CANDY-DAMBULLA-SIGRIYA-NUWARA ELIYA TRAVEL
KANNDY TEA GARDENS
KANNDY GENERAL INFORMATION-Kandy, founded in the 14th century, is the southern tip of Sri Lanka's 'Cultural Triangle'. Built in a small wooded valley deep in the hills around an artificial lake created by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe between 1803 and 1807, the city has much charm. The city became the capital of the kingdom in 1592, during a troubled time when many of the islanders were fleeing to the interior, away from the coastal areas the European powers were fighting over. From Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591-1604) to Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1798-1815), it was the last seat of royal power. It remains the religious capital of Buddhism and a sacred city for millions of believers. The city remained one of the stronghold of Sinhalese independence until the British troops entered it on 14 February 1815.
The Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre-It has an auditorium which organises a 1-hour traditional dance and music performance showcase every day at 5:30 pm for about 4 USD per person (Rs.500).
Address:- 72 Sangaraja Mawatha, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
Open : 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.
SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS AT CANDY-
The Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre-It has an auditorium which organises a 1-hour traditional dance and music performance showcase every day at 5:30 pm for about 4 USD per person (Rs.500).
Address:- 72 Sangaraja Mawatha, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
Open : 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.
SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS AT CANDY-
001-TEMPLE OF THE SACRED TOOTH RELIC (Sri Dalada Maligawa) - Situated adjacent to the Royal Palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, the shrine overlooks the vast expanse of the Kandy Lake. The temple is open from dawn to dusk. It houses a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha, and is consequently considered one of Sri Lanka's most holy shrines. According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali who fled the Hindu armies besieging her father's kingdom in India. The Temple of the Tooth is an art and history lover’s paradise. The first thing a visitor sees as they approach the entrance gates which lie over the moat is the large carved entrance arch with its elephants on either side. During puja (offerings or prayers), the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open to devotees and tourists. Monks who reside in the Temple conduct daily worship in the inner chamber. They perform rituals three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. However, you don’t actually see the tooth. It’s kept in a gold casket shaped like a dagoba (stupa), which contains a series of six dagoba caskets of diminishing size. The Temple of the Tooth, the palatial complex was built to house the relic of the tooth of Buddha, which had come from Kalinga (Orissa State, India) to Sri Lanka during the reign of Sri Meghavanna (310-28). The complex includes, on the northern shores of the lake, the remains of the Royal Palace with the great Audience Hall, Temple of the Tooth, Palace of Sri Wickrama, Queen's apartments and bathing house, Palle Wahala and Ran Ayuda Maduwa. First temple was built in 1603, destroyed by the Portuguese in 1637, and rebuilt in 1697. The following are some of the key sites.
i-Alut Maligawa-The three-storey Alut Maligawa, a newer and larger shrine hall displaying dozens of sitting Buddhas donated by Thai devotees. The design resembles a Thai Buddhist shrine hall in tribute to the fact that Thai monks re-established Sri Lanka’s ordination lineage during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha. The upper two floors of the Alut Maligawa contain the Sri Dalada Museum, with a stunning array of gilded gifts to the temple. Letters and diary entries from the British time reveal the colonisers’ surprisingly respectful attitude to the tooth relic.
ii- Audience Hall-To the north inside the compound, and accessible only via the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is the 19th-century Audience Hall, an open-air pavilion with stone columns carved to look like wooden pillars.
iii- World Buddhism Museum-The Archaeological Museum was also formerly part of the Royal Palace. Its main doors are decorated with the Kandy kings’ sun and moon symbol. Inside, it’s decorated with lions and geese, which symbolize fierceness and purity. The museum holds an interesting collection of pots, stonework, carvings and pillars.
i-Alut Maligawa-The three-storey Alut Maligawa, a newer and larger shrine hall displaying dozens of sitting Buddhas donated by Thai devotees. The design resembles a Thai Buddhist shrine hall in tribute to the fact that Thai monks re-established Sri Lanka’s ordination lineage during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha. The upper two floors of the Alut Maligawa contain the Sri Dalada Museum, with a stunning array of gilded gifts to the temple. Letters and diary entries from the British time reveal the colonisers’ surprisingly respectful attitude to the tooth relic.
ii- Audience Hall-To the north inside the compound, and accessible only via the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is the 19th-century Audience Hall, an open-air pavilion with stone columns carved to look like wooden pillars.
iii- World Buddhism Museum-The Archaeological Museum was also formerly part of the Royal Palace. Its main doors are decorated with the Kandy kings’ sun and moon symbol. Inside, it’s decorated with lions and geese, which symbolize fierceness and purity. The museum holds an interesting collection of pots, stonework, carvings and pillars.
