Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Ambuluwawa

AMBULUWAWA IN GAMPOLA






This is a beautiful place to visit in sri lanka.i have already been there in 1994.at that time there's no road to visit.we had to climb the mountain through the forrest and there was a small pond there and broken stachue of load budhdha.


Ambuluwawa peak situated in the center of Gampola Kingdom established by the great Sinhala King Buvanekabahu IV. (1341-1357 AD) was hitherto not put into any use. Height of the peak trom the mean sea level is 365 feet and from the Gampola town is 1965 feet Mayura Sandesa, the messenger poem written in the 14th Century describes this enchanting rock and the surroundings thus:

When the planets and stars disappear trom the sky and when the nectar appears in or drops from flowers on tree tops and when the sun spreads its rays as it rises over the mountain of the east, you may set off trom Ambuluwakada happily

Saturday, August 18, 2012

DIWAGUHAWA

DIWAGUHAWA



A cave temple, believes to be that the place Buddha had rest while visiting Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) with his 500 priests, as in Mahavamsa one of the nine places Buddha had visited during his third visit to the Sri Lanka. Spectacular view of Samanala Kanda (mountain of Sri Pada) and size of the cave (able to shelter over 500 people at once) lead widely acceptance as Diva Guhawa. About 5 km off from Kuruwita town (10 km towards to Colombo from Ratnapura) on Erathna road, one of the ancient road to Sri Pada, direct to Diva Guhawa.


Diva Guhawa is a cave temple around 15 km from Ratnapura. The name literally means heavenly cave. It is said that Lord Buddha rested here after marking his footprint at Sri Pada (Adam's Peak). The huge cave is said to have sheltered him and his 500 disciples. It is supposed to be one of the nine places Buddha had visited during his third visit to the Sri Lanka.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Kebiliththa Devalaya


                                                        Kebiliththa Devaalaya







                                                    

Kebiliththa, is said to be the spiritual residence of God Kataragama as such it is believed that Kebiliththa is a site of great divine power. Kataragama Devalaya, is the more well known abode of Kataragama Deviyo where crowds throng in thousands everyday to pay their respects. However, it is believed that Kataragama Deviyo resides there only on festival days or poya days and on all other days He resides at His modest abode in Kebiliththa.



The story is that the God Kataragama had met his future wife Walli amma on a rainy day near a tamarind tree at this place which is also called Siyambalawa devalaya.(Kebaliththa).People at Kotiyagala respect this place very strongly and they are even scared to deal with this place.Everyone must be refrained from consuming all kinds of meat and alcohol for one week before the date of visit.This place is considered very sacred by devotees of God Katharagama .They believe that the God’s present staying place is the ‘Maha Siyambalawa Devalaya’.


Routes to Kebaliththa Devalaya

Route1 Kumana-> Kuda Kabaliththa->Ada Kumbuka->Gal amuna->Maha siyabalawa devalaya(Kebaliththa)


Route2 Yala->Block 2-> cross Kumbukkan Oya->Kuda Kabaliththa->Ada Kumbuka->Gal amuna ->Maha siyabalawa devalaya


Route3 Monaragala->Kodayana->5 Kanuwa(5th Post)->Kotiyagala->Bogas hanidiya road or Kammal yaya road->Maha siyabalawa devalaya (31Km from Kotiyagala to devalaya)

Route Condition

These routes are very difficult for traveling and at least two 4x4 vehicles are advisable.And 4X4 recovery accessories are needed(reliable winch+snatch belt+Hi-lift Jacks+Extra fuel+) with 4x4 driving skills.There are big tractors you can hire from Kotiyagala (for a tour about 12,000 LKR)


Precaution
before you visit the place you need the faith of Katharagama God and need to prevent from "Kili" (meat ,alcohol etc) at least for 7 days.


