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Yala National Park lies within Monaragala District of Uva Province and Hambanthota District of Southern Province.  The park covers about 979 km2 and one side is bounded by South East coast of Sri Lanka. The park was first declared as as a protected area in 1900 and it was gazetted as National Park in 25th February 1938. The entrance to the Yala National Park is located in Tissamaharama. There are many tour companies who operate jeep safari at Yala and visitors can select suitable one. Vegetation This area is characterized by semi-arid thorn scrub habitat. However it has been modified by human activities making it a secondary forest of few hundred years old. Fauna The main species of the park are mammals such as elephant, wild buffalo, spotted deer etc… There are variety of bird species are also present. However, depending on the environment the species are vary in different regions of the park. External Links Department of Wildlife Conservation National Parks declared in Sri Lanka  

Sandakada Pahana (or Moonstone) is a semi-circular stone  slab usually seen at the bottom of staircases of ancient religious places as well as some ancient royal palaces in Sri Lanka. It is a unique creation of ancient Sinhalese architectures. The Moonstone located in the Mahasena’s Palace is the finest and best preserved Moonstone found in Sri Lanka. This palace is located in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Sandakada Pahana (the Moonstone) at Mahasena’s Palace interpretation According to historians, the symbols and their arrangement represents a great religious meaning. The widely accepted interpretation was introduced by Prof. Senarath Paranavithana. According to his interpretation, The moonstone symbolizes the cycle of Saṃsāra. The liyavel symbolize worldly desires (Taṇhā) The lotus depicts the final achievement of Nirvana. The elephant, bull, lion and horse depict birth, decay, disease and death. The swans symbolize the distinction between good and bad. The moonstone found belongs to Polonnarwa period has removed the symbol of bull. During that period the Sri Lankan culture was heavily influenced by South Indian customs and traditions due to number of invasions. The bull is considered as venerated animal in Hinduism. As such historians believes that the removal of bull from moonstone in Polonnaruwa period occurred due to this influenced. External Links The Significance and Symbolical Aspect of Moonstone

“Kuttam Pokuna” or “Twin Ponds” is a unique creation of ancient architecture and considered as one of the significant achievement in hydrological engineering in ancient Sri Lanka. The pond is located in Sacred City of Anuradhapura in North Central Province, Sri Lanka.  As the name suggests, there are two ponds in this creation. It has been identified that these ponds were used to collect water for the Abhayagiri Vihara monks to bath. The two ponds are not identical and also one seems to be older than the other. The width of the ponds are same and it is 51 feet. The bigger pond is 132 feet long and the other is 91 feet long. There are a number of staircases to get down to the ponds and one pond have two staircases while the other one having three staircases. The beginning of staircases is decorated with the “Punkalas” or pots (the symbol of prosperity in ancient buildings) increasing the aesthetic beauty of this creation. There are evidence that the water in the ponds has been supplied using underground pipes and after going through a number of filters. The water first enters the northern pond through another special design called “Makara Kata” (mouth of a dragon). Then the water flows from to the other via a duct at the ground level. The water from both ponds is drained out from a small outlet located at the bottom of the small pond. Many creations including this, suggest us that there would have been an advance irrigation technology existed during the Anuradhapura kingdom.

The Jetavanaramaya is one of the Eight Sacred places known as “Atamasthana”. It is located in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The Jetavanarama Stupa was built by the King Mahasen (276-303).   During the reign of King Mahasen, this has become a center of Sagalika sect (also it is said that Sagalika sect has started in Jetavanaramaya). This stupa was rehabilitated for the last time by King Parakramabahu in 12th century. It is believed that this stupa has enshrined a part of a sash or belt tied by the Lord Buddha.  Originally this was 122m high and said to be the highest stupa built with bricks in the world. Also, this is the 3rd largest structure in the ancient world. The present height of this is 71m. The stupa compound is spread over 8 acres and length of one side is about 175 m long. There are stairs at each of the four sides to get onto the compound. At each of the fours sides of the stupa, there are ruins of four gateways (“Vahalkada” in Sinhala) and they evidence that there were some carvings and arts on them. There are ruins of a number of ancient buildings around the stupa.