002-CANDY LAKE-Built by the last king of Sri Lanka and Kandy, Wikrama Rajasinhe, in order to add beauty to the Temple of Tooth, Kandy Lake is an artificial construction marking a remnant of the last ever Sri Lankan Kingdom. The lake has an island at the centre which is also an artificial creation of the king. It was initially part of a dam, which King Ramasinghe had built across the lake, but it was soon destroyed from both ends, leaving just the island in the middle. The lake has reduced significantly in size over the years and currently holds a perimeter of a little less than 3.5 km. According to legendary tales, the island was supposedly used by the King for bathing, and was connected to the palace by a secret tunnel. On one side of the lake, the Queen’s Bathing House can also be found. The latter is called the Dalada Maligawa. The Joy Boat Service on this pier offers you a boat ride from that point to the far end of the lake and back.
A leisurely stroll around it, with a few stops on the lakeside seats, is a pleasant way to spend a few hours. Take the 2.1 mile walk around the lake.
A leisurely stroll around it, with a few stops on the lakeside seats, is a pleasant way to spend a few hours. Take the 2.1 mile walk around the lake.
003-ROYAL PALACE OF THE KANDYAN KINGDOM-A residual remnant of the past dating as far back as the 14th century, the Royal Palace of the Kandyan Kingdom lies tucked away near the valleys of Kandy as reminiscence of the last Kandyan King, Wickrama Rajasinghe. Very little of the structure remains today which consisted of the Royal Court (Magul Maduwa) and the Temple of Tooth among other displays of architectural brilliance. On the other side of the Royal Palace, is the Victorian building built by the British during their sub continental rule. The building marks the British influence on the Sri Lankan legal system, with the Kandy High Court being situated there for years before recently changing base to Ampara in Eastern Sri Lanka.
The Royal Court presents another architectural beauty. Built in the 18th century by Wickrama Rajasinghe where he met his Royal Court, the structure also marks a significant British chapter in Kandy as it was here, that the Chieftains of Kandy (Radalas) signed the Kandyan Convention to end the Kandyan Kingdom. There are many walks around Kandy like the Royal Palace Park constructed by Sri Wickrama Rajasinha. Further up on Rajapihilla Mawatha are even better views over the lake, the town and the surrounding hills.
The Royal Court presents another architectural beauty. Built in the 18th century by Wickrama Rajasinghe where he met his Royal Court, the structure also marks a significant British chapter in Kandy as it was here, that the Chieftains of Kandy (Radalas) signed the Kandyan Convention to end the Kandyan Kingdom. There are many walks around Kandy like the Royal Palace Park constructed by Sri Wickrama Rajasinha. Further up on Rajapihilla Mawatha are even better views over the lake, the town and the surrounding hills.
004-SHOPPING-
i-Market Square-The Kandy Central Market is an important place amongst locals for shopping in Kandy. The authentic market is Kandy's oldest market square and sells a wide range of items ranging from local fruits and vegetables to handicrafts and souvenirs to high quality textiles and leather goods. The first floor of the market mainly offers items such as local food, tea, fruits and other snacks while the top floor offers a wide variety of clothing items, books and souvenirs.
ii-SriLanka Silk- 935 Peradeniya Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Mon to Sun- 8:00AM to 5:30PM
iii-Lasala- There is also a government-run emporium called Lasala that showcases arts and crafts. It is located on the west side of Lake Kandy. It is not as well stocked as the one in Colombo but it is cheaper.
i-Market Square-The Kandy Central Market is an important place amongst locals for shopping in Kandy. The authentic market is Kandy's oldest market square and sells a wide range of items ranging from local fruits and vegetables to handicrafts and souvenirs to high quality textiles and leather goods. The first floor of the market mainly offers items such as local food, tea, fruits and other snacks while the top floor offers a wide variety of clothing items, books and souvenirs.
ii-SriLanka Silk- 935 Peradeniya Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Mon to Sun- 8:00AM to 5:30PM
iii-Lasala- There is also a government-run emporium called Lasala that showcases arts and crafts. It is located on the west side of Lake Kandy. It is not as well stocked as the one in Colombo but it is cheaper.
