A dance by school girls on 'Sahithya' - Cultural - day, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A beautiful dance routine by school girls, on Cultural Day at the Town hall, Avissawella.

Disposable umbrella, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A variety of yam common in the jungle land of Sri Lanka has large leaves. This is called 'Habarala' - Colocasia esculanta -This is used to hold over the head as an umbrella, if one is caught in an unexpected  shower. Once used they are thrown away. You see a leaf thrown away lying on a rock in this picture.

Road through shrub jungle, Avissawellka, Sri Lanka.

The road bordering the perimeter of the Free Trade Zone at Seethawake, is nice, cool and full of bird sound. You can see many different varieties of birds, butterflies and dragon flies. An occasional mongoose or 'thalagoya' crosses the road. It is a beautiful road to do cycling.

Play ground, Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka.

A panoramic view of the playground, Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka. Nawalapitiya was a place where a large settlement of employees of the Ceylkon Government Railway (CGR) was present. It also catered to the needs of the workers in the estate. It thus developed into a commercial centre with recreational facilities  from the 1830s.

In a flower garden, Kosgama, Sri Lanka

 

I took this photo of a fern in a home garden in Kosgama, Sri Lanka. My friend Kapila Yakandawala writes:-
"It is a popular plant in Sri Lanka & commonly known as Staghorn Fern. It
is an epiphyte belongs to the genus Platycerium. Family-
Polypodiaceae. Ferns in this genus are widely known due to their
uniquely-shaped ...fronds."

Flowers in our home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Now that the rainy season has started there are a different kinds of flowers are blooming in our garden with the cooler climate of 24 degrees Celsius in the mornings..

Great Cormorant, Udawalawe, Sri Lanka.

'Black-headed Munias', Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture of 'Black-headed Munias' on a grassland at Avissawella, Sri Lanka. They are seen together with 'Scaly-breasted Munias'

Valley below Haputhale, Sri Lanka

I took this picture of the Haputhale Valley towards the Diyathalawa side from near the Railway station at Haputhale, Sri Lanka. I was taking the photo against the sun but the results after editing gave a pleasant view. This is another stunning view of the Paradise Isle, Sri Lanka.

Brahmini kites, Yala, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture of two Brahminy kites and a ?White-bellied sea-eagle, perched on a tree overlooking a pond inside the Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Wild elephant, Udawalawe, Sri Lanka.

Wild elephant behind the electric fence, Uda Walawe, Sri Lanka.

A Red-vented bulbul chick

I saw this Bulbul chick on the ground close to the nest where it was hatched. The parents were hovering close by. I was wondering whether it was unable to fly. If it stayed on the ground it would become easy prey to the cat roaming around. As I approached it its parents increased their chatter. In the twinkling of an eye it took wing and flew away. I guess fear and the warning from its parents induced it to make its maiden flight.

A view of 'Vedahiti-kande' - 'Kathiramalai' from Katharagama.

'Vedahiti-kanda' or 'Kathiramalai' is the sacred mountain on which Lord Murugan is said to have settled down, after marrying the Veddah cheiftain's daughter, Valliamma. It was a 2 hour difficult climb. Now you can reach the top by jeep available for hire at the bottom of the hill.

Brooding Bulbul

I took this picture in my garden in Avissawella. You can see the mother sitting on the eggs. She did not fly away when I went close. The male was hovering nearby giving warning cries. Prowling cats, the rat-snake and the Greater Coucal, which latter boldly goes to the nest and swallows the live chicks, are an ever present danger. The population of the bulbul is stable at the moment.

Nest of a Red-vented Bulbul.

This nest of a Red-vented Bulbul was on a tree stump in my garden at Avissawella. The female would brood over it while the male went food gathering. If you went too close to it the female would temporarily fly away at its mates signaled warning. She would return once the intruders went away.

The 'moon-stone'

A piece of granite worked in concentric circles is seen used as the first step in various important buildings situated in the area named the 'cultural triangle' of Sri Lanka. These pictures were taken by me from Polonnoruwa, Sri Lanka. The concentric circles are said to represent the various stages in the evolution of a being ending in the central area of liberation. The intriguing question is why a sacred symbol like this is used as a door-step. Therein lies a bit of history according to some. The philosophies which deviated from the Southern Theravada doctrines of Buddhism had used these symbols. When the Southern doctrines got the upper hand it is said, that these acts were done, to denigrate the 'heretical vaithulyavada sects'.

A 'book in stone' - ' gal potha' S-Polonnoruwa

26m long, Gal Potha (Stone Book), details the achievements of King Nissankamalla, heir to the Great King Parakramabahu.This is found in present day Polonnoruwa, Sri Lanka. It was originally said to have been installed in Mihinthale, nearly 50 miles away. It had been transported to this site those days, using elephants.

'Cess-pit' ?, Polonnoruwa, 14th Century Present Era.

This is supposed to be a cess-pit constructed in the 14th Century at Polonnoruwa, Sri Lanka. It is lined with rings of baked clay.

Another popular old-time toy.

A toy popular nearly 40 years ago.

 

I got my carpenter to make this toy of my childhood days. My grandson was fascinated with it and preferred it to all his brightly colored plastic toys.

Scaly breasted Munias, Avissawella

I found these small birds flitting from grass tops, eating the grain. They allowed me to approach close enough to take this picture.

Children in a playground - Nawalapitiya.

Nawalapitiya has a nice childrens playground. I took this picture on a Sunday morning. The children had come from a play-school closeby and were having some sort of a celebration.

Indian pond heron, Polonnaruwa.

I saw this beautiful bird in a pond near Gal-Vihare, Polonnoruwa. Sri Lanka.

Dawn breaking over Yala.