Mandaram Nuwara is a beautiful small village located in Nuwara Eliya District of Central Province, sri Lanka. It is in the foothills of Piduruthalagala Mountain. The village is colloquially known as “mist city” as it is shrouded in mist majority of the day. At one end of the village there is a waterfall called Kolapothana Ella. Mandaram Nuwara

The Lankaramaya Stupa is one of the Eight Sacred places known as “Atamasthana”. The stupa was built during the 1st century B.C. by King Walagamba (89 B.C. – 77 B.C.). It is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. According to chronicales, this place was also known by names Silasobbakandaka and Galhebakada.  Initially, this stupa was known as Somarama Stupa in commemoration of Queen Soma who saved the life of the king. There are three rows of stone pillars can be seen around the stupa and it is evidence that there had been a house built encircling the stupa (called “Vatadage” in Sinhala) to protect it.

Thuparamaya is considered to be the first Stupa built in Anuradhapura, after the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. It is also one of the “Atamasthana” (8 most sacred places of Buddhist in Sri Lanka). The stupa was built during the reign of King Devanampiyathissa (307 BC to 267 BC). It is believed that the stupa enshrine the right collarbone Relic of the Lord Buddha. Thuparamaya

Isurumuniya is a Buddhist temple located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The history of this temple dates back to reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (307 BC to 267 BC). Later this has been renovated by the King Kasyapa I (473-491 AD). Isurumuniya is most famous for stone carvings, especially the “Isurumuni Lovers” carving. In addition to that there are many other stone carvings can be seen in this temple. Isurumuni Lovers Stone carvings and sculptures

Nalanda Gedige is a building completely built with stone located in Matale District of Central Province Sri Lanka. The building was estimated to have been constructed between  8th & 10th centuries and has the influence of the Pallava architecture. The building has designed like a Hindu temple. However, the building said to have been used as a temple by Buddhists. The building has richly decorated by stone carvings. Front View Rear View Pavilion Entrance Rock Carvings at Nalanda Gedige Rock Carvings Rock Carvings Rock Carvings Rock Carvings Rock Carvings Rock Carvings Rock Carvings Rock Carvings

Thotupola Kanda is the third highest mountain in Sri Lanka and the highest point of which is 2,357m above mean sea level. The mountain belongs to Nuwara Eliya District of Central Province and it is located in the Horton Plains. The name “Thotupola” (in Sinhala) has the meaning of “port (or airport)” and there is a belief that, this name related to the legend Rama-Ravana.  According to the legend the king Ravana (Sri Lankan) has used some kind of flying machine and he has landed it in this mountain while kidnaping of Sita (Rama’s wife) to take revenge from Rama.

Gadaladeniya temple is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Pilimathalawa area in Kandy District of Central Province, Sri Lanka. The temple was done by king Bhuvanekabahu IV ( reigned from 1341 to 1351) in 1344. According to the historical evidence, the temple was done by a South Indian architect named Ganesvarachari. Therefore the temple has built according to the South Indian tradition. Gadaladeniya Gadaladeniya Gadaladeniya Gadaladeniya External Links Department of Archaeology

Ritigala is a mountain range located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The mountain contains ruins of ancient Buddhist monastery. The history of the monastery is date back to 1st century BC.   Ritigala

Ranmasu uyana is pleasure garden of the ancient royals of Sri Lanka. It is located in between Thissa Wewa and Isurumuniya temple in Anuradhapura district of North Central Province. The garden is spreaded over 40 acres. This is a good example of ancient Sri Lankan garden architecture. Establishment of this “Ran Masu Uyana” has been carried out to full fill the essential necessity of a royal park and this was built on the right side of the Maha Vihara premises. Inscription of Vessagiriya, established by King Mihindu IV in the 10th century A.D., has identified this as the “Ranmasu Uyana”. Meaning of the name explains that it was a habitat of gold fish and was built by King Devanam Piya Tissa in the 3rd century B.C. Vessagiriya slab inscription of King Mihindu IV, reveals many details of the unique constructional techniques if the “Ranmasu Uyana”, which is considered to be a marvel of the ancient water management in Sri Lanka. According to the epigraphic disclosure, water through the main sluice gate is first taken to the gold fish park (“Ranmasu Uyana”) and then it was diverted to the play house (“Kadali Gruha”) and then to the garden pond and the water lily pond. Finally it was released to the paddy fields in the surrounding area of the Isurumuniya Viharaya. Highly advanced building construction technology has been adopted in maintaining the natural beauty of the surrounding by joining the rocky out crops with ston slabs and the construction of lovely ponds and bathing spots and other essential components needed for a park. This park has been in the extent of over 40 acres of land and this has been covered by the jungle when it was discovered by Mr. H.C.P. Bell in the year 1901 and the renovation work has been completed in 1940. This is declared a protected archaeological site. Ranmasu Uyana History ~Department of Archaeology~ Ranmasu Uyana – Stargate Ranmasu Uyana Ranmasu Uyana Ranmasu Uyana    

