The beautiful Kelani Ganga at Mithirigala, Sri Lanka.

A very Happy New Year to all of you.

May the happy times of last year remain with you.

May the sad times of yesteryear be a forgotten dream.

May there be sunshine and laughter in 2010.

'Puhul pahans' at Ranwela Dewala, Meethirigala, Sri Lanka.

In the old days there was a ferry crossing of the Kelany Ganga at Meethirigala. The crossing took one from 'Siyana Korale' in the Gampaha District to the 'Hewagam Korale' in Avissawella district at this point. In ancient days they would core out a few 'puhul gedis' fill them with oil, insert a wick and light it. They would send these floating in the Kelany Ganga on a special day, as an offering to Ranwela Deviyo. At present they use a banana stem and the ola leaves are decorated to look like a 'puhul gediya'. You can see these lamps in the picture

A paddy-field in Meethirigala, Sri Lanka.

The beauty and serenity of a paddy field can be seen in this picture. I took this picture close to the retreat of a Buddhist forest hermitage. Buddhist monks live here in isolation and practice meditation. It is a famous place in Sri Lanka. The forest monks belong to the Aranya Nikaya.

Parents

A tree overlooking Nuwara Wewa, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka