'Sacred Bo Tree', 'Chaithya' and the 'Budhu Medhura', Thanthrimale, Sri Lanka.

Thanthrimale goes a long way back in history, more than 2200 years. The sacred branch of the Bo Tree under which  Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment, was brought by Sanghamitta Theraniya from  India. They disembarked at Dambukola Patuna - close to present Keerimalai. The procession on its way to Anuradhapura was given a nights rest here, by a Brahmin.
One of the eight saplings of this Bo tree was planted here and is still present. This makes some claim that this Bo tree is older than the one at Anuradhapura - planted in the 2nd Century BC.
When the son of King Dutugemunu Prince Saliya married a woman of a low cast, they were banished by the father and they found refuge in Thanthrimale. 

'Katina pinkama' perahera, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Olu bakko' - dancers wearing papier-mach masks.

The image of Lord Buddha.

The pansala 'Hewisi' band and youngsters.

The 'hewisi' band.

Click on link below to watch a video clip:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruOzA_Z6CfE&feature=share&list=UU1dqepitfAJwrQWLD-gZ3NA

'Katina Pinkama' Perahera, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The beginning of the procession.

Stilt-walkers.

Fire dancers.

'Kandyan dancers.

Acaprisoned baby elephant in the procession.

Female dancers and masked dancers.

'Katina' is a day in the life of a Buddhist monk at the end of the rainy season ('vas'). The Lord Buddha instructed that pieces of clothe used on corpses should be retrieved from the cemetery. These pieces were sewn together in the shape of the 'liyaddhe' of a paddy field. This material was then washed, dyed by immersing in specified boiled roots and leaves. The robe was then dried and at the end of the day was worn by the Buddhist priest. The priest then gave a sermon to the assembled helpers. In present Sri Lanka the material of the robe is bought. It is then taken in procession and handed over to the priests. This latter is called a 'Katina Perahera'.
The word 'Katina' means difficult or arduous. This is equivalent to the Tamil word 'kadhinam'.  

Thanthrimale sights, Sri Lanka.

Two young Buddhist priests on a stroll in the morning at Thanthrimale. One of the older priests who was watching me take many photos told me to watch out for 'Devatha eliya' - The light produced by the presence of Gods in the vicinity of this sacred site - on my photos. Here is one such photo. The physics I studied tells me that the yellow ball of light could be produced by internal reflections in the lenses of my Nikon camera. If you look closely below the yellow blob you will see a darkish 'ghost image' of the blob.

Sights at Thanthrimale, Sri Lanka.

This settlement has a recorded history going back to the second Century BC. We found a tortoise fallen into a stone cistern. On being lifted out of it it made a bee-line to the water reservoir closeby with unerring accuracy.