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Buddhism and Sri Lanka
According to Sri Lankan chronicles, Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C. by Arhant Mahinda, during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa.
Sri Lankan Inscriptions
The earliest trace of epigraphy in South Asia is said to be found in Sri Lanka. A piece of pottery, dated to circa the 4th century B.C. has been discovered from the Anuradhapura citadel.
Architecture of Sri Lanka
The architecture of Sri lanka has a long history and shows diversed forms and styles, mainly infuenced by their religions and traditional beliefs.
Sri Lankan Antiquities
Inherited from the past, Sri Lanka has a large number of antiques with cultural and historical significance which reflects the glory of past era.
Visit Sri Lanka
Located in the northern waters of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is an island blessed with a large number of attractons which has made the country an ideal destination for the tourism.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Kotmale Mahaweli Maha Seya
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Sunday, April 28, 2019
St. Xavier's Church, Nuwara Eliya
1) Nuwara Eliya 2013 11 by Cherubino is licensed under CC BY SA 3.0
2) Nuwara Eliya 2013 14 by Cherubino is licensed under CC BY SA 3.0
3) Nuwara Eliya 2013 12 by Cherubino is licensed under CC BY SA 3.0
References
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Sunday, April 21, 2019
Old Town Hall, Pettah
The building facing to the north direction is entered through a portico which is about 10.3 m in length and about 5.1 m in width (Rajapakshe et al., 2018). The portico gives entrance to a large open verandah of about 17.67 m long and 3.75 m wide (Rajapakshe et al., 2018). Several old equipment and items used in the past in the railway transportation and by the Public Work Department are exhibited in an area on the ground floor (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009).
References
2) De Silva, N.; Chandrasekara, D.P., 2009. Heritage Buildings of Sri Lanka. Colombo: The National Trust Sri Lanka, ISBN: 978-955-0093-01-4. p.184.
3) Rajapakshe, S.; Bandara, T. M. C.; Vanninayake, R. M. B. T. A. B. (Editors), 2018. Puravidya Sthana Namavaliya: Kolamba Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Vol. I. Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 978-955-7457-19-2. p.29.
4) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No: 1823/73. 16 August 2013. p.6A.
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Saturday, April 20, 2019
Kayman's Gate Bell Tower
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1116. 21 January 2000.
3) The notice board at the site by the Department of Archaeology and the Ministry of National Heritage.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Friday, April 19, 2019
Nalanda Gedige
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Nalanda Gedige Pillar Inscription
Reign : ? Period : 9-10 centuries A.D.
The name of the monastery is not found in the preserved portion. However, the inscription is considered important as its date is in conformity with the architectural style of the Gedige shrine.
2) Nalanda Gedige 01 by Bgag is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
3) Nalanda Gedige - Détail by BluesyPete is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
4) Nalanda Gedige - Le stupa by BluesyPete is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
3) Jayarathne, K.G.M.S.K. 2014. බහුසංස්කෘතික ලක්ෂණ විදහාපාන නාලන්දා ගේඩිගේ. Proceedings of the Undergraduate’s Research Conference on Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. p. 47.
4) Prematilleke, P.L., 1985. Nalanda: A short guide to the Gedige shrine. Central Cultural Fund. Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Sri Lanka. pp.7-18.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Kasagala Raja Maha Viharaya, Angunukolapelessa
Inscriptions
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2) Nicholas, C. W., 1963. Historical topography of ancient and medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series (Vol VI). Special Number: Colombo. Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), p.68.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Madunagala Thermal Springs
Leonard Woolf (1880-1969), the Assistant Government Agent for Hambantota and the author of "The village in the Jungle" is one of the earliest visitors to the site in recent times (Abeyawardana, 2004). However, the site was not known among the people until, the introduction of the Udawalawe reservoir irrigation project (Abeyawardana, 2004). Presently, the site has been developed as a major tourist attraction in the Southern Province.
Madunagala springs
There are six connected hot water wells at the Madunagala springs site. The surface temperatures of water are range from 34 °C to 46 °C and all of them are classified as warm thermal springs (Piyadasa & Ariyasena, 2011) .
4) Piyadasa, R.U.K. and Ariyasena, P.R.E.R., 2011. Hydrogeological Characteristics in the Geothermal Springs in Sri Lanka (A case study of the Madunagala and Kinniya geothermal springs).
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Kotmale Reservoir
General & morphometric characteristics Catchment area : 563 sq. km Inflowing rivers (major) : Pundalu Oya, Puna Oya and Kotmale Oya Outflowing river : Mahaweli Ganga Surface area : 6.5 sq. km
Maximum length : 6.8 km
Maximum breadth : 1.41 km Maximum depth : 90 m Mean depth : 26.8 m Shore line : 45 km |
2) Abeyawardana, H.A.P., 2004. Heritage of Kandurata: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Colombo: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. p.243.
3) Manatunge, J. and Takesada, N., 2013. Long-term perceptions of project-affected persons: A case study of the Kotmale Dam in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 29(1), pp.87-100.
