The new faces of Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka.

The new lake being constructed.

A new statue of Lord Buddha.

A baker's van doing the sales rounds.

A new lake is being constructed in front of the Chaithya. There is a large statue of Lord Buddha and a Baker's van one of many plying this area. I hope to see it's beauty with the lake full of water.
Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiTTLZ5-hDI

The bed of the Mahawely Ganga, Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka.

The distant hills seen from the river bed of the Mahawely Ganga.

The dry river bed from which sand is quarried and taken to places as far away as Colombo.

The part of the river still flowing and serving as a bathing spot..

The waters of the Mahaweli arising from the Adam's Peak area have been dammed and the waters diverted for power generation and irrigation. I took these pictures during the dry season close to the Mahiyangana Chaithya. The vast sandy bed is exposed and the water flowing downstream is still quite significant. The lush greenery, even during the dry season, in the paddy fields of Mahiyangana attest to the success of the irrigation schemes.

Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BENdWIdFhJ4

Dawn at Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka.

Dawn at Mahiyangana.

The 'Mahout' arriving in the morning to start the day's work.

The elephant is so human. Watch video of an elephant in the morning after a night's rest. Note how the Mahout clears the ground and gets the elephant to lie down. He rubs its back to the obvious pleasure of the elephant.
Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqhN52IzghA

'Kapruka pooja' - Mahiyangana Chaithya, Sri Lanka.

The Mahiyangana Chaithya

The cloth being ceremonially carried to the Chaithya.

Draping the cloth round the Chaithya.

The Chaithya draped round with the stitched cloth of multiple Buddhist flags.

The Mahiyangana Chaithya was the place where the Sacred Hair Relic and a bone of the neck of Lord Buddha is enshrined. It is considered an act of merit for a Buddhist to visit this site. 'Kapruka' is a mythical tree which fulfils ones wants. This tree is found in the adobe of the Gods. A 'Kapruka Pooja' of covering a Sacred Chaithya with cloth right round, is said to grant all ones wishes in life. The above is a series of pictures I took of a 'Kapruka Pooja' for the Mahiyangana Chathya.
Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Gmwhl4h8M

'Look-out point' and the 18 hairpin bends leading to Hasalaka, Sri Lanka.

Panorama from 'look-out point' past Madugoda

View of the 'Sorabora Wewa' from the 'look-out point'

There is a 'look-out point' past Madugoda before the 18 hairpin bends leading on to Hasalaka and Mahiyangana. There is always a severe blowing here. The air rising from the Mahiyangana valley blows through the gap in the hills at this point. You can see three water-reservoirs in the valley below. The one shown in the second picture is the 2000 year old 'Sorabora Wewa'. The video below shows the 18 hairpin bends after this point.
Video:-
18 hairpin bends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KoNsI8wMnI