Saturday, April 4, 2009

Bo-path Ella waterfall, Kuruwita, Sri Lanka.

The Bo-path Ella waterfall is called so because it resembles the leaf of the sacred bo tree (Ficus religiosa). This picture was taken by me on a quiet day when there was a drought.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Selling fruits by the roadside to school children, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

School children like to buy various types of fruits and enjoy them. Here is a picture of a vendor of fruits selling her ware, opposite a school in Avissawella. The fruits for sale are 'gadu-gudha', 'pini jambhu' and 'durian' the latter kept for sale to parents of the children. I hope you recall your school days on seeing this picture.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Squirrel searching for material to build a nest.

It is April now and is the nesting season for squirrels. The males have their testicles coming out of the abdomen into the scrotum. They pair off and search jointly for building material for nests. They strip off the dried fiber of plantain trunks. Here you see one of stripping the fiber from a plantain trunk it in the first picture. The second picture shows a squirrel picking up sticks for the nest. I took this picture in late March 2009.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Buddha statue, Maligawila, Buththala, Sri Lanka.

In 1967 I visited this place in a byway off Buththala in Sri Lanka. This massive Buddha statue made of sandstone was lying on the ground, with the head decapitated. This was the work of people who looked for treasure inside the statue. In the 1980s when I visited this place again the statue had been reinstalled, using mechanical cranes, during the Presidency of Mr.Premadasa. I took these pictures at that time. A few yards opposite this statue there is a very elaborately carved, beautiful image of a Boddhisattwa. This showed the influence of Mahayanism in this area.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Tree in bloom, Entrance to Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka.

I saw this tree in full bloom at the entrance to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, opposite the Gatambe Dewala. It provided a beautiful sight.