005-THE PERADENIYA ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDEN IN KANDY- It is the largest of the botanical gardens of Sri Lanka, Situated 6km south west of Kandy, at an elevation of 500 meters above sea-level, were tightly bounded on three sides by a loop of River Mahaweli (Great sandy river), the largest river of Sri Lanka, also this garden boasts bountiful tropical vegetation. The town of Peradeniya is located at a distance of 110km from Colombo and another 6km over the Peradeniya Birdge. The Royal Botanical Gardens were created in 1371 after King Wickramabahu III ascended the throne and kept court at Peradeniya, the garden once served as the regional headquarters for the allied forces at the time of the Second World War. It was originally started as a replica of the Kew Garden in southwest London (England) and today, it is a mesmerizing 60 hectares’(150 acres) large reservation of over 300 varieties of plants and trees including orchids, spices, palms, etc. There are around ten thousand plants & trees inclusive of 4000 labeled species. One of the most interesting sites here is bizarre-looking snake creeper, whose tangled aerial roots look just like a writhing knot of vipers. Highlights of the collection include the Giant Bamboo of Burma, capable of growing to 40 meters’ height (130 feet) with a 25-centimetre (10-inch) stem diameter. And it can grow by a rapid 30 centimeters a day (12 inches). Absolutely sensational is the century old giant Javan fig tree, its tentacle like roots spread across the enormous area of about 1,800 square meters (19,375 square feet) a massive central trunk beneath the tree’s vast canopy ‘umbrella’. The large banyan tree, the orchid house, the suspension bridge, and the bats are some of the main attractions. It is historically interesting to note that the Commander of the allied forces during World War II in Southeast Asia was Lord Earl Mountbatten who had his headquarters in these very gardens. Main entrance opens up the River Drive which takes you straight down to the great circle and then on to the suspension bridge over the River Mahaweli. The great circle is a grassy central area of nearly 4 acres in extent. Around the circle is a diverse array of trees planted by dignitaries, who had visited the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens.
Double Co-conut-The Double Coconut Palm, one of 200 types of palms displayed at Peradeniya – originating from the Seychelles, this tree produces the largest seed known. Its fruits take five years to mature.
Ticket-Foreigner entrance: SLRs. 600.00
Timing-Royal Botanic Gardens open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Location-This Botanical Garden is located on the Colombo-Kataragama main road.
Double Co-conut-The Double Coconut Palm, one of 200 types of palms displayed at Peradeniya – originating from the Seychelles, this tree produces the largest seed known. Its fruits take five years to mature.
Ticket-Foreigner entrance: SLRs. 600.00
Timing-Royal Botanic Gardens open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Location-This Botanical Garden is located on the Colombo-Kataragama main road.
DAMBULLA
It is a big town, situated in the Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 80 km north of Kandy. Dambulla’s famed Royal Rock Temple is an iconic Sri Lankan image. The archaeological site of significant historical importance located in Dambulla, which is 2 km of the cave temples providing evidence of the presence of indigenous civilisations long before the arrival of Indian influence on the Island nation. Major attractions of the area include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, and the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built in just 167 days. The area also boasts the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or Na Uyana Aranya. Nearby is hiking Pidurangala Rock and elephant safaris at Kaudulla National Park.
It is a big town, situated in the Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 80 km north of Kandy. Dambulla’s famed Royal Rock Temple is an iconic Sri Lankan image. The archaeological site of significant historical importance located in Dambulla, which is 2 km of the cave temples providing evidence of the presence of indigenous civilisations long before the arrival of Indian influence on the Island nation. Major attractions of the area include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, and the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built in just 167 days. The area also boasts the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or Na Uyana Aranya. Nearby is hiking Pidurangala Rock and elephant safaris at Kaudulla National Park.
DAMBULLA ROCK TEMPLE- Dambulla Cave Temple and the Golden Temple are one temple complex. The Golden Temple is at the bottom of a big rock, in which the 5 caves, known as the Cave Temple, are located.
Five separate caves contain about 150 absolutely stunning Buddha statues and paintings, some of Sri Lanka's most important and evocative religious art. Buddha images were first created here over 2000 years ago. Located at an elevation of 1118 feet from the sea level rises a massive rock from the surrounding plains of Dambulla of 600 feet high and over 2000 feet in length. It is home to the Worlds most acclaimed Cave complex of magnificent Buddha Images and Rock Paintings. Images were painted from around 2nd Century BC and continued up to the Kandyan era of the 18th Century. Sinhalese people call it as ' Dambulu Gala' (Dambulla Rock) and the Temple is called as the Golden Rock Dambulla Temple.
