'Kapruka pooja' - Mahiyangana Chaithya, Sri Lanka.

The Mahiyangana Chaithya

The cloth being ceremonially carried to the Chaithya.

Draping the cloth round the Chaithya.

The Chaithya draped round with the stitched cloth of multiple Buddhist flags.

The Mahiyangana Chaithya was the place where the Sacred Hair Relic and a bone of the neck of Lord Buddha is enshrined. It is considered an act of merit for a Buddhist to visit this site. 'Kapruka' is a mythical tree which fulfils ones wants. This tree is found in the adobe of the Gods. A 'Kapruka Pooja' of covering a Sacred Chaithya with cloth right round, is said to grant all ones wishes in life. The above is a series of pictures I took of a 'Kapruka Pooja' for the Mahiyangana Chathya.
Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Gmwhl4h8M

Two statues, Somawathy Chithya,. Sri Lanka.

 The Somawathy Chaithya is undergoing rapid development. I saw these two statues in the premises.

Wild elephants on the road to Somawathy Chithya, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.

We saw these elephants, mother and child on the road to Somawathy Chathya, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. I have given the relevant section from The Sunday Times of Sri Lanka of 4th September 2011 of an elephant count done in SL.