Discover-SriLanka: kandy

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 kandy. Show all posts

28 February, 2025

Sri Lanka - Kandy at dawn

Kandy is known for its rich cultural heritage, stunning natural beauty, and historical significance. It was the last capital of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka and is located in the central part of the island, surrounded by picturesque hills. The city is famous for the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which houses a tooth relic of the Buddha, making it a key pilgrimage site for Buddhists.

Kandy at dawn - Pics taken at 5.30 a.m.

Pics By - NelPhotography

iPhone XR

07 March, 2020

Sri Lanka - The Audience Hall, Kandy

The audience hall or magul maduwa is where the Kandyan kings held their court, the carvings of the wooden pillars which support the wooden roof are an example of wood carving of the Kandyan period.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

21 March, 2014

SRI LANKA - YELLOW TABEBUIA [ ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS, KANDY ]

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

06 February, 2014

SRI LANKA - VANDA [ ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS, KANDY ]

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

02 January, 2014

SRI LANKA - FOUNTAINS

Erected by the coffee planters of Ceylon in 1875, this cast iron fountain is in pristine condition. One of only two in the world, made by George Smith & Company of England, can be seen in the city of Kandy.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

14 November, 2013

SRI LANKA - BOY AND SWAN FOUNTAIN, KANDY

The Victorian cast iron " Boy and Swan " fountain [early 19th century] at the Royal Palace Park [Wace Park] in Kandy, Sri Lanka is a copy of the " Boy and Swan " fountain made by Coalbrookdale [Shropshire]. Research has revealed that only five copies of it have been found in the world.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Historical information, by courtesy : Sergio Orozco [ Costa Rica ]

27 November, 2012

SRI LANKA - KANDY SOUVNIRS

The city of Kandy is frequented by travelers throughout the year as it is the most popular city in the Island. Shops with oodles of souvenirs are many in number.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

27 October, 2012

SRI LANKA - KANDY [ THE MOST VISITED CITY ]

In a recent survey Kandy was selected as, the most visited city by tourists, in the Island. The cool climate of this Hill country location and the many historical sites and the beauty of the setting of this ancient Capital may have contributed immensely to achieve this distinction.

Pics show hand crafted wooden elephants in a window of a souvenir shop in the city.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

29 September, 2012

SRI LANKA - UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE CITY OF KANDY

Kandy is a UNESCO World Heritage City, picture shows school children and teachers among devotees at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of The Buddha.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

26 May, 2011

SRI LANKA - KANDY ESALA PEREHERA [ PAGEANT ] VIDEO

Esala Perahera [ the festival of the Sacred Tooth Relic ] is the grand
festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka in late July or early August anually, this
grand Religious Procession parades the streets of Kandy for ten nights. It has

become a unique Buddhist Religious festival of Sri Lanka. Scores of traditional

Kandyan dancers and costume clad elephants take part in this parade. There

are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural

dances performed by over a thousand participants.

YouTube video: http://youtu.be/tvABzeWHWWQ

03 April, 2011

SRI LANKA - PICTURESQUE KANDY LAKE [ 1807 ]

Kandy, unquestionably is the most beautiful city in Sri Lanka.

The magnificent lake situated in the middle of the city was

constructed in 1807 by the last King of Kandy. The lake,

teeming with fish has a perimeter of 3.4 kilometers and has

a maximum depth of 60 feet. Black stork, tortoise and water

monitor live alongside one another in perfect harmony in the

vicinity. It has an island and a boat house.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

07 October, 2010

THE ROYAL PALACE OF KANDY

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[edit]The Royal Palace of Kandy in Kandy, is a the last royal residence of the
Kingdom of Kandy and in Sri Lanka. The last King to reside in it was King Sri
Vikrama Rajasinha until he wasoverthrown by theBritish in 1815 with the aid of
Kandian chieftains. Once part of a large palace complex that included the royal
court the Magul Maduwa and the Temple of the Tooth that held the Relic of the
tooth of the Buddha.By ancient tradition the one who was in possession of the
Tooth Relic had claim to the throne. Adjacent to the Royal Palace is the Victorian
era building that until recently housed Kandy High Court.

National Museum of Kandy

The palace complex has changed over the last century, with only a few buildings
remaining. Those that are apart from the Temple of the Tooth Relic, has been
turned in to the National Museum of Kandy run by the Department of Archeology.

[edit]Magul Maduwa

Found between the main palace building and the Temple of the Tooth Relic is the
Magul Maduwa,a the Royal audience hall with wooden pillars built in 1784 by King
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, where the his Royal Court convened. It was here on March 5,
1815 the Kandyan Convention was signed between the British and the Kandyian
Chieftains (Radalas) ending the Kingdom of Kandy,

the last native kingdom of the island.