It is 2 km to the Dambulla town. Once stepping in from the main road, the path takes a few hundred feet along the gravel path until one comes to the start of the rock with a gradual ascend. On the way up there are fine viewpoints enabling to see the surrounding landscape up to about 20 km. distance. The Cave Temple premises needs to be accessed through the Vahalkada entrance.
Coming through the entrance leads in to the stone paved terrace of the Cave Temple. The Bo tree is right in front and the Devaraja Viharaya is to the right side.
The Dambulla Rock Temple had first been constructed during the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya (103 BC and 89-77 BC). During a South Indian invasion, the king had to abandon his Anuradhapura Kingdom. For 12 years, King Valagamba was in hiding and had frequented these caves for his safety. After regaining the kingdom of Anuradhapura and becoming the King, to show his gratefulness for his safe place, he converted those caves into Buddhist Temples by constructing walled partitions under the rock overhang which spans the entire area as a single large cave. He got drip ledges made along this large cave and made it suitable to withstand rainy weather and avoided water seeping inside the caved areas. The three cave temples named as Devarajalena, Maharajalena and the Paccimalena were constructed by him.
After King Vattagamini Abaya's rein, this cave temple came under the patronage of Kings Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 AD). He had done renovations to the Cave temples and it is believed that there were Buddhist monks dwelling in this and nearby caves at that times. King Keerthi Sri Nissankamalla (1187-1196 AD) was much involved in uplifting the place with many additional Buddha images being constructed and gold plating some seventy-three Buddha images in the cave temple.
Ist Cave (Lord of the Gods Temple)-The First Cave temple is called as Devarajalena Vihara or the Lord of the Gods Temple. The large 45 feet Sleeping postured Buddha statue is said to be the Parinirvana status or the final passing away of the Lord Buddha. The Buddha images belongs to a period later than 2nd century BC.
IInd Cave (Temple of the Great Kings) -This cave is being called as the Maha Raja Vihara Lena or the Cave Temple of the Great Kings. The statues of King Valagamba and King Nissankamalla are to be found here. King Valagamba image is made out of Wood and the statue details are painted. It is placed near the cave entrance. There are around sixty images in this cave. The size of the cave is approximately 125 ft. long and 75 feet broad and has a maximum height of 21 feet by the entrance to the cave. There is a Stupa in this temple surrounded with eleven seated Buddha images. A main feature of this cave is the fascinating life size granite standing Buddha statue. There are thousands of murals painted on the rock ceiling and the walls with impressive designs and colours. Another fascinating feature is the dripping water droplet collecting bowl placed at the right side of the cave. Even in a severe drought, this water source doesn't get dried up and said to be there since the earlier times.
IIIrd Cave (King Kirti Sri Rajasinha)-This cave measures about 90 feet in length, 80 feet in width and is about 36 feet high near the entrance wall. There is a reclining Buddha statue of 30 feet in length carved out of the living rock here. There are about fifty Buddha statues surrounding the prominent seated Buddha Statue with a Dragon Arch design constructed in the centre of the cave sculptured out of granite. There are about forty-two standing Buddha images and about fifteen seated Buddha statues inside this cave. A statue of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha is also found here by the right side of the entrance.
IVth Cave-This cave measures about 50 feet in length and 27 feet in width. The main attraction is the beautiful seated Buddha image with a Makara Torana in ' dhyana mudra' posture. Almost identical images of the main seated Buddha image are placed around this cave. A small dageba which was regarded to contain the jewellery of Somawathi , the queen of King Valagamba is situated in this cave. Statues of God Vishnu and Saman are also found in this cave.
Vth Cave-The large reclined Buddha image is about 32 feet in length and there are many standing and seated Buddha images constructed in this temple totalling to eleven. Two of the seated Buddha figures have the Hooded Muchalinda Cobra covering above the images. All these statues are constructed out of Brick and plaster where most of the images at the other caves are made of granite rock.
Location- Situated by the main road, it is148kms from Colombo and 68 km from Kandy and from the entrance to the Rock Temple by the main road, it is 2 km to the Dambulla town.
Dress Code-Wear modest clothing.
Climb- There is about a 300’ climb (about 364steps) to reach the temple. It will take you about 10 minutes to make the climb. There is no shop at the top, bring enough drinking water.
Tickets- There are three entrances to the temple complex, but only one ticket counter. At The Lower / South Entrance. The entrance fee is for LKR 1500.
