WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka 

 [ Home || Forum || Tsunami || Ethnic Conflict || Heritage || History || Archaeology || Food || Travel || People ]

Sri Lanka: A world Heritage

[ SIGIRIYA || KANDY  || ANURADHAPURA || POLONNARUWA ||  DAMBULLA || KATARAGAMA || SRI PADA ]

[ GALLE || MIHINTALE || RITIGALA || HISTORICAL BUDDHIST SHRINES || OTHER HERITAGE ]

• World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka
• Asian Architecture: Sri Lanka

Nothing in Sri Lanka captures the imagination more than a 200 meter lump of granite that rises starkly above the flat central plains. Sigiriya has it all -- a blood-stained history full of intrigue, astonishing frescos of bare-breasted maidens painted 15 centuries ago, a wall covered in graffiti that is more than 1,000 years old and, to top it all, Asia's oldest surviving landscape garden.

• Sigiriya: The Lion Rock of Sri Lanka ( Dark deeds led to the establishment of Sigiriya as the center of the ancient Sinhalese Kingdom for a period of 18 years in the late 5th Century. )  
• Sigiriya: Eighth wonder of the world ? ( Sigiriya- the lion moun tain. Kasyapa, the controversial King and master builder, wanted to own it and built himself a lofty palace atop the huge rock, rising 200 metres out of the flat, irrigated dry zone landscape. Thousand five hundred years later, Sir Arthur C. Clark mooted the idea that Sigiriya qualifies to be the eighth wonder of the world, ranked closely with the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal )

  "The ladies who wear golden chains on their breasts beckon to me. Now I have seen these resplendent ladies, heaven has lost its appeal for me"

• Sigiriya Story - A Different Version (The following story of Kasyapa as obtained from the documents of Ananda-Sthavira, translated by Senarath Paranavitana, differs from the story that many learned as school children; that King Datusena had been plastered alive to a wall by his son Kasyapa who later died in battle facing his brother Moggallana.)
• Sigiriya: The Citadel City of the Playboy King? (King Kasyapa had 500 wives.He was a 5th Century Hugh Hefner. Sigiriya was his Playboy Mansion.The revised version was finally revealed in 1946 inside a great big book of photographs called "Island Ceylon" from Viking Press. There author John Lindsay Opie describes how the German theorist Gauribala, after studying the monument for many years, unraveled the official version for what it really was: a temple of Tantric sex initiation.)

• Sigiriya and its significance : Palace in the sky or Mahayana Buddhist monastery? (Sigiriya was not Kassapas palace and pleasure garden. Neither was it a fortress nor was it ever the capital city of Sri Lanka. What this site encompasses is a vast Buddhist monastic complex, embracing both Theravada and Mahayana practices, and spanning many centuries -long before and long after Kassapas reign.)

• Senarat Paranavitanas abode of a god-king Sigiri: Revisited and reviewed (Alaka is on the summit of Mt. Kailasa in the Himalaya range. Since Kassapas palace is on the summit of Sigiriya rock, it follows that the Rock should be taken as equivalent to Mt. Kailasa.)

• Sigiriya narratives : tellers of stories, writers of histories - (when the Kalavava was being built there was a hermit meditating on the bund. He was a good hermit (arahant) true to the precepts. He was asked to move but he did not. He had achieved the state of meditative trance. The king told his followers to bury him with earth.)

• Sigiriya Art Gallery - (High Quality images of Sigiriya Frescoes)
• Pilgrimage to the Citadel of Sigiriya

• Sigiriya Frescoes: Ladies of the Kings court or celestial beings? (Several scholars have interpreted the frescoes in different ways. Dr Ananda Coomaraswamy, the ladies in the frescoes are Apsaras (celestial nymphs) because the figures are cut off at the waists by conventional clouds. Dr Senerat Paranavitana, the respected archaeologist says that the figures represent Lightning Princesses (vijju kumari) and Cloud Damsels (meghalata).)