Rambadagalla Samadhi Buddha Statue is considered to be the world’s tallest rock carved seated Buddha statue. This is a 67.5 feet high Buddha Statue at Rambadagalla Vidyasagara temple in Kurunegala District of North Western Province. It is located about 4km away from the Ridi Viharaya.   Rambadagalla Buddha Statue Construction Stages Rambadagalla Samadhi Buddha Statue – Construction Stupa at the Temple Ancient Shrine Room at the Temple External Links Rambadagalla Samadhi Buddha Statue

Ridi Viharaya (has the English meaning of “Silver Temple”) is a Buddhist temple located in Ridigama, in Kurunegala District of North Western Province. The history of this temple is date back to the reign of King Dutugemunu (161 BC to 137 BC).  A silver (in Sinhala; “Ridi”) ore deposit found in this place has provided the funds for the construction of the Ruwanwelisaya Stupa. In return, the King Dutugemunu has built this Ridi Viharaya on the same location where the silver ore deposit was located. The gold-plated Buddha statue, which has been brought from India also a donation of the King Dutugemunu. Maha Vihare (Patha Vihare) Maha Vihare ( or Patha Vihare) – The place where the silver ore deposit was located & the gold-plated Buddha Statue placed Uda Vihare Waraka Welandu Viharaya The Bo Tree Sarasum Gala Sarasum Gala Stupa   The story of Ridi Viharaya This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Sri Pada mountain (Adam’s Peak/ Samanala Kanda) is venerated by four religions. Accodring to the Sri Lanka’s chronicles, Lord Buddha at his third visit to Sri Lanka, placed his foot imprint on a rock at the top of the mountain on the invitation of God Sumanasaman. Sri Pada is the second highest (height: 2,243m) mountain in Sri Lanka. It is located along the border of Central Province and Sabaragamuwa Province. According to the Survey Department of Sri Lanka, the mountain is belongs to the Ratnapura District of Sabaragamuwa Province. The annual Sri Pada pilgrimage season is begins on Poya day on December and runs until Vesak festival in May. Pilgrims climb the mountain at night to see the “Ira Sevaya” (the sunrise) in the next day morning. There are about six trails to climb the mountain, namely;  Hatton-Nallathanni, Kuruwita-Erathna, Ratnapura-Palabaddala, Murraywatte, Mookuwatte & Malimboda. Out of them, Ratnapura-Palabaddala, Hatton-Nallathanni are the most famous.   Sunrise   Adam’s Peak External Resources http://sripada.org The Mahavamsa

The Udawalawa National Park is very popular among visitors for Sri Lankan elephants. Visitors can see elephants at any time of the day. The park was declared as a national park in 1972 and it covers about 30,821 hectares of land. It lies in the Monaragala District of Uva Province and Ratnapura District of Sabaragamuwa Province. Animal Life Grizzled Giant Squirrel   Elephants Buffalos Birds Udawalawa Reservoir Udawalawa Reservoir External Links Department of Wildlife Conservation > National Parks Map of Protected Areas in Sri Lanka  

Atadage was constructed by King Vijayabahu I to place the Sacred Tooth Relic in the 11th century. It is located in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name “Atadage” has the meaning of “house of eight relics”.  What remains here today are the foundation and 54 stone pillars. The Tooth Relic has been kept on the upper floor made out of wood on top of these stone pillars.   External Links Journey of the Sacred Tooth Relic In Sri Lanka  

Kiri Vehera is an ancient stupa located in Kataragama area which belongs to Monaraga district of Uva province, Sri Lanka. It is believed that the stupa was built by King Mahasena, a regional ruler of this area in 6th century BC. This is one of the 16 sacred sites in Sri Lanka called Solosmasthana. Height of this stupa is 95ft. The famous Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya also located very closer to this stupa.

