Saturday, November 3, 2012

Sorabora Wewa, boats and birds, Sri Lanka.

Boats used as ferries.
Flock of cormorants on the lake.
Indian Pond Heron.

The bird life in and around Sorabora Wewa is really amazing. I took these pictures in a morning.

Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=219Iy0dYWjI

Friday, November 2, 2012

Sorabora Wewa, Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka.

Water channel leading away from Sorabora Wewa.

Climbing the bund of Sorabora Wewa.
The statistical details of the Wewa.
A view of the Wewa in the morning.
To admire the beauty of this place, the former adobe of the Veddhas the prehistoric tribes of Sri Lanka, one has to spend a few hours here. The serenity and peace one gets sitting under a tree with the gentle breeze blowing is sheer pleasure to be savored in silence. The view of the distant mountains over the glistening water of the lake presents a fantastic sight.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

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

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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