masks, preserved skeleton structures of important animals, gifts and
regalia of past monarchs. The most significant antique is the throne and the
crown of King Sri Wickramarajasinghe the last king of Sri Lanka.
White Water Rafting
Sri Lanka has become an ideal
destination for sports tourism. Here are some popular sports and places
suitable for them.
Kithulgala
The name ‘Kithulgala’ is
derived from the kithul palm grove. Kithulgala is a village surrounded by lush
green vegetation and forested hills. It is located in the Sabaragamuwa province
in 95km away from the Colombo city. This fabulous place being blessed with two
monsoons each year records the highest rainfall
in the country.However the place becomes the foremost tourist attractions
of the country during January to March , because the weather is suitable for
white water rafting , outdoor camping , mountain biking , jungle trekking and
bird watching. A branch of Kelani river which flows through Kithulgala provides
the experience of white water rafting for any visitor. The upper section of the
stream shared to the most experienced people and the lower section is dedicated
for the beginners. In between the rapids are few stretches of 6.5 km that takes
about 90min. to complete. Those rapids have given attractive names such as
virgin’s breast, Head Chopper, Butter Crunch, Killer Fall and the Rib Cage to
reveal the nature of the section.
Most of the birds that can be
sighted in Sinharaja forest are also found in Kithulgala. The lush green forest
spreads beside Kelani River, sheltered many birds as well as 54 endemic species
of birds. The award winning classic movie ‘The Bridge across The River Kwai ‘
was filmed at Kithulgala. The movie was a creation of veteran director David
Lean. He found this picturesque location is suitable for his movie.
Other striking tourism hot-
spots close to Kithulgala are Beli Lena Cave and the Adam’s Peak. Beli Lena
revealed the remain skeleton of prehistoric ‘Balangoda Man’ who have been
considered as the oldest human being in Sri Lanka, predicted to have lived there
32,000 years ago. The Adam’s Peak is the mountain which holds the Lord Buddha’s
sacred foot print is one of the Buddhists most sacred places in Sri Lanka. The
season for the height ascent of 2234m stepped mountain starts in December and
ends in April.
Sinharaja Rain Forest
The Largest Rain Forest in
South Asia and also declared as one of the UNESCO National Heritage site of Sri
Lanka.
Vegetation: A tropical rain
forest which has the growth of trees, shrubs and woody climbers.
Special Creatures:Purple face
monkey, The mouse-deer, Barking deer, Leopard, Rusty spotted cat, The fishing
cat.
Endimic Birds: The blue Magpie, White headed starling,
Ash-headed babbler.
Reptiles: The cobra, The viper,
Lizards, Tortoises.
Trekking
Knuckles Mountain Range
Knuckles mountain range is one
of the marvelous creations of the Mother Nature which is a significant climatic
microcosm with a phenomenal range of biodiversity. It stretches from Matale to
Kandy district along the central province in Sri Lanka.
The area is 90sq. miles of land
extent and the highest point is 3000ft above the sea level. The British given
its name because, the range of mountain has fire peaks seem like knuckles of
clenched fist. However, the Sri Lankan name it as ‘Dumbara Kanduwetiya ‘because,
the crest of the mountain range is always covered with a thick blanket of fog.
It creates a series of isolated cloud forests in Knuckles mountain range.
Striking landscapes and quaint
location have enchanted the visitors and supply a huge encouragement for
trekking, photography and camping activities. The place shelters a number of
endemic flora and fauna varieties. Riverston, Pitawala Pathana, Hulu River and
Deanston Mini World’s End are the other palpable attractions in the Knuckles
conservation forest. It has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Water Sports
Sri Lanka has become an ideal
destination for sports tourism. Here are some popular sports and places
suitable for them.
Surfing
Bright sun rises over the
golden beach of Arugambay with a message of another warm gleeful day. More
splashes and dashes enhanced the eagerness of the surfers. Picturesque location
and raising waves have made Arugambay one of the best surfing hot spots in Sri
Lanka. It is located in 314 km away from Colombo in South – East coast. It is
situated in Ampara. The area has been designed to suit with nature of an old
fishing village. Even the guest houses also have the appearance of traditional
thatched habitat in dry zone.