• Sigiri Graffiti: poetry on the mirror-wall (Just as the symbolism in the frescoes at Sigiriya has baffled the spectators, the graffiti on its mirror-wall have enthraled them down the centuries. The visitors who have inscribed their feelings on the wall have come from all parts of the country and they belong to various strata of society. Such visitors include kings, noblemen, ladies, monks, a novice, a guard and a smith.)

"The girl with golden skin entices the mind and eyes
Her lovely breasts cause me to recall swans drunk with nectar" - Graffito, Sigiriya Mirror Wall, c. 800 AD

Sri Dalada Maligawa, which enshrines the Tooth Relic of the Buddha, is the holiest shrine in the entire Buddhist world and to the people of Sri Lanka. According to tradition the Tooth Relic was brought to Sri Lanka when King Kirti Sri Meghavarna (301-328) was ruling in Anuradhapura, by a princess from Kalinga named Hemamali, securely wrapped in her tresses.

• Maha Nuwara - City of Kandy : The Senkadagalapura( Available historical records suggest that Senkadagalapura (an early name for Kandy) was established by the King Wickramabahu III during the period of his reign from 1357-1374 AD. )
• Odyssey of the 'Tooth Relic of the Buddha' ( The 'Danta Dhatu' (Tooth Relic of the Buddha) is one of the most revered objects of worship by Buddhists throughout the world. It now lies in the sanctum sanctorum of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy enshrined in an embellished reliquary. The relic was brought to the island by chance during the 9th regnal year of king Keerthi Sri Meghavarna (371 AD), and ever since it was protected by kings and laymen who paid homage to it with unbound munifience. )
• Dalada Maligawa : Temple of Tooth History ( By the 12th century the Tooth Relic had become the palladium of Sinhala royalty, conferring on its custodian the right to he sovereignty of Sri Lanka. )
• THE SACRED TOOTH RELIC ARRIVAL IN SRI LANKA || IN SRI LANKA || IN SENKADAGALA ( KANDY )
• Dalada Maligawa : Temple of Tooth Rituals (Ever since the four canine teeth of the Buddha after cremation came to be in the possession of devas, nagas and men, these were preciously guarded and received special veneration and worship.)
• Kandy Esala Perahera - The History & the Process of the pageant ( The Kandy Esala Perahera is held annually in July August on days fixed by the Diyawadana Nilame (Chief Lay Head or Trustee) of the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic). Its origin, as one writer on Ceylon describes it, is "lost in the mists of centuries". )
• Kandy Esala Perahera - Origins of a historic pageant steeped in ritual ( Before 1775, the Esala perahera in Kandy was exclusively held to entreat and implore the four guardian deities of the island, viz: Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini. This is confirmed by Robert Knox, who was a captive in the Kandyan provinces for twenty years (1659-1679).
• Wanted: A Sathdantha ("high-caste") elephant ( "Sathdantha" means that when the elephant stands erect, seven points: the four legs, its trunk, penis and tail must touch the ground,)

• Sacred City of Anuradhapura (Anuradhapura, a Ceylonese political and religious capital that flourished for 1,300 years, was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Hidden away in thick jungle for a long time, the splendid site, with its palaces, monasteries and monuments, is once again accessible. )
• ANURADHAPURA ( The city of Anuradhapura is situated one hundred and twenty eight miles (205 km) north of Colombo in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka on the banks of the Malwatu Oya. Founded in the 4th century BC it was the capital of the Anuradhapura Kingdom till the beginning of the 11th century AC. During this period it reminded one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. )
• Anuradhapura: Its origin, fall and revival ( As legend has it, over 2500 years ago in 500 B.C., Sakya, brother of Princes Badda Kanchana laid the foundation for the city of Anuradhapura under the Asterim Anuradha, auspiciously aspected by the planets. )
• Ruwanveliseya - The Wondrous Stupa Built by Gods and Men ( PDF file: Compiled from Thupavansa,the Singhalese Chronicle on Ruvanveli-seya,by The Most Venerable Tripitaka Teacher Nauyana Ariyadhamma Maha Thera )
• Abhayagiri Vihara - The Northem Monastery (Uttararamaya) - Anuradhapura ( The term Abhayagiri Vihara means not only a complex of monastic buildings, but also a fraternity of Buddhist monks, or Sangha, which maintained its own historical records, traditions and way of life. Founded in the second century B.C., it had grown into an international institution by the first century of this era, attracting scholars from all over the world and encompassing all shades of Buddhist philosophy.)
• Ancient Marble carvings of Sri Lanka (Marble carvings found at the Jethawanaramaya Dagaba site in Anuradhapura is believed to be at least 1,600 years old. )
• The Samadhi Buddha statue (The Samadhi statue is symbolic of the tranquillity of mind, with no attraction or repulsion from the world out side to disturb. This Pilima Vahanse is said to belong to the Abeygiriya period of the 3rd or 4th century of Sri Lankas history. )
• Isurumuniya ( 6th Century Gupta style carving. The woman, seated on the man's lap, lifts a warning finger, probably as a manifestation of her coyness; but the man carries on regardless." The figures may represent Dutugemunu's son Saliya and the law caste (Sadol Kula) maiden Asokamala whom he loved. It's known that he gave up the throne for her. )

• Ancient Polonnaruwa and its environs (The city of Polonnaruwa like any other ancient South Asian city, consisted of a citadel within which the royal precinct was located, a defense wall system and moats, monastic and devale complexes which were the ritual centres and a well laid out market complex. In the periphery of the city were centres of craft production and beyond them the agricultural hinterland.)
• Polonnaruwa -  The glory of mediaeval Sri Lanka (Encircled by three-foot thick fortifications, the impressive 12th century Royal Citadel housed the palace and the administrative buildings of King Prakramabahu. It was once 7 stories high and contained a thousand chambers.)  
• Galvihara - a unique display of rock art ( What is generally regarded as some of the finest collections of Buddhist sculpture can be seen at Galvihara (Rock Monastery) in Polonnaruwa)

• Dambulla Cave Temple ( Dambulla is about 12 miles south west of Sigiriya, on the Matale-Anuradhapura Road. The largest cave carries some 48 statues of Lord Buddha alone, with statues of some Hindu gods, (Vishnu and Saman). The statues of the Hindu gods date back to the 12th century, when Hinduism took root in Sri Lanka and started influencing the arts. The history of the caves themselves dates back to the 2nd or 1st century B.C., when King Valagam Bahu who was escaping the invading army that drove him out of Anuradhapura, took refuge in these caves.

• Kataragama ( Sri Lankan Hindus believe that their tender Lord Murugan left India long ago to come and settle in Kathir-kamam (the place of light and love-passion) where his vilaiyaatal (divine play) continue even to this day. According to Islamic esoteric tradition. Kataragama or Khadiragama is the very place that prophet Moses journeyed to in quest of higher teachings from the undying Servant of Allah, al Khadir, the legendary 'Green Man'. And, as Buddhists know, the Tathagatas themselves have come to Kataragama with the object of delivering discourses on Dhamma )

• Galle : "Tarshish" of the Old Testament (According to Sir James Emerson Tennant Galle was the "Tarshish" referred to in the Bible as the port where ships trading with King Soloman obtained their Elephants, Peacocks and Gemstones. Most certainly the place where the Galle Fort now stands as well as other areas in Galle like Unawatuna, Magalle, Kaluwella and even the China Gardens (which held a colony of Chinese traders several years ago) were all areas with historic connections which go back long before the Portuguese Era.)

• GALLE:  ( Centuries ago when Lanka was ruled by the Sinhalese Kings, 'Gaalla' or Galle was the old world's romantic city which owed its glory to its natural harbour. This picturesque seaside resort was the centre of trade in olden days, because of its strategic position, where sailing vessels laden with merchandize from the Western countries of Egypt, Persia, Arabia and the Eastern China, Malaysia and Singapore converged.)
• A Historic tour through the city of Galle ( In 1620 the Portuguese completed a stone defense work at the landside, securing Punto Gale (Point of Galle) from the north. This bastion was called Sao Iago (Saint James). By 1625 three bastions were completed. On 4 August 1667 Sao Iago was renamed by the Dutch into Zon (Sun))

• Dutch Reformed Church (Dutch Reformed Church was introduced to Sri Lanka by the VOC with its first church ministrations held in Galle on 6th October, 1642, almost 360 years ago. Its consistory in Colombo was established in 1658 marking the beginning of protestant church or what they called 'True Christian Reformed Church'.)

• Galle Church  Burial Chambers and Vaults ("the body of General Hulft was received in Galle three days after his untimely death .... and placed within a masonry catalogue in De Groot Kerk for one year. Thereafter, it was lowered into a grave on the right of the pulpit within the Church  the Generals arms and spurs being hung on the wall, over the grave. The following year, 1658, the Dutch conquest of coastal Ceylon being complete, the body of Hulft was removed to the State Dutch Church, within the Colombo Fort, where it was placed in a tomb".)

• GALLE: A PORT CITY IN HISTORY ( Papers from the Seminar GALLE: A PORT CITY IN HISTORY )
• National Maritime Museum - Galle ( National Maritime Museum established in 1992, housed in the Great Dutch-built Warehouse of 1671 near the Old Gate of Galle Fort, the museum displays a variety of exhibits connected with sea-faring, maritime trade, fishing and sea-life.)

• Sri Pada (Adam's peak) - The sacred mount ( Sri Pada or Adam's peak as it was known to the early West was in the limelight from times before the recorded history of the Island. By the time Macedon's illustrious son, Alexander the Great, Greek warrior king and empire builder is believed to have visited Sri pada (circa. 324 B.C.), the peak was already held in veneration.)
• Sri Pada - Glorious shadow and its parallels the holiest of the holy hills (According to another legend the Buddha is believed to have left the print of his left foot on Adam's Peak.)
• The lure of Sri Pada (This mountain is also known as Samantakuta, Sumanakuta, Samanalakanda, Samanhela, Samangira, Medumhelaya etc. The Christians call the mountain Adam's Peak, derived from the Portuguese Pico de Adam (Peak of Adam).)

• MIHINTALE: The cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka (Eight miles east of Anuradhapura, close to the Anuradhapura - Trincomalee Road is situated the "Missaka Pabbata" which is 1000 feet in height and is one of the peaks of a mountainous range. Though this was called Cetiyagiri or Sagiri, it was popularly known as Mihintale - the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
• Mihintale: guardian of the memory of Mahinda ( It was at Mihintale that the apostle Mahinda met King Devanampiyatissa on a full moon day in the month of Poson and officially introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Mahinda resided at Mihintale, finding the hustle and bustle of the royal city of Anuradhapura unsuitable for monastic life. King Tissa created 68 rock cells at Mihintale for Mahinda and his retinue.)
• Kaludiya pokuna: Ancient feats in granite in Mihintale (Mihintale Rock - immortalised by the formal arrival of Buddhist ambassadors to the country is more than a place of religious worship. The attractive rock outcrop, standing tall in the flat, dry expanse of agricultural dry zone, is a treasure trove of archaeological wealth. Kaludiya Pokuna is one such.)
• Lesser known sacred sites of Mihintale (Rising prominently above the surrounding plains is the jungle clad Rajagiri Kanda or the mountain of the kings, accessible from the road almost directly in front of the entrance to the Kaludiya pokuna complex.)

• Ritigala: Hanumans piece from the Himalayas (Legend also has it that when Lakshman, Ramas brother, was wounded, Hanuman was sent to the Himalayas to bring a particular medicinal herb for his cure. But on his way it is believed that Hanuman had forgotten the king of plant. He then got hold of a range of herbs with a fragment of soil from the Himalayas and brought it to Sri Lanka. Ritigala is one such fragment brought by Hanuman, according to legend. )
• Ritigala: myth and mystery (Pandukhabaya, the legendary pre-Buddhist founder of the Anuradhapura civilization, hid out at Ritigala for eight years as a young prince hunted by his uncles who wanted the throne of the northern kingdom. According to legend, he gathered together an army consisting of the mythical Yakshas, now identified as a grouping of indigenous hunter-gatherers )
• Ritigala: The Enigmatic Mountain (Hanuman, the warrior monkey-god, came to Lanka in search of Lord Ramas wife, Sita, who had been abducted by Ravana, the king of demons. After Hanuman had tracked down Ravana to his stronghold, he used the Ritigala Mountain as a launching pad to take a great leap across to South India in order to convey the news to Lord Rama.)
• Ritigala: The monastic complex( The first the Lanka Vihare, was founded near Ritigala at the foot of the mountain in the second century BC. The Aritta Vihare was founded a century afterwards. Later in the, in the ninth century AD, King Sena made additions by constructing a larger complex higher up the slope for a group of ascetics-priest called the Pansukulikas. )

"Archaeologists have recorded over 200,000 ruined Buddhist Monasteries and Temples in Sri Lanka. Of them, over 70.000 were in the North and the East. Two great events in the early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka left a deep impression and still evoke pious enthusiasm among millions of Buddhists. The transplantation of a branch of the Bodhi tree under which Buddhahood was attained served as an inspiration to the people who had recently embraced the religion. The second event was the bringing of the Buddha's tooth relic from India."

• Buddhist Art: - Stupas - Novel features and designs ( Just as much as literature in Sri Lanka grew with Buddhism, so did the countrys art and architecture as well as sculpture - all vital aspects of a countrys heritage. The earliest monument found in Sri Lanka is the stupa, which is described as a hemispherical dome surmounted with a spire (kota))
• kalaniya Raja maha Viharaya (The history of Kalaniya goes back to pre-Christian times. The city was connected with the history of Ramayana in that its Yakkha king Vibhisana was befriended by Rama in his battle against Ravana. Hence, the worship of Vibhisana as the tutelary deity of Kalaniya is continued to present times.)
• Nagadipa Vihara ( Buddha's visit to Nagadipa to settle a dispute between Chulodara and Mahodara, two kings belonging to the Naga tribe, over the possession of a gem studded throne. It was a battle between uncle and nephew - the uncle being Mahodara and Chulodara, the nephew. )
• Digavapi Vihara ( Digavapi Mandala or Digamadulla is supposed to be the settlement named after Prince Dighayu, one of six brothers of Baddha Katyana, the queen of King Panduwas Deva. )
• Dighavapi Viharaya ( According to the University history of Ceylon in the legendary accounts of the landing of Vijaya and his followers it has been recorded that the earliest arrivals founded settlements in places where water was available. One such settlement was at Dighavapi in the Gal Oya valley. )
• Kudumbigala : an aranya senansanaya in the pre-Christian era ( The inscriptions in brahmi script and other evidence in the recently discovered cave, Maha Sudharshana Lena, shows that Kudumbigala was established as an aranya senansanaya in the pre-Christian era. A stone inscription has it that the Maha Sudharshana Lena was built and gifted to the Arahats by Nandimitra Yodaya, one of King Dutugemunus "Dasa Maha Yodayas". )
• Buddangala Monastery  ( This Sri Lanka's oldest monastery (Buddangala) is situated in a mountain over 500 feet high. The Dagaba has been enshrined with the relics of Buddha and his two leading monks Seriyuth and Mugalan's remains.)
• Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Vihara( Not far away from the city of Colombo, a priceless cultural heritage is found at a len vihara called Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Vihara, atop a mountain frontier. It is off Yakkala on the Colombo-Kandy road, about 30 miles from Colombo. The len vihara lies in the upper maluwa (higher terrace), just going past the two giant Bodhiyas looming over the premises.)
• Tantirimale - as old as Buddhist Lanka ( Actually it is no exaggeration to state that Tantirimale now neglected and forlorn, is as old as Buddhist Lanka. In fact, it was one of the first colonies that the Aryan group that came over in 6th century BC established.)
• The Arankale monastery - A lost intriguing civilisation ( It was built to shelter the Buddhist monks who spent their time in meditation to reach the ultimate state a human can ever reach. )
• Akerawita vihara: A historically important temple ( A Raja Maha Vihara )
• Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara & Forgotten frescoes at Pulligoda Galge (The Dimbulagala range is said to house a number of caves cut into the rock with Brahmi inscriptions over their drip ledges as proving their antiquity. This forest hermitage of medieval times and holy abode since time immemorial, home to some of the most valued fragments of early frescoes was called the Gunners Quoin by the British for some reason.)
• The Madunagala Vihare: dates back to the time of the Anuradhapura period.(The Madunagala Vihare is situated a few miles away from Ambalantota, in the jungle.)
• Aluvihara- where Tripitakas were written ( The epic reign of king Valagamba/Vattagamani (104-77 B.C.) would go into the annals of the Buddhist literary history as the Tripitakas (Buddhist scriptures) were written down on ola leaves in Pali by a conclave of Buddhist monks of the Aluvihara Temple, lying close to Matale. )
• The historical Ambakke temple (There is a small village called "Arathtana" which was, many moons ago in Sri Lanka, well known for its dancers and drummers.)