Thanthirimale Rajamaha Viharaya is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The temple was built in the 3rd century BC. It is believed that, when the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi was brought in to Sri Lanka, one night along the way to Anuradhapura, the pot containing the sapling was kept at Thanthirimale.  

Abhayagiri Stupa is the second highest stupa in the country and it is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is one also of the Eight Sacred places known as “Atamasthana”. The stupa was built by King Valagamba was also known as Vattagamani Abhaya and Valagambahu in 1st century BC. According to legends, the king has built this stupa to commemorate some incident happened while he escaping from one fight with Tamil invaders.  According to this legend, a Jain monk called Giri has shouted at the king saying “the great black Sinhalese is fleeing”  while he was passing at this location during his escape. However, the king Valagamba regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years and build this giant stupa at the same location. The name Abhayagiri has formed by combining the two names “Abhaya” (name of the king) and “Giri” (the name of the Jain monk). Abhayagiri Stupa External Links Abhayagiriya: The conservation of an archaeological edifice Abayagiriya Mahatissa Fahien Museum King Walagamba

Samadhi Buddha Statue is a sitting Buddha’s statue and it is considered as one of the best sculpture created during the Anuradhapura era. It is located in Anuradhapura district of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The statue with the height of 7 feet and 3 inches has made with dolomite marble. In this statue, the Buddha is depicted in the position of the Dhyana Mudra, the posture of meditation associated with his first Enlightenment. Some scholars say Samadhi statue belongs to 3rd century BC and others say it belongs to 2nd or 3rd century AD.   External Links Iconographic Feature of the Buddha’s Image in Sri Lanka

The Mirisaweti Stupa is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province. The stupa has been built by the king Dutugemunu (161BC – 137BC) after defeating South Indian invader king Elara. According to the legends, one day the King Dutugemunu had gone to Tissa Wewa for a bath leaving the scepter here. Once he returns to the scepter, it is said that it could not be moved from that place. As a result, the King has constructed this Stupa on the place where the scepter stuck. It is also said that it had been a practice of the King Dutugemununu offering foods to Buddhist monks before he consumes them. However, one day he has forgotten to offer a food made or of chilly. As an apology for this, the king has named this stupa as Mirisawetiya (the Sinhala word “Miris” has the meaning of chilly). The stupa has been renovated later by a number of kings.

The Horton Plains National Park is popular tourist destination located in Nuwara Eliya district of Central Province, Sri Lanka. The plateau which Horton Plains is located in is the highest plateau in the country. It is well known for its beautiful landscape of rolling hills, rare plants and animal lives.  The average temperature of the area is about 160C. The elevation of the park range from 1200 – 2300 meters. The Horton Plains is spread over bout 3160 hectares. This region was designated a national park in 1988. The combinations of  Horton plains, its surroundings forests and the adjoining Peak Wilderness is the most important catchment area of most of the major rivers in Sri Lanka. The plains are also habitats for many endemic plants and animals. Therefore, the Horton Plains are well recognized as a rich biodiversity and high endemism area.   World’s End The Horton Plains plateau comes to a sudden end at World’s End, with a sheer cliff of about 1200m. This is the most popular place in the Horton Plains National Park and also a key tourist attraction place in Sri Lanka. You can access this place by the circular road and its 4km away from the entrance. If you walk another 2km ahead, you will meet the Baker’s Falls.  You can come back to the entrance walking another 3.5km ahead. You can complete the round trip within 3-4 hours leisurely. It is pointless to visit this place when it is covered with mist. So, it is recommended to visit this place early in the morning (6.00am-10am) as the location is clearest.   External Links Department of Widlife Conservation – Horton Plains Pollen morphology of endemic species of the Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka