Fruits on a decorative Palm tree, Home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The Common Mynah and Koil are two birds who visit this tree to eat the flesh of these fruits.

The 'Daehaeth Vattiya' - Betel tray, Sri Lanka.

I came across this poster in a 'Pansala'.
It is traditional to welcome a distinguished guest arriving at a home of a Sinhalese, with a wicker or brass tray containing betel leaves, arecanut, dried tobacco leaves and lime. This tray was called 'Daehaeth Vattiya'. This was the equivalent of offering a cup of tea to a guest.
Arecanut, tobacco and lime are implicated in cancer of the oral cavity.
The above poster is a media campaign to eliminate these items from the tray and replace them with other spices.

Drip irrigation, Kaluaggala, Sri Lanka.

Drip faucet watering a Gerbera flower plant.

Drip sprayer inside an orchid house

Water tank, pump and filter.

Timer to control the water pump.

Drip irrigation was a technique pioneered by Israel in the water scarce country. The theory was that water sent in as drips, close to the root of any plant was utilised more efficiently. There was less water loss by evaporation or seeping into adjoining soil.

Railway Station entrance, Avvissawella, Sri Lanka.

Electric bus transport to the car park, Diyatha Uyana, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

A 'Camp-bed'.

Used extensively in the house-holds of old Ceylon, this is now a relatively rare item.

Child at play.

Religions, Avissawella,Sri Lanka.

Offerings of white jasmines and water in cups, under the branch of a 'Bo' tree, 'Jaya Bodhi Pansala', Avissawella.

The front of an 'Amman' Temple, Kudagama road, Avissawella.

Bridge over the Kelani Ganga at Hanwella and 'Puhul pahan', Sri Lanka.

The bridge over the Kelani Ganga at Hanwella.

'Phul pahan' tied on the bridge to honor 'Ranwela Deviyo'.

Nearly a century and a half ago, when the major traffic on the roads of Ceylon was bullock-drawn carts, highway robbery was rampant. An old hand told me that the road from Wellawaththe to Pamankade was unsafe after 6pm and carters avoided travelling at night unless in a convoy. On the road nearing Avissawella before the village of Puwakpitiya, a benefactor allotted a plot of land, for the carters to park their vehicles at night in safety. The same benefactor would place lighted lamps made out of a variety of pumpkin called 'puhul', at strategic points at night on the Kelani Ganga, to help the busy boat traffic on the river. This benefactor was deified after death as 'Ranwala Deviyo'. The floating lamps are placed on the river during the festivals celebrating this benefactor.

Entrance to a house, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Near Gampaha Railway station, Sri Lanka.

Scenes at Delgoda on the road to Gampaha from Dompe, Sri Lanka.

Hybrid cars on transporter, Hanwella, Sri Lanka.

On the way from the Hambanthota Port to Colombo.

Stalls at a village fare, Atale, Sri Lanka.

Going down from Mawanella on the Kandy - Colombo road, Sri Lanka.

Going downhill from Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

The old 'tunnel'.

Wayside boutiques.

Wood-fired brass water boiler of a by-gone era, Sri Lanka.

This was standarrd equipment in wayside tea-boutiques throughout the Ceylon of the 1940s. Water was contained in the outer jacket and was led off the brass tap. Wood chips were dropped from the top chimney area into the grate at the bottom where it was lighted. 

The shanty shops paralleling the Mathale Railway line are no more. Kandy, Sri Lanka.

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The 'Boat House', The Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

A sun-bathing tortoise, The Kandy Lake, Sri Lanka.

The Dalada Maligawa and the Island in the Kandy Lake, Sri Lanka.

The island in the centre of the Kandy Lake was used as a recreation ground for the females of the Queen's household durng the time of the last King of Kandy. It was called the 'Jala tilaka mandapaya' and alternatiively the 'Kundasalawa'. The conquering British used it to store their ammunition.

Round the Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The 'Boat house' and boating on the Kandy Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Walking round the Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

First World War Memorial, George E De Silva Park, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The days of the British Empire, when Ceylon sent soldiers to fight in the First World War. The names of those who died are engraved at the bottom of the memorial cross.

Views of Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The new and old Post-office buildings, opposite the Railway Station.

A new shopping complex adjoining the Post-office.

Mawanella, Kandy road, Sri Lanka.

Crossing the old stone bridge at the entrance to Mawanella.

Classic cars on display for sale, Mawanella.