4) Takesada, N., Manatunge, J. and Herath, I.L., 2008. Resettler choices and long‐term consequences of involuntary resettlement caused by construction of Kotmale Dam in Sri Lanka. Lakes & Reservoirs: Research & Management, 13(3), pp.245-254.
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National Museum of Colombo
A large collection of natural science objects was also displayed at the national museum. The giant skeleton of a whale was special among them and it earned the huge attention of the local people who visited the museum. Due to the enormous size of the skeleton, local people started to call the museum as 'Katuge', the skeleton house (Prematilaka & Hewage, 2018). In 1972, the Natural Science Section was removed from the national museum and moved to a new building block creating a new museum, the National Museum of Natural History (Prematilaka & Hewage, 2018).
2) McEvansoneya, P., 2017. Sir William Gregory and the origins and foundation of the Colombo Museum. In Curating empire. Manchester University Press.
3) Prematilaka, L., Hewage, R., 2018. A guide to the National Museum, Colombo: Department of National Museum. ISBN: 978-955-578-035-3. pp.1-2.
4) Rambukwella, M.W.C.N.K., 2014. Heritage representation in culturally diverse societies: a case study of the Colombo National Museum in Sri Lanka (Doctoral dissertation, School of Museum Studies). pp.15-16,48,130,141-142,148.
5) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 18 October 2002.
6) Wickramasinghe, N., 2006. Sri Lanka in the modern age: A history of contested identities. University of Hawaii Press. pp.105-107.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Gal Viharaya
The statues are well known among the locals as well as foreigners because of their unique and exquisite workmanship.
Nisinna-patima Lena
Gal Vihara paintings
Two statues are in two different caves and the standing statue has been identified as that of the Buddha with a smile on his lips. The reason for drawing back one leg was to avoid the pain caused by the ankle-bones coming into contact and undoubtedly that must have been the pose that the Buddha adopted whenever he slept. He must have kept the leg in the same position even on the day he passed away so that cannot be taken as a characteristic feature of the parinibbana. This is the sleeping posture of the Buddha, one of the three postures of the Buddha popular in Sri Lanka.
Citation: Wikramagamage, 2004. p.223.
- Polonnaruwa Gal Vihara Ordinance
Reign : Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A.D.)
Period : 12th century A.D.
Script : Medieval Sinhala
Language : Medieval Sinhala
Transcript : Apa Budun kalpa catasahasradhika ca(tu)r asamkhya ..........>>
Translation : Our Buddha having fulfilled the exercise of all the thirty ..........>>
Content : Records about an ordinance for the guidance of Buddhist clergy. It has been drafted after a convocation, headed by Maha Kassapa Thera of Udumbaragiri monastery (present Dimbulagala), with the agreement of assembled Sangha.
Reference : Wickremasinghe,1928
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2) Sri Lanka Photo054 by Psychoslave is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
2) Fernando, P.E.E., 1960. Tantric Influence on the Sculptures at Gal Vihara, Polonnaruva. University of Ceylon Review, 18(1), pp.50-66.
3) Prematilleke, L., 1966. The identity and significance of the standing figure at the Gal-vihāra, Polonnaruva, Ceylon. Artibus Asiae, 28(1), pp.61-66.
6) Wikramagamage, C., 2004. Heritage of Rajarata: Major natural, cultural and historic sites: Colombo. Central Bank of Sri Lanka. pp.220-225.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Avungalla Slab Inscription
- Avungalla Slab Inscription
Period : 12th century AD
Script : Medieval Sinhala
Language : Medieval Sinhala
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For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Fort Fredrick, Trincomalee
After conquering the Trincomalee, Hughes returned to Madras and taking the advantage of this French, led by Admiral Suffrein siege the fort (Elliott, 1995). The Dutch again took the control of Trincomalee fort and held it till on 23 August 1795 (Elliott, 1995). After a short siege, the English regained the fort from Dutch.
Depending on its palaeography, the Madras Government epigraphist, H. Krishna Sastri has dated this inscription to the 16th century A.D. (Codrington, 1927). A reconstructed version of this inscription had been tentatively proposed by Mudaliyar C. Rasanayagam and it was published in 1927, by H.W. Codrington in his article as follows;
- Tamil inscription at Fort Fredrick
Period : 16th century A.D.
Script : Tamil
Language : TamilTranscript : Munne kulakkodan muddun tirup-paniyaippinne Paranki.........>>
Translation : O King ! the Portuguese shall later break down the holy edifice built by Kulakkodan in ancient times, and it shall not be rebuilt nor will future Kings think of doing so
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2) Dias, M.; Koralage, S.B.; Asanga, K., 2016. The archaeological heritage of Jaffna peninsula. Department of Archaeology. Colombo. p.30.
3) Elliott, C.B., 1995. The Real Ceylon. Asian educational services. p.80.
4) Esquire, H.N. and de Silva, D.G.B., 1993. Notes on Military History of Trincomalie. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, 38, pp.35-38.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
Friday, April 12, 2019
Cullavagga, National Museum of Colombo
2) Rambukwella, M.W.C.N.K., 2014. Heritage representation in culturally diverse societies: a case study of the Colombo National Museum in Sri Lanka (Doctoral dissertation, School of Museum Studies). p.155.
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map