Time to Visit-
i- The best time to visit the cave temples is either early in the morning or in the afternoon. Most of the tourists come in the morning and the sunsets from the temples are outstanding.
ii-If you combine the trip with Sigiriya, it allows you to climb the higher Sigiriya Rock in the cooler morning and enjoy the sunset from the Cave Temples.
Five separate caves contain about 150 absolutely stunning Buddha statues and paintings, some of Sri Lanka's most important and evocative religious art. Buddha images were first created here over 2000 years ago. Located at an elevation of 1118 feet from the sea level rises a massive rock from the surrounding plains of Dambulla of 600 feet high and over 2000 feet in length. It is home to the Worlds most acclaimed Cave complex of magnificent Buddha Images and Rock Paintings. Images were painted from around 2nd Century BC and continued up to the Kandyan era of the 18th Century. Sinhalese people call it as ' Dambulu Gala' (Dambulla Rock) and the Temple is called as the Golden Rock Dambulla Temple.
It is 2 km to the Dambulla town. Once stepping in from the main road, the path takes a few hundred feet along the gravel path until one comes to the start of the rock with a gradual ascend. On the way up there are fine viewpoints enabling to see the surrounding landscape up to about 20 km. distance. The Cave Temple premises needs to be accessed through the Vahalkada entrance.
Coming through the entrance leads in to the stone paved terrace of the Cave Temple. The Bo tree is right in front and the Devaraja Viharaya is to the right side.
The Dambulla Rock Temple had first been constructed during the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya (103 BC and 89-77 BC). During a South Indian invasion, the king had to abandon his Anuradhapura Kingdom. For 12 years, King Valagamba was in hiding and had frequented these caves for his safety. After regaining the kingdom of Anuradhapura and becoming the King, to show his gratefulness for his safe place, he converted those caves into Buddhist Temples by constructing walled partitions under the rock overhang which spans the entire area as a single large cave. He got drip ledges made along this large cave and made it suitable to withstand rainy weather and avoided water seeping inside the caved areas. The three cave temples named as Devarajalena, Maharajalena and the Paccimalena were constructed by him.
After King Vattagamini Abaya's rein, this cave temple came under the patronage of Kings Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 AD). He had done renovations to the Cave temples and it is believed that there were Buddhist monks dwelling in this and nearby caves at that times. King Keerthi Sri Nissankamalla (1187-1196 AD) was much involved in uplifting the place with many additional Buddha images being constructed and gold plating some seventy-three Buddha images in the cave temple.
Ist Cave (Lord of the Gods Temple)-The First Cave temple is called as Devarajalena Vihara or the Lord of the Gods Temple. The large 45 feet Sleeping postured Buddha statue is said to be the Parinirvana status or the final passing away of the Lord Buddha. The Buddha images belongs to a period later than 2nd century BC.
IInd Cave (Temple of the Great Kings) -This cave is being called as the Maha Raja Vihara Lena or the Cave Temple of the Great Kings. The statues of King Valagamba and King Nissankamalla are to be found here. King Valagamba image is made out of Wood and the statue details are painted. It is placed near the cave entrance. There are around sixty images in this cave. The size of the cave is approximately 125 ft. long and 75 feet broad and has a maximum height of 21 feet by the entrance to the cave. There is a Stupa in this temple surrounded with eleven seated Buddha images. A main feature of this cave is the fascinating life size granite standing Buddha statue. There are thousands of murals painted on the rock ceiling and the walls with impressive designs and colours. Another fascinating feature is the dripping water droplet collecting bowl placed at the right side of the cave. Even in a severe drought, this water source doesn't get dried up and said to be there since the earlier times.
IIIrd Cave (King Kirti Sri Rajasinha)-This cave measures about 90 feet in length, 80 feet in width and is about 36 feet high near the entrance wall. There is a reclining Buddha statue of 30 feet in length carved out of the living rock here. There are about fifty Buddha statues surrounding the prominent seated Buddha Statue with a Dragon Arch design constructed in the centre of the cave sculptured out of granite. There are about forty-two standing Buddha images and about fifteen seated Buddha statues inside this cave. A statue of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha is also found here by the right side of the entrance.
IVth Cave-This cave measures about 50 feet in length and 27 feet in width. The main attraction is the beautiful seated Buddha image with a Makara Torana in ' dhyana mudra' posture. Almost identical images of the main seated Buddha image are placed around this cave. A small dageba which was regarded to contain the jewellery of Somawathi , the queen of King Valagamba is situated in this cave. Statues of God Vishnu and Saman are also found in this cave.
