Decorative table lamp, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Pictures from the weddng of Dumidu and Pawani.

The 'Poruwa' where the ceremonial 'tying of the knot' in a Sinhalese wedding took place.

The newly wed couple  'Dumidu and Pawani' greeting a wedding guest at the hotel in Bope where the wedding ceremony took place.

At the 'high table' in a wedding reception, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A band - 'The backfires', Panawala, Sri Lanka.

Quite a few professional bands are available throughout present Sri Lanka. They are hired for weddings, parties, concerts etc. Their fees vary the top ones earning around Rs. 100,000/- rupees for a six hour performance. The repertoire of songs include Sinhalese, Tamil, Hindi and Western pops.

A village well, Puwakpitiya, Sri Lanka.

Two views of Bolgoda Lake from Kahapola, Sri Lanka.

One could take a boat from here and go across to Panadura.

View across the Beira Lake, Slave Island, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

'Beira' a name given by the Portuguese to this stretch of water surrounding their Fort in Colombo. 

A bird's nest built on an empty electric bulb socket, Puwakpitiya, Sri Lanka.

Safety from predators seems to be the first priority in building nests. The Garden Lizard and The Rat snake make a meal of the eggs and the Coucal bird waits till the young chicks are about to fly and gobbles them up. All these have to be guarded against when building a nest.

Fire-wood, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

This is a regular sight on the Kudagama road, leading to the Avissawella Free Trade Zone. About 20 Lorries of firewood arrive daily from various parts of the Island to feed the furnaces of a factory in the Free Trade Zone. On inquiry I was told that firewood was cheaper than Furnace oil.

Chillie plant, Home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The Chillie plant was native to South America. It was brought to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese in the 16th century AD. Even now a pungent variety of this plant is called 'Kochchi miris' in Sinhalese and 'Kochchikkkai' in Tamil. This recalls the time when it was brought from Cochin, South India a former Portuguese enclave.
Black pepper which was exported from Sri Lanka for more than 2000 years was native to Sri Lanka and is called 'Gammiris'  - Gamey miris - in Sinhalese meaning the local variety.
Chillie has 'capsicaine' and is used in ointments as a counter irritant, to relieve pain.

Post-Office entrance, Avvissawella, Sri Lanka.

Bridge to the Island on the Beira Lake, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Tit-bits on the table on Sinhala- Tamil New Year day, 2015.

'Kiributh', 'Kokis', 'Mung kavung', 'Aasmi', 'Konde kavung', 'Thala sweet', 'Kalu dodol' and plantains.

Dragonfly, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Sinhala & Tamil New Year shopping, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

New year shoppers near Gampaha.

Triangular shaped fire-crackers on sale.

Scenes on the road, Gampaha to Hanwellla, Sri Lanka.

A pet Rabbit on the lawn of a house, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Overhead bridge and Railway line near Gampaha Railway Station, Sri Lanka.

Crowds at the 'Pola' - country fare at Kosgama, one day before the Siinhala & Tamil New year 2015.

Stalls at a village fare, Atale, Sri Lanka.

Scenes on the road from Avissawella to Kandy, Sri Lanka.

'Ambalama' at Molligoda on the Kandy road.

A village 'Pola' at Atale on the Kegalle - Avissawella road.

Going down Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

A rubber hose fed from the mountain stream, used to wash cars passing by. This was used to cool the heated radiators of cars doing the climb, in the old days.

Going down from Mawanella.

Railway museum, Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.

Views of Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Mathale railway line near the Post-Office, Kandy.

View of the Mahawely downstream from the Peradeniya bridge.

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Bats sleeping during the day, around the Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The Queens Bath house, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken in the 1980s

This building adjoining the Dalada Maligawa and Royal residence was used as a bathing spot by the Queen. It was in a delapidated state and housed a library, and later a police guard post. It is now being renovated.

The 'Queen's Bath House and the Golden roofed 'Dalada Maligawa', seen across the Kandy Lake, Sri Lanka.

The present Kandy Lake was a paddy field lying between the Dalada Maligawa and the Malwaththe Pansala. The 'Mul Aacharya' - Chief Architect of King Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe - conceived the design of this lake. A dam was built in the lower reaches and water covered the paddy field. An elevated part of the paddy field remained as an Island in the newly formed lake. The lake was named 'Kiri Muhuda' and the Island 'Jala thilaka mandapaya'. It was a beautiful sight. Some of the courtiers must have been jealous, for the body of the 'Mul Aacharya' was subsequently found floating in the Lake.

Round the Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Kandy Lake, Kandy, Sri Lanka.