Ceylon Tea

The tea sector in Sri Lanka has always been a vital component of her economy. It is also the country's largest employer providing employment both directly and indirectly to over one million people. It also contributes a significant amount to Government revenue and to the gross domestic product.
Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka, acclaimed as the best tea in the world has its inherent unique characteristics and reputation running through more than a century. The influence of climatic conditions of its plantation imparts to the product a variety of flavors and aromas, synonymous with quality.
Sri lanka as the 3rd biggest tea producing country globally, has a production share of 9% in the international sphere, and one of the world's leading exporters with a share of around 19% of the global demand. The total extent of land under tea cultivation has been assessed at approximately 187,309 hectares.
Sri Lanka produces tea throughout the year and the growing areas are mainly concentrated in the central highlands and southern inland areas of the island. They are broadly grouped under these headings according to their elevations, with high growns ranging from 1200 m upwards, medium growns covering between 600 m to 1200 m. and low growns from sea level up to 600 m.
High grown teas from Sri Lanka are reputed for their taste and aroma. The two types of seasonal tea produced in these areas Dimbula and Nuwara Eliya are much sought after by blenders in tea importing countries.
Uva teas from Eastern Highlands contain unique seasonal characters and are widely used in many quality blends particular in west Germany and Japan.
The medium grown teas provide a thick coloury variety which are popular in Australia, Europe, Japan and North America.
The teas produced in low grown areas are mainly popular in Western Asia, middle Eastern countries and CIS countries. Most factories in these areas produced what are known as leafy grade of tea where the tea leaves are well twisted and can grade into long particles.
Sri Lanka mainly produced orthodox teas. In the orthodox process of production, semi dried green shoots are ruptured by rolling achieved from a rotary movement. The rolling process ruptures and twists the leaves. When tea leaves are crushed an oxidation process begins, which is followed by firing and commonly known black tea is produced.
Sri Lanka also produces tea by unorthodox method, namely Cut Tear and Curl(C.T.C). Green tea, Instant tea, Bio tea, and flavored tea are also produced in Sri Lanka.

Text From www.pureceylontea.com

Misty Morning at Bandarawela

Bandarawela is the second largest town in Badulla District which is 28 km away from Badulla city. It is located on the western part of the Uva Province on the eastern slopes of central hills of Sri Lanka. Climatic condition of the bandarawela is cooler than the other areas in the Uva Province except Haputale. Bandarawela is 200 km away from Colombo and about 150 km away from Kandy where some one can easily reach by vehicles or train. Bandarawela is one of the major tea producing areas in Sri Lanka since British colonial era.
History of the Bandarawela area is coming from the time of great Sinhalese King Walagamba who fell back and regrouped in the Dhowa area to fight against Chola invaders. During the period of British colonial era, the city occurred rapid development of the infrastructures and human resources due to tea plantations and migration of the British and other local people to this area.
Originally Bandarawela is one of the Sinhalese motherlands before the establishment of tea plantations under British administration. But today there is a mix culture due to the migration of Tamils to the plantation sector as laborers from India under British colonial times. Bandarawela famous as having been the camp in Ceylon of the Boer prisoners of war and some of the buildings erected for the temporary accommodation of the captives are now used in connection with the permanent camp health recuperation established here for the Navy , military and volunteers. There is few buildings remain which were built in the British colonial period with British architectural influence such as Bandarawela Hotel,Cargiles building, post office, etc.

-Text From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hindu Kovil At Kotahena

"The Best Beach" - Unawatuna

Listed as "the best beach" of the world by Discovery channel, Unawatuna offers you a magnificent beach holiday. Its golden beach stretching for few kilometers, shallow green waters, Excellent restaurants with their spicy cuisine and warm hospitality will lock you in a trance of tropical ecstasy...In Unawatuna you will experience the real beauty of southern Sri Lanka. People are friendly and warm. They are always willing to help you. Unawatuna is the best place to see "pole fishing" which is a traditional way of catching fish. Adding to the pleasures of the golden beach, surfing, scuba diving and boat racing will simply fetch you to another world.

-Text from www.silverlinetours.com

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa (218 km. from Colombo) became established as the capital in the 11th c., when Anuradhapura was abandoned due to foreign invasion. A well-planned medieval city defended by enclosing walls (around 5 km. of which still remain), it was graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes.
Polonnaruwa's monuments date mainly from the 11th and 12th centuries during which it was Sri Lanka's capital and bear the stamp of three great kings -Vijayabahu 1, Parakrama Bahu the Great and Nissanka Malla.
The palace complex of Parakrama Bahu is a medieval
stronghold of moats, walls, guard-houses, bating ponds and thick-walled, multi-storeyed castle. The Royal Council Chamber, a majestic pavilion of granite columns, is adorned with rampant lions, moonstones and richly carved friezes.

Gal Vihare

The Gal Vihare is one of Sri Lanka's most unforgettable monuments. A group of three colossal Buddha images in seated standing and reclining poses, is carved with fluid grace and almost live expression, on a huge rock-face. The recumbent image measures 44 ft. in length.

Gal Potha (Stone Book)

Records the deeds of King Nissanka Malla.

Ran Koth Vehera - The Golden Pinnacle Dagaba

Built by Nissankamalla. This Dagaba is the largest in Polonnaruwa and measures 550-ft. in girth and 180 feet high. Although it was completed by Nissankamalla, the dagaba was probably largely the work of Rupavati, one of Parakramabahu's queens.

The Vatadage (Circular Relic House)

The Sacred Quadrangle is a complex of twelve striking monuments. The Vatadage (Circular Relic House) is a shrine of four entrances, seated Buddha images, dressed stone pillars, ornate friezes and guardstones.

Haputale, Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

Situated at 193 km from Colombo on the Colombo - Kandy - Nanu Oya (Close to Nuwara Eliya - Little England) - Badulla road & railway line sits Haputale at an elevation of 1579 m (4736 ft). Lying along a mountain ridge of the southern edge of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, Haputale is one of the most spectacularly situated towns of Sri Lanka. The high elevation vantage location of Haputale allows us bird’s eye view to the north as well as to the south. To the south are plains that run into the coast. To the north are hills after hills, hills next to hills, hills over the hills of the highlands: that's a glorious sight.Arrival into the town by car, the sudden descent is startling. The bend of the road leading to the town is so acute, you would feel like the car is about to airborne over the cliff.

-Text from www.mysrilankaholidays.com

Beauty of Sri Lanka

orchid

Wara Mal - Crown flower (Calotropis gigantea)

White Lily

Puttlam Lagoon

Puttalam is a district situated near to the west coast of Sri Lanka. Its area is 2,976 km². Along with the Kurunegala District, it formulates the Wayamba (North Western) Province of Sri Lanka. The capitial town is Puttalam and borders the Kala Oya and Modara Gam Aru in the north, Anuradhapura District and Kurunegala District in the east, Ma Oya in the south and the Indian Ocean in the west. Puttalam is well known for its picturesque lagoon, a paradise for shallow sea fishing activities. More recently Prawn farming activities have also flourished in the area.
-Text From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sri Lanka - Sacred Bo Tree

Anuradhapura
The 2,200 year-old Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bo Tree), is the world's oldest historical tree, a sapling of the tree under which the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, attained enlightenment.

Buddhist Monk

Oil Lamps

Sri Lanka - beautiful scene

Sri Lanka is an island situated in the Indian Ocean, at the base of the Indian Sub-Continent, 880 km north of the equator.Sri Lanka has a pleasant tropical climate. The average temperature of the low lands ranges between 25-30 degrees Celsius.