Colombo's skyline seen across the Beira Lake from the 'Ceynor' restaurant.

A 'bonsai' plant at 'Duru's, Colombo, Sri Lanka

A view from the Southern expressway, Sri Lanka.

A mud track going through a paddy feld to a coconut plantation.

Lunch at a wedding reception, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The 'Head Table'

Guests

Pine-apples grown in a coconut plantation, Wedagama, Off Pugoda, Sri Lanka.

Dual cropping of coconut and pine-apples brings a tidy profit in present Sri Lanka.

Consultation rooms and pharmacies at Wedagama, off Pugoda, Sri Lanka.

Wesak lighting at the 'Manikkawaththe Pansala', Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Wesak is a day celebrated as the day of Birth, Enlightenment and demise - Parinibbana - of Lord Buddha, in present Sri Lanka. This is a festival of lights where coconut oil lamps, candle lit paper lanterns of a few decades ago is replaced by electric lights now. The above pictures depict a 'Pansala'- Buddhist temple - illumined by lights on a Wesak week.

Biological control of cockroaches by ants.

Roads to Wedagama and Hanwella, Sri Lanka.

Road to Wedagama, off Pugoda. 'Wedagama' was a village created by the late President Premadasa to house 25 Ayurvedic physicians of various specialities. One of them from 'Horivila' has a rollicking practice even now.

The road from Pugoda to Hanwella.

'Murthy Thorana', and traditional 'Thorana', Kudagama, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A Wesak 'Thorana' depicts a 'Jataka' (birth) story of Lord Buddha. This is usually composed of pictures drawn and numbered in series on a bill-board like structure. This is adorned with electric lights.

A 'Moorthy Thorana' does the same thing but instead of drawings the story is depicted by figures made out of clay. This was seen by us for the first time at Avissawella, this Wesak.

Scenes on the Southern Expressway, Sri Lanka.

'Puhul pahan' and 'Wesak lantern', Thithapaththara, off Hanwella, Sri Lanka.

Outdoor decor, Hotel, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Thevini Hotel, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Swimming pool

Entrance to a reception hall.

Fresh Jasmine flowers floating in fresh water.

Flowers on an arecanut tree, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Out-door decor, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Water dish with lilies.

Rock garden, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Outdoor swimming pool, Thevini Hotel, Bope, Sr Lanka.

Under the 'Benjamina' tree,Thevini Hotel, Bope, Sri Lanka.

A tall tree with small leaves, providing plenty of shade, it is a real beauty.

Indoor decor, Thevini Hotel, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Decorated dried sea-weed.

'A pair of swans - 'Hansa pootuwa', wood carving on the top part of a door frame.

Well of a stairway with flowers, Hotel, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Doors made of Mahogany wood paneling and walls of rough-cut granite make a pleasing appearance. 

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.