Pictures from a home garden nursery, Meepe, Sri Lanka. Try to identify the plants.

Ancient hospital, Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

A 'Beheth Oruwa' S - 'Medicine boat'. The patient was immersed in medicinal oils in this bath carved out of granite.

1. Heinz E Müller-Dietz (Historia Hospitalium 1975) describes Mihintale Hospital as being perhaps the oldest in the world.(Wikipedia).

2. Vedahala - the Hospital at the foot of the mountain at Mihintale

With the growth of the community of monks and the pious laymen, there arose the inevitable need of a hospital. The first hospital at Mihintale was founded by King Sena the second (853-887 AC) at Mihintale. The identification was based on a tenth century inscription found at the site.

Today, the ruins of a hospital with its layout restored can be seen at the entrance to the site of Mihintale. At the entrance to the hospital is the outer courtyard that consists of four rooms: consulting room; room for preparation and storage of medicine; room for hot water baths. At the end of the outer courtyard, to the north is the main building: the quadrangular courtyard having a small shrine in the center. The rooms are arranged on a two high platforms on all four sides of the Central Courtyard. The rooms face the shrine which is in the Courtyard. The area of each room is about 100 square feet. The rooms open onto an inner Verandha making all cells accessible.

Archeological excavations have unearthed clay wares and blue colored jars. These jars are another evidence of the cultural and trade connections with Iran and Sri Lanka at such an ancient time.

http://www.lanka.com/sri-lanka/mihintale-940.html

Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, beginnings 2nd Century BC..

An old retaining wall.

Cap-stones for use over doorways

The Stupa on top of Mihinthale.

Mihinthale, beginnings 2nd Century BC, Sri Lanka.

A feather stuck on an empty barrel, Isurumuniya.

Steps at Mihinthale.

This place is renowned in Sri Lankan history as the place where the Rev Mihindu Thera, the step brother of King Asoka, met King Devanampiya Tissa and converted him to Buddhism. This place has been developed over the millenia and is a paradise for students of Sri Lankan history.

Isurumuniya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Isurumuniya as seen in the 1960s - Photo by Mr. Jayaratne, Puwakpitiya. See the famous stone carving of the 'Lovers' in its original site.  

Click on the web-links  below to hear the old and then a new version of the song ‘Isurumuniye’ :-

1. http://youtu.be/ZyDTdNBWpyc

2. http://youtu.be/WpO8YW-ybCc