Nagadeepa, Jaffna, Sri Lanka

The 'Thorana' being constructed.

A statue of Lord Buddha being protected by a Naga King.

'Nagadeepa' is recorded in the ancient 'Pali' chronicles, as the site where Lord Buddha paid a dispute to settle a feud between two Naga rulers. It is also mentioned in the Tamil Buddhist Kavya 'Manimekalai', written about the second century AD. Manimekalai the heroine of the kavya is left stranded on this Island. She is shown by a resident tree God, the place of Lord Buddha's visit, where he preached a sermon to the assembled Nagas, who a moment before were at each others throats.

'Jambu' fruits, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

November is the season for 'Jambu' fruits. It is also called the 'rose-apple'. The old chronicles of Sri Lanka written in 'Pali', refer to India as 'Jambu-dweepa' presumably because of the abundance of these trees in India of those times. I took this picture in our garden in Avissawella. Squirrels, parakeets and various insects have a field day, eating these fruits. Children love the juicy, fluffy center of these fruits and end up with a sore-throat by overindulgence.