The Mahawely Ganga at Ulapane, Sri Lanka.

The four major rivers of Sri Lanka take their origin from the Adam's peak wilderness. The waters which go to form these rivers flow in different directions from the central highland. It is a fact that the Police Station situated at Ginigathena is so situated that the water flowing downhill on one side goes to join the Kelany Ganga and the water flowing on the other side of the hill goes to join the Mahawely Ganga. This picture taken by me on the 31st of December 2010, shows the Mahawely waters at Ulapane, on the way to Gampola from Ginigathena.

The upside-down bridge, Ulapane, Sri Lanka.

On the road from Ulapane (on the Gampola - Nawalapitiya road) to Pussellawa about one Kilometre from Ulapane, you have to cross an old iron bridge. Looking upstream there is another bridge in sight as shown in the photo above. This was constructed by a British engineer during colonial times. The site engineer had mis interpreted the plans, constructing it upside down, and it was found out as a mistake only after the construction was complete. The authorities let it remain to be used for light traffic. They say that the site engineer subsequently committed suicide.

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.