Thursday, March 15, 2012

The view of the valley below Beragalle on the Badulla road, Sri Lanka.

You can see the glitter of the Udawalawe reservoir close to the horizon, beyond the mountains, in the center of this picture.

Monday, March 12, 2012

'Yudaganawa', statues and an uncompleted Dagoba, Butthala, Sri Lanka.



‘Being angry at these words spoken by his royal father, the Prince(Gamini) fled to Gilimale, and having hid himself there for several days went to Kotmale’.
          ‘Kavantissa reigned 60 years from his coronation and passed {at death} to Tusitapura. On the demise of the King, Prince Tissa came, put his royal father in his coffin and repaired to Digamadulla, taking with him the Kadol elephant and his mother Vihara Mahadevi. Prince Gemunu having heard of his father’s death, left  Kotmale and returned to the city of Magama. Whilst there, he wrote to Prince Tissa asking him to send their mother and the Kadol elephant which was born on the same day as himself; but Tissa sent them not. The request was repeated three times; but still he did not send them. Prince Gemunu then set out to fight, taking his forces, and the two brothers joined battle in Yudaganapitiya. Of his army 30,000 men having fallen, Dutugemunu was defeated in the battle and fled, and Tissa persued after him; but when he saw that the great community of monks had come and barred his way, he returned to Digamadulla.’ A translation from the Sri Lankan Chronicle ‘RAJAVALIYA’ – (The line of Kings).

On a second single man combat Tissue was defeated and was pursued by Gamini. Tissue sought refuge at a Vihare – identified as ‘Demetamal Vihara’ close to Butthala.


Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WJl3Sq_aew

Sunday, March 11, 2012

'Drift-wood art', Maligawila, Sri Lanka.




Near the entrance to the Maligawila Monastery Complex at Butthala, there was this one-man exhibition of drift-wood art. These are some pictures I took of same.