Discover-SriLanka: heritage

DISCOVER - SRI LANKA: PROLOGUE

IN PRAISE OF MY BEAUTIFUL ISLAND,

INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO.

THE 13th CENTURY VENETIAN TRAVELER MARCO POLO DESCRIBED THE ISLAND AS 'THE JADE PENDANT IN THE INDIAN OCEAN'. THE ABUNDANCE OF GEMSTONES, SPICES, RAIN FORESTS AND WILDLIFE; THE MAGNIFICENT BEACHES, ANCIENT RUINS AND A WRITTEN HISTORY OF OVER 2500 YEARS MAKE THIS ISLAND A TOURISTS' PARADISE.

THE RUINED CITIES OF ANURADHAPURA AND POLONNARUWA ILLUSTRATE THE GLORY OF THE ANCIENT KINGDOMS. THE GIGANTIC STUPAS AND BUDDHA STATUES ARE AMONG THE BIGGEST MAN MADE STRUCTURES OF THE WORLD. THE MASSIVE RESERVOIRS, BUILT BY ANCIENT KINGS TO IRRIGATE THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF LAND, ARE MARVELS OF HYDRO ENGINEERING. THERE ARE EIGHT UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN SRI LANKA

THE ISLAND WAS KNOWN TO THE GREEKS AS 'TAPROBANE' AND TO THE ARABS AS 'SERENDIB'. EARLY MERCHANTS VISITED THE ISLAND IN SEARCH OF GEMSTONES AND SPICES, MAINLY CINNAMON AND PEPPER. COFFEE AND TEA PLANTATIONS WERE STARTED BY THE BRITISH COLONIAL RULERS. CEYLON TEA IS FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER.

TOURISM INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR MONEY SPINNER FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL ISLAND. THE VAST EXPANSE OF BEACHES, RAIN FORESTS AND NATIONAL PARKS WITH HERDS OF WILD ELEPHANTS, THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WITH LITHE WATER FALLS, BRING IN THE TOURISTS. THE ISLAND IS DOTTED WITH HUNDREDS OF HOTELS TO ACCOMMODATE THE TRAVELER. AN ISLAND OF 25,000 SQ; MILES HAS 103 RIVERS AND 25000 RESERVOIRS, MOSTLY MAN MADE. WITH VARYING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS THIS IS TRULY A 'SMALL MIRACLE'.

" THE ISLAND OF SRI LANKA IS A SMALL UNIVERSE, IT CONTAINS AS MANY VARIATIONS OF CULTURE, SCENERY AND CLIMATE AS SOME COUNTRIES A DOZEN TIMES ITS SIZE........I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY COUNTRY WHICH SCORES SO HIGHLY IN ALL DEPARTMENTS - WHICH HAVE SO MANY ADVANTAGES AND SO FEW DISADVANTAGES. LOVELY BEACHES, BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES, IMPRESSIVE RUINS, A VIBRANT CULTURE AND CHARMING PEOPLE- NO WONDER SRI LANKA IS A SMALL MIRACLE ".***** Arthur C. Clark *****

Showing posts with label heritage. Show all posts

06 September, 2011

SRI LANKA - ABORIGINES [ COLLAGE ]

The original inhabitants of the Island, Aborigines or Veddas, have been absorbed into the mainstream Sinhalese society, as a result dwindling jungles due to rapid development. Their deep knowledge of the forest and ancestral beliefs will be lost for ever in time to come. Today only a few clans of these ancient people live scattered in remote jungles.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

31 August, 2011

SRI LANKA - THE GRAND PAGEANT [ VIDEO ] PART 2

YOU TUBE VIDEO :

http://youtu.be/V_-b_-CuVYY

26 August, 2011

SRI LANKA - THE GRAND PAGEANT [ VIDEO ] PART 1

YOU TUBE VIDEO : http://youtu.be/dU5v6o7Ms90

06 August, 2011

SRI LANKA - DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE [ 1st CENTURY BC ]

Pics by: Gerrit, Netty, Hans and Hanneke [Belgium]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

01 August, 2011

SRI LANKA - ANCIENT STONE CARVINGS

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

28 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE [ 1st CENTURY BC ]

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

22 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - ANCIENT STONE STRUCTURES

This alms trough carved out of stone was used to serve food to the monks at the Mihintale monastery.

The mammoth inscription stone at Polonnaruwa was constructed during the reign of king Nissanka Malla [ 1187 - 1196 ]

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

20 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE [ STATUES AND PAINTINGS - 1ST CENTURY BC ]

There are over 150 statues at the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Dambulla.

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

17 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - KANDYAN VES DANCERS

The world renowned Kandyan Ves dancers and drummers photographed at a cultural performance in Kandy.

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

07 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - SIGIRIYA [ THE ROCK FORTRESS, 5th CENTURY BC ]

The entrance to the fortress had been through the mouth of an enormous sculptured lion in ancient times, of which only the giant front paws could be seen today. Sigiriya is the most outstanding World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka.

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

06 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - ANCIENT MEDICINE BATH AND MOONSTONE

The medicine bath carved out of stone, at the Mihinthale historical ruins, was used to immerse patients in medicinal oil.

Moonstones were placed at entrances to Buddhist shrines, the elaborately carved stone slabs were semi circular with carvings of swans, elephants, lions, horses and bulls.

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

01 July, 2011

SRI LANKA - KANDYAN ' RABAN ' DANCERS

A ' rabana ' is a shallow single headed drum, the raban dancers first spin the drum on the index finger and place it on a pole and dance while balancing the drum spinning on the pole. Some dancers spin five or six ' rabanas ' simultaneously.

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

21 June, 2011

SRI LANKA - POLONNARUWA VATADAGE

The word vatadage literally means circular relic house or shrine. The Polonnaruwa Vatadage is one of the finest out of the ten remaining Vatadages in Sri Lanka. The two guard stones on either side of the Moonstone at each entrance deserve a special mention, they are an example of the finest and most elaborate stone carvings of ancient Sri Lanka.

Pics by : Gerrit,Netty,Hans and Hanneke [ Belgium ]

Sri Lanka Tour, May 2011

23 April, 2011

KANDY MUSEUM [ 15 TH CENTURY ARTIFACTS ]

Flutes, spectacles and cases

Replica of the crown - last king of the

Kandyan kingdom

Ornamental hat worn by

Kandyan chieftains

Cutting implements

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

12 April, 2011

SRI LANKA - KADYAN ' VES' DANCERS

Kandyan ves dance is the most popular form of Kandyan dance. The dance was propitiatory, never secular, and performed only by males. The elaborate ves costume, particularly the headgear, is considered sacred and is believed to belong to the deity Kohomba.

The dancers wear an elaborate costume including a headdress. The dancer's chest is only covered by a decorative beaded net. This costume is known as the Ves costume. The headdress incorporates a metallic front which makes the dancer look taller than he is. The complete costume also includes anklets that

produce a metallic rattle.