Coastline, Tissa, Sri Lanka.

'Yudaganaawa' , Butthala, Sri Lanka.

The unfinished Dagoba and the statue of Lord Buddha showing a 'frowning face'.

This Dagoba at Yudaganawa started in the 2nd Century BC would have been larger than the 'Ruwanvelisaaya' of Anuradhapura. It was never completed. The building in front of the Dagoba houses a statue of Lord Buddha showing 'a frowning face', according to a Buddhist monk I met at the site. This place was the site of a famous battle field mentioned in the 'Rajavaliya'.

‘Being angry at these words spoken by his royal father, the Prince(Gamini) fled to Gilimale, and having hid himself there for several days went to Kotmale’.

          ‘Kavantissa reigned 60 years from his coronation and passed {at death} to Tusitapura. On the demise of the King, Prince Tissa came, put his royal father in his coffin and repaired to Digamadulla, taking with him the Kadol elephant and his mother Vihara Mahadevi. Prince Gemunu having heard of his father’s death, left  Kotmale and returned to the city of Magama. Whilst there, he wrote to Prince Tissa asking him to send their mother and the Kadol elephant which was born on the same day as himself; but Tissa sent them not. The request was repeated three times; but still he did not send them. Prince Gemunu then set out to fight, taking his forces, and the two brothers joined battle in Yudaganapitiya. Of his army 30,000 men having fallen, Dutugemunu was defeated in the battle and fled, and Tissa persued after him; but when he saw that the great community of monks had come and barred his way, he returned to Digamadulla.’ A translation from the Sri Lankan Chronicle ‘RAJAVALIYA’ – (The line of Kings).

On a second single man combat Tissue was defeated and was pursued by Gamini. Tissue sought refuge at a Vihare – identified as ‘Demetamal Vihara’ close to Butthala.


Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WJl3Sq_aew

'Demetamal Vihare', Buththala, Sri Lanka, it's place in history.

Tissa and Dutugamini sons of Kavan Tissa 2nd Century BC fought two battles at 'Yudaganaava', near Butthala, Sri Lanka, on the plains of Uva. Tissa won the first battle, Gamini losing nearly 30,000 soldiers.
Tissa was defeated in the second battle at Yudaganaawa on a contest of single-man combat and was pursued by Gamini. 
‘Tissa took shelter among the monks, whilst Gemunu kept up the pursuit and watched at the Vihare entrance. The monks having seen Gemunu pursuing Tissa, when the latter took shelter among them, those who were sitting stood up and those who were standing sat down. When Gemunu asked them “My Lords where is Tissa who has just come here?” they answered, “We have not seen him either sitting or standing”. The monks bore out Tissa as if they carried a dead monk swathed in yellow robes, and Gemunu having perceived it said, “There goes Tissa, a powerless body on the shoulders of monks:” and taking with him the elephant Kadol and his mother repaired to the city of Magama.” – A translation from the Sri Lankan historical narrative 'RAJAVALIYA' - 'The line of Kings'.

Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD4EhMgI7Ts

Tissa Wewa, Tissa, Sri Lanka.

The trees on the banks of Tissa Wewa. A grey Heron under a tree foraging.
Click on web link to see a video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EEFA7KMNOc

Pilgrims to the Poson Perahera, 2010, Tissa.

They come in lorries, 2 wheel tractor trailers, vans, motorbikes, bikes and buses. It is a days outing for them.

Brides-maids at a wedding, Tissa.

Bird by a pond, Tissa.

Darter (Indian Darter)

I took this picture of the Indian Darter on a swampy land adjoining the highway on the Embilipitiya - Tissa road.

Purple swamp-hens.

I took this photo in the morning at a marshy area by the side of the road close to Tissa on the Embilipitiya - Tissa road. There were quite a few of these swamp-hens standing out by their differrent colour from the surrounding water lilies and lotuses.

The road from Katharagama to Tiisa.

The road from Katharagama to Tissa is a well paved highway now. I took this picture on 29/2/2010

Road over the bund, Tissa, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture of two cyclists riding on the highway over the bund of the lake in Tissa. You can see the Bird Island on the far right with egrets nesting on the trees. The cone shaped hill in the horizon is 'Vedahiti Kanda' - S, 'Kathiramalai' - T.

Dagoba, Tissa, Sri Lanka.

Dagoba, paddy field and watchman's hut, Tissa, Sri Lanka. Photo taken by Queenie on a Samsung 12 Megapixel camera.

'Pheasant-tailed Jacana' in breeding plumage, Tissa, Sri Lanka.

The Jacana comes out in beautiful breeding plumage as you see in this picture. It is a marsh bird and walks on the lotus and water lily leaves. I took this picture near Tissa on 28/2/2010 on my Fuji Finepix S 1500 using a 12X zoom.