• Ambekke Devale: A wooden wonder (Ambekke Devale, famed for its elaborate woodcarvings, pillars and other structures, nestle in the Udu Nuwara.Enticing Wood carvings - The UNESCO has identified these marvellous but elaborate carvings on wooden pillars to be the finest products of woodcarvings to be found in any part of the world.)

• Lankathilaka (The Lankatilaka image house is a fine example of a Buddhist-Hindu shrine of the fourteenth century. The Buddhist pilimage faces east and the Hindu devale is orientated to the west.)

• Velgam Vehera : The Buddhist shrine of the Tamils (An inscription on a rock halfway up the hill on the summit on which are the remains of a stupa belongs to the reign of Batiya Maharaja or King Bhatika Tissa II (circa 149 A.D.))

• Seruwila  the temple of reconciliation ( Some 30 kilometres south of Trincomalee on the coastal road from Trincomalee to Batticaloa, is an ancient temple which is one of the sixteen holiest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. Seruwila Raja Maha Vihare is also accessible from Kantalai on the 45 kilometre long road froma Kantalai to Allai. )
• The saga of Seruwila Mangala Viharaya (It is believed that three viharas existed at this particular spot built during the periods of three former Buddhas named Kakusanda, Konagama and Kasyapa with their relics enshrined and Gautama Buddha who was the last Buddha in this eon had personally visited this place and offered eight handfuls of 'Sapu' flowers. Gautama Buddha has not only foreseen that a king by the name of Kavantissa will build a temple with his forehead relic enshrined in it but has wished that this temple should be named 'Mangala' viharaya.)
• Ramba Viharaya - A lost capital emerges ( Believed by historians to have been built during the 11th century, Ramba Viharaya has about it an aura of mystery, enhanced by the fact that the sacred shrine is surrounded by acres of ruins that are yet to be excavated. Historians also guess that somewhere to the south of this temple, buried under thick shrub and jungle foliage, are remains of the ancient kingdom built by King Vijayabahu I in the 11th century AD. )
• Varana Rajamaha Vihara ( Warana is a majestic, rocky mountain close to Veyangoda, off the Colombo-Kandy road at the Thihariya junction. )
• The Nawagamuwa Vihara: The temple by the river( Nawagamuwa is located at the 13th milepost on the old Colombo - Ratnapura road. It is believed that during the early Anuradhapura period, Nawagamuwa belonged to the Kelani kingdom.)
• Mahiyangana Cetiya - the first of its kind in Sri Lanka( It is the first cetiya in Sri Lanka, built during the life-time of the Buddha.) 
• Sasthrawela temple - a historic Buddhist shrine buried in jungle( Hundreds of miles to the east, buried in vengeful jungle, is a historic Buddhist shrine. Few, if any devotees, worship there. Fearful of the bear, leopard and wild elephant, nobody lives in the surrounding areas.) 
• Aukana & Resvehera - The tallest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka( The rock cut statue which stands 39 feet above its decorated lotus plinth and 10 feet across the shoulders, belongs to the period of King Dhatusena (459-477 AD), the builder of the great reservoir Kalawewa. It has been very well preserved over the years and is a joy for anyone to see and appreciate. It is a unique creation by an unknown sculptor.) 
• Somawathie Chetiya( The Somawathi Chaithya is located by the bank of the Mahaveli River within the Sanctuary named after it and nearly 20 km north east of Polonnaruwa.) 
