'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.

Parents

A tree overlooking Nuwara Wewa, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Children playing by the side of the Kelani Ganga, Meethirigala, Sri Lanka.

The bank of the Kelani Ganga provides an ideal spot for children to play at Meethirigala in the District of Gampaha, Sri Lanka. At full spate the water level on the river can rise about 6 feet submerging these banks.

The Balakotunna valley, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

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Building in the Kadugannawa valley, Sri Lanka.

A building in the Kandyan Period architectural style, in the Kadugannawa valley. Picture taken on a Fuji S- 1500 with a 12 zoom.

Waterfall in Sabaragamuwa, Sri Lanka.

'Doovili Ella', Balangoda, Sri Lanka. Photo on a Sony Mavica by Charaka Wickremasinghe.

The valley below Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

This would have been the view presented to the warriors of the Kandyan Kingdom in late 15th to the early 17th century. The soldiers advancing against the Kingdom would have been spotted miles off before they attempted scaling the Balana rock fortress. At present there are lush green paddy fields and an air of peace and serenity prevails.

Inflatable toys for sale, Galgamuwa, Sri Lanka.

Sacred 'Naa" tree, Bodhimaluwa, Parakaduwa, Sri Lanka.

On the road from Avissawella to Rathnapura, at Bodhimaluwa before Parakaduwa is found a tall 'Naa' tree. This has a dangerof falling but is supported by iron supports. During the troubled times of the Seethawaka Kingdom, the sacred Tooth Relic was taken from Kotte to Kuruwita for safekeeping from the Portuguese. The Tooth Relic was kept under this 'Naa' tree, while the accompanying priests took their mid day 'Daana.' This tree is venerated upto today. When it was in danger of falling this support was erected.

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An old road roller usually pulled by bullock or even an elephant, Sri Lanka.

A steam road roller, Sri Lanka.

Water carrier used by the Public Works Department (PWD), Sri Lanka

Steam road-roller with road plough.

Steam road roller with water carrier and caravan, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

A sunny day on Kandy lake, Sri Lanka.

'Ambalama' - 'Ambalam', Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

On the climb to Kadugannawa from Mawanalla, there was an old building. This was labelled as 'Ambalama'. An 'Ambalam' is a very old word much used in Tamil to refer to a resting place. The exhausted travellers on bullock drawn carts climbing the steep road to Kadugannawa, were provided with a resting place here, in olden times. The old building has been renovated recently. Somehow the charm of the old building is now gone. I took this picture on 29/11/2009.

Waterfall - bathing spot, Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

Upto the 1980s the climb to Kadugannawa had only one tea-shop and a waterfall as a bathing spot. I have stopped there in my Fiat Millicento in the late 1960s, to have a cold bath from the cascade after a long drive. Now the activity is shifted further up with a lot of fruit stalls. These were introduced by our late Mr.Premadasa. This place has no stop-over travelers now. I took these photos in November 2009.

Couroupita guianensia - 'Sal' tre - near Malwaththe temple, Kandy, Ari lAnka.

Monkeys raiding houses, around the Lake of Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The houses around the Kandy lake are visited by hoards of monkeys. They damage TV antennae and raid the kitchen and dining rooms of houses, carrying away food items. The photo taken by me shows a monkey seated on a telegraph wire at the entrance to a house in the area.

Botanical gardens, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken on 28/11/2009 on Fuji Finepix S 1500. It was a lovely sunny day and I took this picture around 1pm.

Orchid house interior, Botanical gardens, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken on a 10 meg Fuji Finepix S 1500.

A 'white-eye's' nest, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken on a Sony Mavica by Charaka Wickremasinghe.

'Ran-thambili' - 'Sevvilany' - Golden King coconut, Sri Lanka.

The colour of the Golden King coconut as seen in the picture, was considered the acme of beauty of skin  among females in the ancient Sri Lanka. Ebony colour was also considered beautiful as reflected in the names 'Kalu Menika', Kalut Ethana. "Snow white' was not eagerly sought after. I took this picture on a Fuji Finepix S 1500. The tree is in our house garden.
Addition by Dr. Daya Jayasinghe:-

Daya Jayasinghe  to me

I must tell a story about Thambili here.I and a few groups of us got stranded on the road due to sudden floods in a trip to North.We had to stay overnight in cars till the flood waters receded. Towards the night some group members got bored and decided to jump the fence and walk towards the light of a farmers house . There they saw a thambili tree grown for its beauty, full of fruits.The farmer gave them a few fruits. This was brought to the cars on the road where we started enjoying ,when all Aussie cars behind us brought their cameras and filmed us as they have mot seen this before. They too enjoyed a drink and learned something. Daya j.

Dogs, Sri Lanka.

Did you know that native dogs were exported from ancient Sri Lanka to Imperial Rome during the 1st Century AD. The native dogs were respected for their intelligence and hunting skills. We do not have any pure native breeds to boast of now.

A house on the hill, Alupola, Sri Lanka.

It is a peculiarity of the hilly regions in the province of Sabaragamuwa in Sri Lanka, that people build their houses as far away from their nearest neighbor. This is in sharp contrast to the North of this Island where houses are built closetogether.

Watching TV.

You really need TWO chairs, to watch TV in comfort. A picture of my second grand-son on his favourite perch.

Scaly breasted munia, Black rumped munia, Kiriella, Sri Lanka.

I took this photograph of a group of Scaly breasted munias and Black rumped munias, on stalks of tall grass by the road on the Getahaththe - Kiriella road in November 2009.

Full moon 'poya' day at a village buddhist temple, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken on a Fuji finepix, in September 2009.

Sunset in Rathnapura, Sri Lanka

Stray cattle, Kudagama, Sri Lanka

Stray cattle are a nuisance in Sri Lanka. se are let loose in the mornings by the owners and stray into any territory eating up the green plants. Very often they are on the roads causing danger to moving traffic. They find their way home to their owners in the evenings.

At the bottom of the 'Bo-path Ella', waterfall, Kuruwita, Sri Lanka.

Bo-path Ella (waterfall), Kuruwita, Sri Lanka.

The waterfall shaped like the leaf of the Ficus religiosa - 'Bo tree', is situated about 3 Km from the Kuruwita town, on the Colombo - Ampara road. Some 'chalets' catering to tourists, have sprung up around the site. Quite a few people have died here attempting to scale the slippery rocks.

Red water-lily, Avissawella, Sri Lanka

Yellow hued water-lily, Weliveriya, Sri Lanka

I took this picture in November 2009, at Weliveriya at the Bauer's fertiliser sales outlet nursery.

Queens bath house, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken on 11/11/2009 on a Fuji Finepix digital camera with a 10X zoom using a UV filter.

Kandy lake from the boat house end, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken on 11/11/2009 using Fuji Finepix.

Flowers at flower plant shop, Haldumulla, Sri Lanka.

Scorpion orchids in my garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Children 'drummers' in the 'perahara, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Cyclists in the 'perahara', Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The band of a village 'perahara' , Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A common wild flower of the wet-zones of Sri Lanka.

Squirrel on a palm leaf, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Arthur's seat' view of the Dalada Maligawa and Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.