Vth Cave-The large reclined Buddha image is about 32 feet in length and there are many standing and seated Buddha images constructed in this temple totalling to eleven. Two of the seated Buddha figures have the Hooded Muchalinda Cobra covering above the images. All these statues are constructed out of Brick and plaster where most of the images at the other caves are made of granite rock.
Location- Situated by the main road, it is148kms from Colombo and 68 km from Kandy and from the entrance to the Rock Temple by the main road, it is 2 km to the Dambulla town.
Dress Code-Wear modest clothing.
Climb- There is about a 300’ climb (about 364steps) to reach the temple. It will take you about 10 minutes to make the climb. There is no shop at the top, bring enough drinking water.
Tickets- There are three entrances to the temple complex, but only one ticket counter. At The Lower / South Entrance. The entrance fee is for LKR 1500.
Time to Visit-
i- The best time to visit the cave temples is either early in the morning or in the afternoon. Most of the tourists come in the morning and the sunsets from the temples are outstanding.
ii-If you combine the trip with Sigiriya, it allows you to climb the higher Sigiriya Rock in the cooler morning and enjoy the sunset from the Cave Temples.
SIGRIYA
Sigiriya is a unique witness to the civilization of Ceylon during the years of the reign of Kassapa I. Located in the central Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is located about 8 km from Dambulla.
Sigiriya is a unique witness to the civilization of Ceylon during the years of the reign of Kassapa I. Located in the central Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is located about 8 km from Dambulla.
SIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRES-Sigiriya is famous for its palace ruins on top of a massive 200-meter-high rock surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures. Sigiriya is one of the most valuable historical monuments of Sri Lanka. This ancient palace and fortress complex has significant archaeological importance. Sigiriya, also known as ‘Lion Rock’, is particularly notable for the fortress built into its walls and plateau. Colourful frescoes adorn the walls while two giant lion paws guard the main gateway. The ruined paws are all that remain of a huge head and fore paws of a lion, whose open mouth served as the main entrance to the royal palace. The palace is located in the heart of the island between the towns of Dambulla and Habarane on a massive rocky plateau 370 meters above the sea level. Since 3th century BC the rocky plateau of Sigiriya served as a monastery. In the second half of the 5th century king Kasyapa decided to construct a royal residence here. After his death Sigiriya again became a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century, when it was abandoned. The main entrance is located in the northern side of the rock. It was designed in the form of a huge stone lion, whose feet have survived up to today but the upper parts of the body were destroyed. The frescoes are depicting nude females and are considered to be either the portraits of Kasyapa’s wives and concubines or priestess performing religious rituals. The most renowned is the Sigiriya Rock Paintings or Frescoes of Sigiri Damsels locally called as ' Sigiri Apsaras' painted on a Western Rock face cavity about 100 meters high from the rock base. There now remains around 21 paintings of Sigiriya Damsels but there had been around five hundred paintings during King Kassapa's time along several other places of the same Western Rock face.
One of the most striking features of Sigiriya is its Mirror wall. In the old days it was polished so thoroughly that the king could see his reflection in it. The Mirror wall is painted with inscriptions and poems written by the visitors of Sigiriya. The most ancient inscriptions are dated from the 8th century. On the summit are the remains of the Palace building foundations and few ponds on an area of about 3 acres of rock summit. The largest pond was made by cutting out the rock and it is assumed that utilizing the great wind force occurring on the summit, water was brought up to fill this tank by a hydraulic system using wind power from the ground level. All visitors are invited to enjoy the Sigiriya Museum, which houses a visitor’s information center, on site conservation laboratory, and research center. The museum was gifted by the Japanese government to help visitors understand the historical and religious significance of ancient Sigiriya.
Entrance Fee- The Sigiriya Rock Fortress entrance fee is LKR 4,500 per person.
i-One needs to walk by foot up to the Sigiriya Rock through the path bordered with trees for about a kilometer. Passing the outer moat and the rampart one comes to the Yan Oya. Passing it there is the Archeological Museum to the Right side .There is a second Moat that has to be crossed by the bridge erected there to proceed towards the Sigiriya rock. Moats were used as a defensive method at earlier times to safeguard citadels from enemy.
ii- The summit can be reached taking the iron stairway built on to the rock face. There are about 1200 steps.
iii-You can probably walk up to the top and down again in 1.5-2 hours.
iv- It’s also a good idea to avoid weekends, particularly Sundays, along with public holidays.
v- The early morning light combined with fewer people makes for a better view and, of course, better photos.
vi- Sigiriya Rock Fortress is surrounded by an extensive network of gardens, lily-covered moats, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains. It’s worth spending time exploring the grounds after visiting the rock itself. The gardens of Sigiriya are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world.
vii- The main entrance is located in the northern side of the rock.