• Wewurukannala Vihara (Dominated by an image of a seated Buddha. It is 160ft high, the largest statue in all of Sri Lanka and dates back to the time of King Rajadhi (1782 - 1798).)
• Dematamal Viharaya (Ruhuna or Rohana in the deep South of Lanka has many Buddhist monasteries scattered throughout the entire area steeped in history. Dematamal Viharaya is one such monastery that lies four kilometres from Buttala town on the road to the historic Maligawala Bodhisatva statue.)
• Magul Maha Viharaya - Lahugala (King Kavantissa meet the Princess and married her in keeping with traditional customs, and she became Queen Vihara Maha Devi. "The Magul Poruwa" said to be of the Royal couple could be seen amongst ancient ruins in a temple called "Magul Maha Viharaya" in Lahugala)
• Mulkirigala (Mulgirigala) Raja Maha Viharaya - The rock temple down south (The temple, which dates back to the 3rd century BC, is a Raja Maha Viharaya, one that received royal patronage. There are several theories as to its origin. It is believed to be one of 64 temples erected by King Kavantissa)
• Senanigala Raja Maha Vihara: The ancient grounds where King Dutugamunu gathered his men (Senanigala Raja Maha Vihara has a long history dating back to the days of King Dutugemunu when he was on his way with his army to wage war against Elara who reigned supreme in Anuradhapura.)
• Ridi Vihara, where three great religions meet (In a small village at Ridigama about 13 miles from Kurunegala atop a hill, is perched the interesting cave temple of Ridi Vihara. It is a place where Sinhala, Buddhist, Tamil, Hindu and Christian art abide together - a delightful treasure trove.)
• Nalanda Gedige (The small building is designed like a Hindu temple with a mandapa, an entrance hall (originally roofed), a short passage to a bare cello, and an ambulatory round the holy center. )
• Solosmasthaana : The 16 PLACES OF VENERATION ( According to the chronicles of Sri Lanka, there are 16 places hallowed by visits of the Buddha. )
• Historical Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka
• Ancient Buddhist shrines the Trincomalee district ( The Archaeological Department has identified no less than 74 buddhist shrines and archaeological sites in the Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. )
• Ancient Buddhist shrines in Batticaloa and Ampara ( The Archaeological Department has identified 55 buddhist shrines and archaeological sites in the Batticaloa and Ampara districts. )

• Adisham Bungalow - country seat of Sir Thomas Villiers (The spirit of Thomas Lister Villiers strongly pervades this stately house. Villiers came to Ceylon in 1887 with 10 sterling pounds in his pocket.)

• Bogoda Roofed Bridge (Bogoda, with its ancient temple and wooden bridge lies some 30 kilometres from Bandarawela and 10 km from Badulla, off the Hali-ela junction. Believed to be the oldest surviving wooden bridge in the world, the Bogoda bridge dates back to the 1600s, but the temple just by it, has a much longer history, going back to the 1st century BC.)
• The Bogoda bridge: Ancient bridge leads to caves of mystery (This bridge is 50 ft. in length and 5 ft. wide. Two wooden poles bear the entire weight of the bridge. The roof of the bridge is covered in indigenous tiles (Sinhala ulu) and two wooden fences decorated in various designs, have been erected on either side. Interestingly, not a single nail has been used in the construction of the bridge. All parts fit neatly into each other.)