Friday, August 10, 2012

Siri Pada Details



Most beautifull place to see in sri lanka.there ere meny roads to climb the sri pada mountain
1.hatton road via hatton ,maskeliya, nallathanniya
2.kuruwita road
3.rathnapura road via siripagama
4.malibada road via daraniyagala, ihala malibada
5.balangoda..may be it takes 4 days to travel via mountain

there are many miracle incidence in sri pada happening since past...
The bell is hitting that how many times we have climbe the mountain.if it is 4 times we should ring it 4 times.

some times more clouds can't see even down

Rathnapura and kuruwita roads are displaying like this after 6.00pm and you can see the Kuludiya Parwathaya also
Protecting sri pada and climbing people.
when it is raining
people are bringing goods to up shops.there are many small shops along the roads


season is starting from december poya and ending poya day in may.but some meditation munks are living in Baana samanala mountain in all the year.


siripada more details
Polonnaruwa King Parakrama




                                                           Parakrama Samudra


Parakrama Samudra, the Sea of King Parakrama as the name literally means, is a shallow reservoir with a surface area of 22.6 km2. It consists of three separate reservoirs connected only by narrow channels at low water. The northernmost reservoir is the oldest and referred to as Topa wewa (Sinhalese wewa=lake or reservoir). The middle section is Eramudu wewa and the southernmost portion at the highest elevation is Dumbutula wewa. Topa wewa was built around A.D. 386. The other sections were added and the reservoir expanded during the reign of King Parakrama Bahu the Great (A.D. 1153-1183).

Lake Parakrama forms one of the larger reservoirs of an ancient, intricate and sophisticated water storage system for the irrigation of rice fields in Sri Lanka. During the twelfth century A. D. it was situated in the capital of Sri Lanka and in a densely populated area, judging from the extensive ruins of a magnificent civilization. Later the area was abandoned, the city reverted to jungle, and the lake was drained due to damage to the dam. The reservoir was restored to its present status about thirty years ago, and the surrounding area has attracted increasing numbers of immigrants, mainly rice cultivators and more recently fishermen.

Lake Parakrama has a catchment of about 75 km2. This consists mainly of a forest reserve which is limited by high ground in the west. The reservoir is supplied by water from rainfall in its catchment carried by small streams and also by a channel running north from a small river. Water from the river traverses a distance of about 8 km before reaching the lake. Considerable amounts of silt are deposited in the channel and do not reach the reservoir. The stored water is supplied mainly for the irrigation of rice fields. There has been encroachment on the forest reserve by fishermen in the last twenty years.

Human use of water for domestic purposes has grown with settlement of a large number of immigrants in the vicinity of the lake. The lake receives a considerable load of faecal pollution from the human population in the vicinity. During the low water season when large areas of the lake bed are exposed, cattle graze on the lush growth of grass and leave considerable quantities of faeces behind, enriching the lake (1).

Travel Guide


Monday, August 6, 2012

Sri pada 1980 picture



Adam's Peak:  History about sri padaya

Buddhist devotees who climb the Peak regard God Maha Sumana Saman as their benevolent protector. Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Devanam Piya Tissa (307-266 B.C). He was the grandson of King Pandukabhaya (437-366 B.C), the pre-Buddhist founder of Anuradhapura, capital of Lanka, which lasted for 1500 years up to the middle of the 9th century AD. It is believed that the first person to discover the Sacred Footprint was King Valagambahu (104-76 BC) while he was in exile in the mountain wilderness, better known to our people as "Śrī Pada Adaviya" (Domain of Sacred Footprint), to escape the marauding Cholians. He had been led to the summit of the mountain by a deity in the guise of a stag. Thereafter not only ordinary pilgrims but Royalty with their court retinue paid homage to the Foot Print of the Buddha from ancient times. The Sinhalese kings alone, in their devotion and persistence made the Peak accessible to the crowds of devotees who annually trekked the mountain.

