Flower sellers and the Chaitya, Kirivihara, Sri Lanka.

'Katharagama' - 'Kathirkaamam' - The temple to 'Lord Skanda', Sri Lanka

Monkey at Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

'This needs looking into'

Video:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_RFt6XUvk4

Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

The rocky terrain of 'Sithulpawwa' in the south of Sri Lanka, where a Buddhist Monastery was formed around the First Century of the Present Era.

A 'Sel lipi' - stone inscription at Sithulpawwa and its interpretation, Sri Lanka.

Statues and stylized footprints, Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

Rock edict, Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

 A water reservoir (tank) and a 'rock edict' - 'sel-lipi', recording a donation to the Sangha, at Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

Wild elephant encounter - Buththala, Sri Lanka.

An encounter with a wild elephant on the SellaKatharagama- Buththala road.
Click below to see the video I took of the incident from inside the bus:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd28r79aeuw

'Ahas Gala' -Sky Rock - Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

A rocky mountain visible from Sithulpawwa monastery complex. It is claimed that there are remains of three dagobas on the top of this rock. It had been used as a Buddhist meditation center in ancient times. 

Sithulpawwa, Sri Lanka.

'Sithulpawwa' is a famous site of Buddhist meditation with a history going back to the 2nd Century BC. It is an area of trees and rocks with the ocean breeze fanning it. Numerous rock caves have been donated to the monks by rulers of this area. These donations are recorded in rock cuttings called 'Sel-lipi'. The carvings have used 'Brahmi' lettering. The above photos the present day entrance to this complex. Watch the video clip below by clicking on the underlined web-link:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9SR4zT6dP4

Dagoba at Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka.

A view of a side of the historic Dagoba and discarded flower offerings awaiting disposal.

Tissa Wewa, Tissa, Sri Lanka.

The trees on the banks of Tissa Wewa. A grey Heron under a tree foraging.
Click on web link to see a video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EEFA7KMNOc

Hot water wells at Sooriyawewa, Sri Lanka.

There are three sites where thermal springs are situated in present Sri Lanka. They are Kinniya in the Trincomalee district, Mahaoya in the Mahiyangana area and in the Sooriyawewa area in the Uva Province. The pictures above shows the in Sooriyawewa. This has been developed as a tourist attraction.

Birds on the banks of the Chanrikawewa, Sri Lanka.

An intermediate Egret and a Red-wattled Lapwing building their nests on the bank of the Chandrikawewa, Sri Lanka.

Katharagam Dewale, Sankapala, Sri Lanka.

The cave temple complex at the Sankapala Buddhist monastery has a place allocated to the Skanda Deviyo.

Sankapala, Sri Lanka.

'Sankapala' is a Buddhist monastery complex dating back to the Second Century BC. Its boundaries were set by  marking the area where the sound of a blown conch-shell - 'Sankha' S, 'Sanku' T, were heard. This area was donated to the Buddhis Sangha by Pussadewa a warrior of King Dutugemunu. It lies by the main road from Pelmadulla to Embilipitiya. It consists of a collection of rock caves converted as temples and meditation cells. The pictures above show a wall frieze and a statue in the complex.

Scarlet Minivets, Male and female, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Dawn at 'Saman Dewale', Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

A 'Gypsy' - 'Ahikuntikaya' - foretelling the future, Sankapala, Sri Lanka.

The 'Ahikuntikayo' - the Gypsy tribe of Sri Lanka move from place to place pitching their camps on empty plots of land. The females go out and do 'fortune telling' by reading the palms and earn their living. I saw this woman doing her trade at Sankapala.