The area offers you swimming
and underwater photography. In-fact due to coral reef, it is being home to an
abundance of tropical fish and striking paradise for corals. Not only the wide sandy shore, the rice
field, Mangrove, Jungle, lagoon, river and dunes add exceptional beauty for the
place. The very first worldwide surfing competition was held in Arugambay. It
was sponsored by ISA (International Surfing Association) in the summer of 2004
and the annual surfing season begins in April and ends in October. The city and
the surfing shore were devastated by tsunami in 2004. However, this marvelous
surfing village rises again over the bounce and leaps as the sun that never
dies.
Benthota Beach
Benthota beach sprawls under
endless canopy of palm trees, 64km away from Colombo in the southern province.
This tropical lagoon provides many interesting water activities such as water
skiing, diving, wind surfing and squalling under the safe guidance of
professional tourist guides.
You can even hire squalling and
wind surfing equipment for reasonable price. The serene atmosphere promotes the
area to an exciting weekend gate away. The best time of visiting Bentota is
during October to April.
Madu River
Madu river is a shallow water
body which flows through a thick jungle mangrove. The river enters sea at
Bambalapitiya. The smaller Ramboda Lake which connected with two narrow
channels creates Madu river wetland. The estuary and the mangrove anneal the last
remaining pristine coastal wetland ecosystem in Sri Lanka. It is the home to
303 species of plants and 248 species of vertebrate creatures.
The real pleasure of the scenic
beauty can be grasped when you sail on Madhu Ganga. Those facilities are
available for reasonable price. The river spreads out a wide area creating 25
to 30 tiny colonized islands. These groups of small islands comprise a
traditional fishing village where nearly 300 people live peacefully. The
largest island is known as ‘Satha Pahe Duwa’, because this island was once
bought buy a rich man for 5 cents in olden days.
Koggala
Fabulous golden sandy beach of
Koggala approximates the temptation of water sports. Koggala is a popular
village for fishery which is widely stretched on southern coast of the island.
The turquoise lagoon fringed with mangroves and the famous stilt fishermen
brings holistic experience to your vacation. Koggala River and the lake are
picturesque icons in the area. Several small beach restaurants are scattered around
the village.
The Koggala Buddhist hermitage
nestled on a couple of islets on the Koggala Lake. Humble villagers offer you
bicycles to ride through the village. This is a great opportunity to explore
the scenic beauty and animal life around the village. The folk museum of Martin
Wickramasinghe is situated in a corner of an ecologically rich patch of land.
The calm surrounding of the museum allow a lots wild creatures to habitat.
Martin Wickramasinghe was a great Sri Lankan novelist. The house that he was born
now turned op to a museum. The soothing ambiance was created to perceive his
work and feel it with all our hearts.
Ancient Fortress
Sigiriya
Sigiriya is also known as the ‘lion’s Rock’, because it’s entrance has the shape of a Lion’s mouth. Sigiriya is located in the Matale district in the central province of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is famous for its 200 meter high fabulous fortress and palace ruins, which are surrounded by a network of ponds, gardens and other constructions. It is also renowned its incredible frescoes and graffiti created in pre-historic era. This masterpiece was built by king Kashyapa (477 – 495 CE). After he executed his farther, his elder brother Moggallana escaped to India and became friendly with the Indians. Then he formed a troop of army against Kashyapa.
Galle Fortress
The fort was first built by the
Portuguese in 1588 before widely fortified by the Dutch in the middle of the
16th century.
UNESCO declared it as a World
Heritage Site in 1988 by considering its association of European architecture
mingles with South Asian tradition from 16th to the 19th century.
The National Zoological Garden
of Sri Lanka
Colombo zoo / Dehiwala Zoo
The Dehiwala Zoological garden is one of the oldest Zoological spaces in Asia which has housed a substantial collection of local and worldwide species. It holds 100 species of mammals, 110 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. The zoo is a picturesque location where nature blends with animal life. Although the place exhibits animals, it also facilitates wild life education, animal conservation, researches programs and animal breeding. Dehiwala Zoological garden exchanges its residents with other zoological gardens for breeding purposes. Sri Lanka has a history of collecting and keeping animals as pets .The zoological concept was introduced by John Hagenbeck in the late 1920s and it officially commenced in 1939.Major Aubrey Nevil Weinman was the first Director of the Dehiwala zoo. The aquarium walk through aviary, reptile house, butterfly garden, cages, enclosures and corral indicate the diversity of animal lives in the zoo. Nearly 30 species of butterflies dwell in picturesque butterfly garden crowded with thick vegetation.
