Discover-SriLanka

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 *****

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

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26 September, 2012

SRI LANKA - VICTORIA RESERVOIR [ DROUGHT STRICKEN ] ]

The prevailing severe drought in the Central province has dried up the Victoria reservoir and the remnants of the submerged Theldeniya town can be seen on the bottom of the reservoir. The old iron bridge over the Mahaveli river and the parched surroundings give an eerie look. The water level at this location, when the reservoir is filled to full capacity, would be well over 100 feet. Photographed on 16th September, 2012.

Pics by : Nelsonlanka

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Chathula

Sony Ericsson Experia

23 September, 2012

SRI LANKA - CROCODILES OF WILPATTU

The largest National Park in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu has nearly sixty lakes [ Willu ] spread throughout the park. Crocodiles are the largest residents of these lakes.

Pics by : Vasita

20 September, 2012

SRI LANKA - BIRDS OF SORABORA

Herons, storks, cormorants, eagles and king fishers are a common sight near lake Sorabora in Mahiyangana.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

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17 September, 2012

SRI LANKA - SORABORA WEWA [ 102 B.C. ]

A reservoir or tank is called a ' wewa ' in the Singhalese language.The Sorabora wewa was built by King Dutugemunu in 102 B.C. in the Mahiyangana region. The water released from the tank for irrigation purposes flows along a twenty meter sluice cut into solid rock

Pics : Nelsonlanka

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10 September, 2012

SRI LANKA - VEGETABLES

Capsicum and Bitter Gourd are two much loved vegetables, Bitter Gourd has the capacity to lower blood sugar levels. Photographed at the Department of Agriculture, Kandy.

Capsicum