Aukana Buddha statue, Sri Lanka.

 

The Aukana Buddha statue, situated close to the beautiful Kalawewa lake. is 12 metres high and is said to be now the tallest old Buddha statue in the world, after the destruction of the Bamiyan statue in Afghanistan. It is 'carved in the round' and is carved in the rare 'Asisa Mudra' - the posture of blessing. This statue was sculpted in the 12th Century AD.There is a story about this statue that a master and pupil had started to carve statues of the Buddha a few miles apart from each other, racing to finish his creation first. On finishing the statue first by the Master Artisan at Aukana, a gong was sounded. This sound was heard by the pupil, who was constructing the second statue at Sassaruwewa. The latter feeling ashamed at his defeat in the contest, had climbed to the top of his nearly completed statue, and jumped down killing himself. The name Aukana according to some was given because the early rays of the rising sun hit the top of the statue - ('Awwa' : Sunlight, 'Kanna' : Eating - S) and it looked as though the statue was eating up the first rays of the rising sun. There were a lot of similarities between the Bamiyan statue and that at Aukana.

The first is a photograph taken in 1938, the second was taken by me in the 1990s

Galvihara, Polonnoruwa, Sri Lanka.

 Photo taken in the 1930 and photo taken by me in 2010 July.
Galvihara was constructed by King Parakramabahu 1 -(Arm strong) in the 12th Century AD.
"The larger seated Buddha is framed by Sanchi-style arch, with tiny bodhisattavas looking down on him from their celestial dwellings-perhaps showing a touch of Mahayana Buddhist influence, with its belief in Bodhisattvas".

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.

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.

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'.

'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.

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.

Advice on the inner side of a toilet door in Yala.

Translation of the Sinhalese text - "Do not use this (toilet) like a monkey".

'Pattunagala', Yala, where 20 odd Japanese tourists were swept away by the Tsunami of 2004.

 The memorial for the victims.

The Tsunami 0f December 24,2004, caught these Japanese tourists unawares in their place of rest. The building housing them collapsed and 20 of them were swept away into the roaring sea. A large rock named 'Pattunagala' stands sentinel at this site from time immemorial.

Fireplace in the bedroom, Castlereigh Inn, Castlereigh, Sri Lanka.

A cloudy day over the Negombo lagoon exit.

Flowering tree on the road to Negombo from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The months of April-May have a lot of trees in bloom. I took this picture on the Negombo road.

'Blyth's Pipit' - Kaluwandura, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Around 10am on the 4th of February 2010, we were returning from Kaluwandura, a village off Puwakpitiya. We saw this bird by the roadside. It circled around and would not fly away. There must have been a nest closeby for we spotted its other partner momentarily before the latter flew away. It gave us anexcellent photographic study.

'Little egret' resting on a coconut palm, Avissawella,Sri Lanka

A pond with lotuses, Wevila, Sri Lanka

A sunny day on Kandy lake, Sri Lanka.

Suspension bridge connecting Gannoruwa to the Peradeniya Gardens.

This is a beautiful landmark at Peradeniya, connecting the Peradeniya Gardens with Gannoruwa on the opposite bank of the Mahaweli Ganga. It is now closed for use.

Abheyagiri Dagoba, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

King Vattagamini Abheya 89-87 BC, constructed this Dagoba, 350 feet high, at Anuradhapura the then capital of Sri Lanka. It reportedly contains some of the relics of Lord Buddha, in a chamber decorated with gems. The relics were enshrined inside a golden vessel shaped like a bull. The Abheyagiri was vandalised for being part of a heretic 'vaithulyavada' sect it is said on instigation by members of the Maha Vihara. Abheyagiri Dagoba is being restored now. Fa Hsien, the Chinese traveller of the 5th century AD refers to this place. Abheyagiri had a good library and Fa Hsien took copies of valuable documents from here to China for translation. They may still be available in Buddhist monasteries in China, and could be valuable material for research. Photo by Charaka Wickremasinghe.

Materials for packing of an older era, Sri Lanka.

Fresh vegetables were wrapped inside the base of the leaf of an arecanut palm, to retain their freshness in days gone by. Old newspapers were also used extensively. This method was bio-degradable and eco-friendly. I had some vegetables wrapped for me by a villager from Kosgama, Sri Lanka.