• St. Lucia's Cathedral - Kotahena : The oldest & the largest

• The house by Bulankulame Wewa ( This ancient house by the Bulankulame Wewa is believed to be the oldest house in Sri Lanka dating back almost 400 years. )
• Pahala Walauwa: Savour cool Kotmale climes ( Pahala Walauwa, the "Maha Gedera" or ancestral home of Gamini Dissanayake's mother, has seen a major slice of the history of Ceylon, having been built more than 200 years ago. )
• The Limestone Grottos of Vavulpane(The grotos consist of at least 12 caves of varying sizes. The caves are appropriately named; it means Cave of Bats after the 250,000 bats that inhabit it. )
• The Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya ( During the second world war, the headquarters of the South East Asia Command under the Late Lord Louis Mountbatten as Supreme Allied Commander was sited at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya.)
• Aliwatte: a spacious cave in a massive rock with royal secrets ('Aliwatte' in Yatiyantota with a spacious cave in a massive rock, covering several perches of land, where King Walagamba had found secret accommodation once, during his exile)
• Seetha Eliya / Sita Eliya ( The Ramayana introduces King Ravana as a mighty flamboyant King of Lanka. King Ravana was a devotee of god Siva the holder of Pushparaga the chariot. It was Ravana who seized Seetha from Parnasalai in India, the holy hut of Rama and was brought to Asok Vana, a beautiful park at Seetha-Eliya on the Pushparaga, an air chariot - without touching her )

The following Pages are currently NOT available:

• Tissamaharamaya - the modernised monument of Magama ( The Maha Aramaya and the Mahacetiya in Magama in the deep South of Ruhunu Rata was built by King Kavantissa's father of the heroic king Dutugemunu and his younger brother Saddhatissa. )
• Pearls - a global fascination ( Sri Lanka has the widest variety of precious stones among the gem producing countries of the world. What is even more, is that its fame for gem stones began 2000 years ago with the most perfect of them - pearls from our oysters in the Gulf of Mannar. )
• Pearls of Lanka ( Our earliest reference in the Mahavamsa notes ".....then king Vijaya consecrated her with solemn ceremony, as his Queen....and every year he sent to his wife's father a shell....pearl worth twice a hundred thousand (pieces of money)" Chap. VII V.69-72. Later in time "King Devanampiyatissa (c.250-210 BC).....sent priceless treasures to king Asoka (272-232 BC) in Pataliputra, which included eight kinds of pearls" chap. XI v.22-23. )
• St. Mary's Church Grand Street, Negombo, a monumental 125 years ( The coastal city of Negombo in the Western Province, the predominant Catholic area in Sri Lanka known as the "Little Rome" )
• The Munneswaram temple ( The Munneswaram temple, dedicated to Lord Ishwara, is reminiscent of other celebrated and renowned temples like Koneswaram and Thiruketheeswaram, in which, three Sivalingams are enshrined. )
• The shrine of Our Lady of Madhu ( To have the opportunity of practising their religion in peace, a group of Catholics from the Mantota region on the western seaboard had moved into the interior and settled down in an insignificant village, Maruda-Madhu, in the forest-covered Wanni where they would be safe from Dutch harassment. )
• Sithulpahuwa ( The Rock Caves and dagobas at Sithulpahuwa are well-known. Arahants numbering 12,000 had seen living in the caves. Situated in the jungle strip in the Southern most part of Sri Lanka Sithulpahuwa is 25 km from the village of Yodakandiya on the Tissa-Kirinda road. It is 16 km to the south of Kataragama )
• Yapahuwa ( The Yapahuwa rock and its surrounding area became the capital of the island for a short time in the 13th century. It is known that King Buvanaikabahu 1 (1273-1284) made this rock, rising loftily out of the outskirts of Kurunegala his capital )
• Ancient Maladeniya Temple - Historic significance yet to be unravelled ( Maladeniya is a small historic village in the Mirigama area. According to the history and folk lore of the villages, King Walagamba took refuge in the caves of the huge hill for some time )
• Heritage of the South
• Small Dambulla cave Temple in Sabaragamuwa Valagamba Rajamahavihara ( King Valagamba (Vattagamani Abhaya) who ruled the country 2100 years ago is well-known for offering len-vihara cave temples for the sasana )
• Sri Pada - Sanctuary for all faiths ( The great dynastic chronicle of Sri Lanka (Mahawamsa), contains the earliest authenticated records of the peak having being dedicated to Gautama Buddha and the Hindu deity Saman. )

@ WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka 1996-2006