Sights at the Seethawaka Botanical Gardens, Avissawella, Sri Lanka

Thai pongal at the Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, Puwakpitiya, Sri Lanka.

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https://youtu.be/J5IPL6S_iL4

'Thai pongal' festival at the Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, Puwakpitiya, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The welcome at the entrance to the festival grounds

A ceremonial enclosure made with plantain trunks.

Decorative figures 'Kolam' is drawn around the fire-place using powdered rice.

'Thai Pongal' is the celebration of  harvest of rice in the month of January - 'Thai'. The first harvest of paddy is pounded, winnowed and cooked ceremonially adding jaggerry, cadju nuts ertc. Once cooked the 'Pongal' is shared among friends and relatives.

Sights on the new highway from Atulugama, on the Dehiowita to Karawanella road, to Eheliyagoda.

This road by-passes Avissawella, coming from Eheliyagoda to Kegalle.

Misty morning in January, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Kadugannawa to Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Fresh fruit stalls

Articles made from leather for sale

Sights below the old rock tunnel, Kadugannawa, Kandy road, Sri Lanka

Monkeys by the road side

Views of 'Bible rock' - 'Bathala gala' in Sinhalese. It was named 'Coffin rock' in Dutch because so many soldiers died in the vicinity, on attempts to capture the Capital, Kandy in earlier times.