The first historical mention about Śrī Pada comes during the reign of Vijayabahu. Professor Senarath Paranavitana states: "It is in the reign of Vijayabahu" (1065-1119 AD) we have the earliest historical evidence in chronicles and inscriptions by the cult of the Footprint on Adam's Peak. It is recorded of this monarch that he, having seen the difficulties undergone by the pilgrims on their way to worship the Buddha's footprint on Samanthakuta dedicated the village named 'Gilimale' to provide for their needs. Stone inscriptions of Vijayabahu have been found at Gilimale and Ambagamuwa confirming the statement of the chronicle.

The thousands of pilgrims who make their annual pilgrimage to Śrī Pada today perhaps do not realize the difficulties their ancestors had to undergo in order to pay their need of homage at the Sacred Foot Print. Whatever route they undertook to ascend the Peak their difficulties must have been almost insurmountable. Marco Polo (1254-1324 AD) who visited the Peak in the 14th century remarked that in places flights of steps were out in the rocks but none upwards and towards the summit.

The mountain has been climbed for at least 1000 years. King Vijayabahu (1065-1119 AD) built shelters along its route, work continued by Parakaramabahu the 2nd (1250-1284 AD) who cleared jungle & built a road & bridges to the mountain.

King Nissankamalla (1198 AD-1206 AD). is stated to have visited the Samanthakuta with his four-fold army and worshipped the Footprint with great devotion. He had re-granted the Village Ambagamuwa and it has been recorded in an inscription found in a cave known as Bhagavalena. He had constructed a concrete slab to protect the Footprint.

A Pali poem "Samantha Kuta Vannama" by a monk named Vedeha in the 13th century confirms the increasing interest shown by the Sinhala-Buddhists to the cult of this Footprint. In our recorded history, a good number of ancient kings have visited the mountain from time to time. Parakramabahu the 2nd (1250-1284 AD) visited the Footprint and paid homage. His minister, Devaprathiraja constructed roads leading to the mountain and installed iron chains on iron posts to make the ascent easy and conducted great festivities in celebrating to worship of the Footprint. Parakramabahu's son, Vijayabahu, and other kings like Vikramabahu, Vimaladharmasuriya (1592-1603), his son King Narendrasinhe (1705-1737) were among Sinhala Kings who had visited the Footprint to pay homage.

King Vimaladharmasuriya constructed a silver umbrella over the Footprint. King Sitawake Rajasinhe (1581-1593), the ferocious warrior king, who strode in to battle against Portuguese at the age of eleven & throughout his reign inflicted heavy defeats on Portuguese at Mulleriyawa (Mulleriyawa marshy land had turned into a red flood with the blood of the slaughtered Portuguese) & held the Portuguese Fort in Colombo under siege (besieged Portuguese were reduced to survive on slaughtering dogs & chasing cats & rats for meat), had also visited the Footprint. Śrī Vijaya Rajasinghe (1738-1745 AD) had also visited the mountain. King Kirthi Śrī Rajasinhe (1746-1778) during whose reign, Buddhist renaissance took place had visited the Footprint and restored to the temple properties frozen by King Sitawake Rajasinhe, who was told, by the Buddhist monks, that patricide was an almost eternal sin & couldn't be redeemed during his lifetime. Kirthi Śrī Rajasinhe also donated the village, Kuttapitiya and the copper plate charter in support of this donation is still in existence. Among the artifacts devised to ascend then almost inaccessible peak were massive iron chains affixed to stanchions of the same metal secured to the bare rock face. The chains were secured to the stanchions with rivets of iron and bronze. Commenting on the ancient artifacts on Śrī Pada, the Englishman Robert Percival, who served with the British garrison in Colombo in the early nineteenth century, notes: "The iron chains on the rock face of Adam's Peak have the appearance of being planted there at a very early date, who placed them there or for what purpose they were set up there is difficult for anyone to know". The beliefs and superstitions of the natives present difficulties. Whatever it is, all evidence indicates that the Peak was in the limelight long before the recorded history of the Island. Remains of these artifacts are still evident. Early pilgrims to the peak made use of these chains to hoist themselves up to the summit.

this is the shadow of sri pada mountain when the sun is rising