Flowers in my garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'The embrace', Haththakucci, Sri Lanka.

'Haththakucci' is an ancient monastery complex close to Anuradhapura. It is a collection of large stones situated next to a water reservoir. A group of monks had made this their abode here and there are abandoned cave like dwellings. It is situated on an arid plain where there is a breeze which is a welcome relief. I saw this tree growing on a rock. Its roots seem to embrace the rock and go down to the soil to receive sustenance. It was a sight for contemplation.

'Umbrella tree' , Pesalai, Sri Lanka.

Mannar is famous for the 'umbrella trees which dot the arid soil with high degree of salinity. I took this picture in 2004.

Galvihare, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

The figure in the standing posture, next to the figure of Lord Buddha lying down, has some unusual features. The first of these is the fact that the arms are held crossed across the chest, which is unusual for an image of Lord Buddha. The second feature is the fact that there seems to be a sense of profound sadness, on the face of the standing image. These have made people speculate that this is a representation of Ananda, the chief disciple of Lord Buddha. These belong to the 12th Century AD. In the orient, the creator of the sculpture remained anonymous.

Monkeys on the rampage, Hingurala, Sri Lanka.

Monkeys are a regular menace to the households in Sri Lanka. They pluck the young coconut fruits and throw them on the ground. Mango, rambuttan etc get their attention. They sneak into the kitchen and carry away food items. If provoked they can attack people. This happens where villages border jungle land. I took this picture of monkeys just outside a house in Hingurala.