'Bathalagala' - 'Bible rock' seen in the afternoon, Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

The rocky mountain gave the impression of a bible to the conquring British. They called it 'Bible-rock'. The local name for it was 'Bathala-gala'. You can see the lush green valley and a part of a terraced paddy-field in the picture. You can also see a 'chaitya' on a dome shaped rock below. I took this picture in October 2009.

Pinus plantation and logging, Kalupahana, A4, Sri Lanka.

Pinus plantations were funded by international organizations in Sri Lanka from the 1980s. It was looked upon unfavourably by environmentalists. The pinus tree secretes an exotoxin through its roots so that other plants are discouraged to grow round its base. The fallen firs when dry are a fire hazard. The value of pinus is the long stem which is ideal material for telegraph poles. I took this photo at Kalupahana on the A4 road to Haputhale.

'Chaitya' on a rock, seen from Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

Looking across the valley from the ascent to Kadugannawa on the Colombo road (A1), one sees the 'Bathalagala - Bible rock'. Below the rock is another bare-faced rocky hill, on which a white painted 'chaitya' is seen. I took this picture through an afternoon haze using a 10 zoom on my Funji Fine-pix digital camera..

Branches of a tree, Belihul Oya, Sri Lanka.

The beauty of the branches of a tree as seen at Belihul Oya, Sri Lanka.

A cast-iron oven of the late 19th century, Belihul Oya, Sri Lanka.

Beli Hul Oya was a famous rest house during British times (Pre 1948), in Sri Lanka. Cast iron products from Birmingham etc were common items in households those days. I saw this old cast-iron oven being now used as a table, at the Belihul Oya Rest House.