One of the most striking features of Sigiriya is its Mirror wall. In the old days it was polished so thoroughly that the king could see his reflection in it. The Mirror wall is painted with inscriptions and poems written by the visitors of Sigiriya. The most ancient inscriptions are dated from the 8th century. On the summit are the remains of the Palace building foundations and few ponds on an area of about 3 acres of rock summit. The largest pond was made by cutting out the rock and it is assumed that utilizing the great wind force occurring on the summit, water was brought up to fill this tank by a hydraulic system using wind power from the ground level. All visitors are invited to enjoy the Sigiriya Museum, which houses a visitor’s information center, on site conservation laboratory, and research center. The museum was gifted by the Japanese government to help visitors understand the historical and religious significance of ancient Sigiriya.
Entrance Fee- The Sigiriya Rock Fortress entrance fee is LKR 4,500 per person.
i-One needs to walk by foot up to the Sigiriya Rock through the path bordered with trees for about a kilometer. Passing the outer moat and the rampart one comes to the Yan Oya. Passing it there is the Archeological Museum to the Right side .There is a second Moat that has to be crossed by the bridge erected there to proceed towards the Sigiriya rock. Moats were used as a defensive method at earlier times to safeguard citadels from enemy.
ii- The summit can be reached taking the iron stairway built on to the rock face. There are about 1200 steps.
iii-You can probably walk up to the top and down again in 1.5-2 hours.
iv- It’s also a good idea to avoid weekends, particularly Sundays, along with public holidays.
v- The early morning light combined with fewer people makes for a better view and, of course, better photos.
vi- Sigiriya Rock Fortress is surrounded by an extensive network of gardens, lily-covered moats, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains. It’s worth spending time exploring the grounds after visiting the rock itself. The gardens of Sigiriya are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world.
vii- The main entrance is located in the northern side of the rock.
NUWARA ELIYA
Nuwara Eliya is renowned as ‘The Heart of the British Ceylon’. Nuwara Eliya still reflects the influence of British rule. The red telephone boxes, rose gardens, colonial bungalows and the tea plantations adds up to the British city vibe of it. Nuwara Eliya is about 75 Km from Kandy and Approx. 5 hours by road from Colombo airport. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka. Colombo-Kandy-Nuwara Eliya is the most scenic highland motor road of Sri Lanka. A favourite retreat of the British during colonial times, the town is dotted with English country style houses and half-timbered. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest exporters of tea. Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in the mid 19th century, Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry. Sri Lanka's highest mountain Pidurutalagala with a height of 2,527 m (8,292 ft.) is very close to this town and can be seen prominently. The distance to the mountain is about 5 Km as the crow flies. Nuwara Eliya district is famous for Tea Plantation and the cool and moist climate are factors for the Tea leaves to thrive on. Areas such as Hatton, Talawakele, Maskeliya are around Nuwara Eliya and tea grown in this region has a high market and is in good demand worldwide. Famous waterfalls such as Devon and St. Clair falls are situated close to Nuwara Eliya and the Lake Gregory in the heart of the city is a much sought out tourist attraction. The alternative route to Nuwara Eliya from Colombo is via Hatton which is located in the southern area of the Central Highlands.
Nuwara Eliya is renowned as ‘The Heart of the British Ceylon’. Nuwara Eliya still reflects the influence of British rule. The red telephone boxes, rose gardens, colonial bungalows and the tea plantations adds up to the British city vibe of it. Nuwara Eliya is about 75 Km from Kandy and Approx. 5 hours by road from Colombo airport. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka. Colombo-Kandy-Nuwara Eliya is the most scenic highland motor road of Sri Lanka. A favourite retreat of the British during colonial times, the town is dotted with English country style houses and half-timbered. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest exporters of tea. Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in the mid 19th century, Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry. Sri Lanka's highest mountain Pidurutalagala with a height of 2,527 m (8,292 ft.) is very close to this town and can be seen prominently. The distance to the mountain is about 5 Km as the crow flies. Nuwara Eliya district is famous for Tea Plantation and the cool and moist climate are factors for the Tea leaves to thrive on. Areas such as Hatton, Talawakele, Maskeliya are around Nuwara Eliya and tea grown in this region has a high market and is in good demand worldwide. Famous waterfalls such as Devon and St. Clair falls are situated close to Nuwara Eliya and the Lake Gregory in the heart of the city is a much sought out tourist attraction. The alternative route to Nuwara Eliya from Colombo is via Hatton which is located in the southern area of the Central Highlands.
