Sri Lanka - "The best island of its size in the world" - Marco
Polo
Ayubowan !!
This is the customary greetings of the Sri Lankans and means 'May You Live
Long' With palms of the two hands held
close
together against the chest this is a greeting that denotes welcome, goodbye,
respect, devotion or loyalty to suit the occasion. It is our fervent wish to
bring to you the warmth of Sri Lankan hospitality in this Resplendent Island
which was Tambapanni to Emperor Asoka of India before the written era,
Taprobane to the Greeks and Romans, Serendib to the Arab seafarers,
Hsi-lan-ch'ih to the Chinese, Ceilao to the Portuguese, Ceylaan to the
Dutch, Ceylan to the French and Ceylon to the British. Now it is Sri Lanka -
the Resplendent Island. Sri Lanka, the Isle of Serendipity is a tourist
paradise with an abundance of attractions as listed below:
Sri Lankan civilization is more than twenty centuries old. Its history is
recorded in Mahavamsa, the Great Chronicle written in the 5th century AD.
Remains of this ancient civilization reflecting the character, imagination,
culture, philosophy, and the faith of its people are seen in the form of
ruined cities, buildings, palaces, reservoirs, parks, dagobas (dome
enshrining sacred relics or the bodily remains of the Buddha, or articles
used by Him), Buddha images, temples, sculpture and painting throughout the
little Island. However it is at the major archaeological sites of
Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy that the
glory of the Island's past can be seen in its true form still living among
the several ruins. These ancient cities can be reached easily from Colombo
in a comfortable morning's drive through green paddy fields, acres of
coconut palms and alongside deep jungle where wild animals roam.
Anuradhapura : About 205 km north of Colombo is Anuradhapura, the
first capital of Sri Lanka established in the 4th century BC that remained
the Royal Capital for over ten centuries. Several magnificent dagobas,
buildings, monasteries, ponds, irrigation tanks spanning one thousand five
hundred years
bear
testimony to a glorious and technically advanced civilization. Ruvanveli,
Jetavana, and Abhayagiri are huge dagobas that stand majestically having
withstood the battering of elements for over fifteen centuries. Foremost
among the numerous historical monuments in Anuradhapura is the Sacred Bo
Tree - Sri Maha Bodhi, grown from a branch of the Bodhi tree under which the
Buddha attained enlightenment. A mass of stone pillars close to the Sri Maha
Bodhi identified as the Brazen Palace was once a nine storied building.
Isurumuniya is famous for its beautiful stone carvings. Samadhi Buddha image
is a masterpiece of sculpture. Among the extensive ruins covering the city
of Anuradhapura are Buddha images, temples, palaces, bathing ponds,
monasteries, hospitals, alms halls and beautiful stone carvings and
irrigation tanks. Archeological remains of Anuradhapura spanning over ten
centuries are too vast to be listed in full. However, the place is a
treasure house where one can delightfully loose oneself amongst the
stupendous relics of a bygone Golden era of a great civilisation . Request
Detail Information For Places Of Interest In & Around Anuradhapura.
Mihintale: Thirteen kilometers from Anuradhapura is Mihintale, the
site of introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the year 247 BC. The King
of Sri Lanka having embraced Buddhism established the world's first fauna
and flora sanctuary at Mihintale in the 3rd century BC. Monasteries, an
ancient hospital, dagobas, ponds, caves in which Buddhist monks lived are
among the many places of interest that the visitor should see.
Polonnaruwa : The glory of mediaeval Sri Lanka is seen at
Polonnaruwa, the mediaeval capital of the Island about 216 km, south east of
Anuradhapura. Polonnaruwa used by the Sri Lankan kings as a 'country
residence' from the 7th century became the Island's capital in the 11th
century AD. Within the ramparts of the Royal Citadel are the ruins of the
King's palace,the Council Chamber and the Royal Bath. The Buddha images at
the Gal Vihara or the Rock Temple are masterpieces of stone sculpture.
Parakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama is a giant man made irrigation
reservoir. A visit to Polonnaruwa is incomplete without visiting the new
archaeological museum opened by the Central Cultural Fund where the ancient
gloryof the city has been recreated in scale models.
Sigiriya: A city, palace and a garden complex centering a 200 metre
high rock, Sigiriya, is a glowing tribute to the vision of King Kashyapa who
created this 'Palace in the Sky' in the 5th century AD. On the
summit
of the Sigiriya rock (meaning the 'Lion Rock') that is over 1.5 hectares in
extent are the remains of a large palace, the earliest surviving royal
palace in Sri Lanka, with several chambers and a bathing pond. In a
sheltered pocket of the giant rock are the celebrated paintings of 5th
century AD, a few that is remaining from around 500 paintings that once
covered the rock surface. Meticulously planned water gardens at the foot of
the rock are the earliest such gardens found in Asia. The boulder gardens
are a fine example of landscaping while conserving the environment. The
Mirror Wall, which had been exposed to elements for over fifteen centuries
still carry some of the original sheen that has given it the name. This
archaeological site unparalleled in South Asia has been declared a World
Heritage Site.
Dambulla Rock Temple is a magnificent gallery of Buddha images and
wall and ceiling paintings not seen anywhere else in the Island. It is a
complex of five cave temples with its origin going back to the Anuradhapura
period (1st century BC). However due to additions and restorations done by
various rulers over the past two thousand years what now remains are mostly
the works of the Kandyan period (18th century).
Kandy: The Hill Capital of Kandy was the last bastion of the Sinhala
kings and is a charming city
offering
a living record of a magnificent past. Centre of attraction in Kandy is the
Dalada Maligawa, the temple housing the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha.
Kandy Lake enhances the charm of the City. Kandy is a romantic city any time
of the year, but in August, this ancient capital becomes the venue of one of
the most legendary festivals in Asia, the Festival of the August Moon when
thousands of people from all parts of the country and from foreign countries
throng to the Hill Capital to witness the magnificent spectacle. The King's
palace, audience hall, King's bath, the archaeological museum must not be
missed by any visitor to Kandy.