Its internal atmosphere is
controlled by an artificially controlled mist. The estimated annual revenue is
LKR 40 million. Colorful flora, water fountains, gardens, ponds, cemented
arcades and concrete bridges have attracted many visitors. Performances of
elephants and sea lions can be seen during weekends. A wide range of facilities
are available in the zoo such as elephant rides, pony rides, souvenir, shops
restaurant facilities, sweet carts (confectionary sellers) and sanitary facilities.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawala has been home to the
orphan wild Sri Lankan elephants since 1975. It is located 13km North West of
Kegalle town in Sabaragamuwa province. The orphanage was established to nurture
orphan and injured wild elephants found wandering in and close to forests.
Sometimes elephants fell into
pits and gullies in their quest of water during drought season. Some are
injured by the human activities. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage has the
largest herd of captive elephants in the world. The orphanage was firstly
established in 1972 in Wilpattu National Park in order to take care of orphan
baby elephants (calves). Then, it was shifted to a tourist complex at Bentota
and taken to the Dehiwala Zoological Garden. The elephant sanctuary was
permanently established in Pinnawala on 25 – acre (10 ha.) of coconut
plantation adjunct to the Maha Oya River in 1975. The elephant sanctuary has
been governed by Sri Lankan Department of Wild Life conservation since 1975.
More than 80 elephants are cuddled in the care of mahouts (handlers) and the
serene coconut palms grow.
The place comprised with
restaurants, management buildings, sleeping sheds for animals, veterinary
facilities, elephant bathing and viewing area along the Ma Oya River. The
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was taken by the Department of National Zoological
Garden Sri Lanka in 1978. The elephant breeding program was introduced to the
place in 1982. The natural surrounding and health care made the program more
successful. The orphanage gave the first birth to a baby female elephant (calf)
‘Sakumalee’ in 1984. ‘Wijaya’ and ‘Kumar’ who were aged 21 and 22 yrs. were
Sakumalee’s parents. The zoo has given birth to 23 calves in the past three
decades. 12 elephants among them were delivered to temples and private owners.
48 mahouts take care of each
individual elephant with love and care. A few baby elephants are kept and
bottle fed in the residence to attract the visitors, so the others are directed
to ETH. Elephants are chained and fed at stalls. An elephant must consume large
mass of food. Each adult elephant is given 76kg of jackfruit, coconut, kithul,
tamarind and grass daily.The visitors can perceive herds of bathing and playing
giants. Absolutely, the tenancy is a perfect place to discover daily care and
routine of elephants. Most of the elephants are healthy except ‘blind Raja’ and
female, called ‘Sama’ lost her front leg to a landmine.
Horton Plains
Horton plains is situated in
the highlands of the central province, 32km from Nuwaraeliya. This is the
highest plateau in the country. The
average temperature of the Horton plains is 15˚c-22˚c with frequently occurring
mists and clouds. It is fed from both the north-east and south –east monsoons
as well as inters monsoon rains.
Horton plains is the most
important catchment area of the country. Three major rivers of the country
start from this area, namely: Kelani , Walawe and the Mahaweli. The park consists
of forests and grass lands with a rich biodiversity. It is home to a wide range
of endemic flora and fauna. Among the 24
spices of the mammals such as elk, deer, giant squirrel, wild boar, otter,
porcupine and leopard are considered special. The bird diversity is also high
with 87 species of birds including migratory birds.
The park is also famous for
beautiful flowers. Nellu, Bovitiya, dwarf bamboo and some orchid species are
endemic. Horton plains also feature many
interesting attractions such as ‘the Baker’s Falls’,’ Chimmini Pool’ and the famous’ World’s End’ is a sheer
dropping of 3700 feet that offers a
fabulous view all the way out to the distant southern coastline.