001-SRI SEETHAI AMMAN TEMPLE, NUWARA ELIA-On the way to the Hakgala Gardens, near the 83km post, is the colourful Hindu Seetha Amman Temple at Sita Eliya. Sri Seethai Amman temple is a unique temple it has been made at the place where Seeta Mata spent her days in the prison of Ravana approx. 5000 years ago. The temple is located on Nuwara Eliya Kandy road very close to the scenic town of Nuwara Elia (8 Kilometers). The Sita temple looks like any modern-day temple with a multi-colored dome filled with mythological figures. Three new statues – of Rama, Sita and Laxman – have been installed in the new structure. On the side closer to the river bank is a small shrine with the three darkened idols which were found a century ago. Adjacent to it is another new temple dedicated to Hanuman, the monkey-god, who according to mythology was instrumental in rescuing Sita from Lanka. “There is a rock on the opposite bank where Sita sat and meditated. Also this Ashoka forest is a clear indication that she came here when she was brought to Lanka”. There is also a belief that at a particular point in the stream, the water has no taste. “This is the spot she cursed Ravana.” You cannot drink the water. Drink sweet water, further downstream, one temple worker said. Temple workers are keen to show visitors the spot where Sita bathed, the stone she sat on, and where she prayed. Beliefs here are evidently strong and devotees are convinced that this episode of the Ramayana epic did indeed take place here.
Temple Pooja timings-
Morning 8AM to 1PM
Afternoon : 2PM to 6:30PM
Temple Pooja timings-
Morning 8AM to 1PM
Afternoon : 2PM to 6:30PM
002-VICTORIA PARK- The main park in Nuwara Eliya is called Victoria Park, in honor of Queen Victoria’s 60th Jubilee coronation in 1897. The park spreads out on 27 acres of land and is full of foreign trees and flowers, located at the centre of the town. The cluster of exceedingly tall eucalyptuses is a main feature therein.
Entry Fee: INR 300
Timings: 7 AM to 7 PM
Entry Fee: INR 300
Timings: 7 AM to 7 PM
003-SINGLE TREE MOUNTAIN-Single Tree Mountain unravels the spectacular sceneries of the entire town of Nuwara Eliya including the Pidurutalagala Mountain, Hakgala Mountain, Lake Gregory as well as the Northern section of Horton Plains. A path from the race course leads to Single Tree Mountain.
004-PEDRO TEA ESTATES-Located 3 km east of Nuwara Eliya, beneath a flank of Mount Pedro is the Pedro Tea estate. Pedro Tea Estate offers its guests to roam around the lush green tea plantations and even to learn the intricacies of tea processing The resident guide at the estate explains and elaborates on the process of growing and manufacturing Ceylon Tea.
Entry Fee: INR 200
Timings: 8 AM to 4 PM
Entry Fee: INR 200
Timings: 8 AM to 4 PM
005-GREGORY LAKE-Lake Gregory which is spread across an area of 91.2 hectares was built British colonial Governor Governor William Gregory for the purpose of making use of water from River Nanuoya that flows past Nuwara Eliya. Here you can also hire a rowing boat, Swan paddle boat or a water scooter to explore the scenic lake. There are horses roaming which are offered for rides, plus for a few hundred rupees, tourists can take a 20-minute speedboat ride on the lake.
Entry Fee: INR 250
Timings: 10 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: INR 250
Timings: 10 AM to 6 PM
006-NUWARA ELIYA POST OFFICE-The colonial style Post Office, built in 1894. Nuwara Eliya Post Office is one of the antique buildings in the city and is a must visit place. It’s one of the oldest post offices in the country and was featured on a stamp in 1990.
Location: Queen Elizabeth Dr, Nuwara Eliya 22200, Sri Lanka
Timings: 8 AM to 5 pm
Location: Queen Elizabeth Dr, Nuwara Eliya 22200, Sri Lanka
Timings: 8 AM to 5 pm
007-THE GRAND HOTEL-Built in 1891 as the home for the governor of Sri Lanka, Sir Edward Barnes, the now Grand Hotel is the perfect place to spend the night the right way in Nuwara Eliya. The hotel has great dining options and a lovely high tea. They can also organize activities like trekking, fishing, and sunrise safaris.
Presented by- V P Gupta
Presented by- V P Gupta