Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Hindu Kovil At Kotahena

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

"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.

Monday, March 2, 2009

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.