The village adjoining Sorabora Wewa, Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka.

The village.

The water channel from the Wewa - reservoir.

The hearths in the boutiques.

Frying fish caught in the Wewa for sale to the tourist/pilgrims coming to the  site.

'Sorabora Wewa' - a large water reservoir - was built more than 2000 years ago during the rule of King Dutugemunu,  who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. There are many legends surrounding the building of a bund by a single individual. Like in quite a lot of the ancient irrigation works of Sri Lanka, the tank may have been built in prehistoric times. The single individual mentioned may have repaired a breached bund. There is a veddha ancestry for quite a lot of the villagers settled in the village near the bund.

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