Wood carvings, Embekka Dewala, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

A man on a horse

A female playing the 'veena'

A stylised female

A female ?on a swan

Wood carving of various motiffs are found carved on the wooden supporting pillars. They belong to the 15th Century Present Era.

Embekka Dewala, rafters, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The wooden rafters in the roof of the hall.

Note the wooden pillars supporting the hall and the design of the 'inverted lotus'.

Embekka Dewala, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Paddy store - 'Wee Bissa' - made of clay on a bamboo frame.

The Kitchen - 'Multhan gey' - of the temple.

They remain the same as they would have been about six centuries ago.

Embekka Dewala, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Legend at the entrance to the Dewala

Old gateway made of granite

Click on Web-link below:-

http://discover.lankanest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=76

House-hold utensils, Lankathilake, Sri Lanka.

A brass container used to carry milk.

Various brass household utensils.

The brass utensils used in households in Sri-Lanka before the 1950s were heavy and needed constant polishing to keep them free of the green verdigris. If holed they could be easily repaired by the travelling tinker who visited the villages each year. These items were never thrown away. I saw these being sold as antiques at the entrance to the Lankathilaka Vihara.

Lankathilaka Vihara, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Soldier-guardians at the entrance to the 'Budu-medura'

The 'Inverted lotus' design on the wood-work.

Lankathilaka Vihara, Sri Lanka.

The 'Chaithya and the Vihara-ge situated on the rock

The view of the distant mountains from the Vihara

Lankathilaka Vihare, Sri Lanka.

The Vihara

The sacred 'Bo-tree'

Details of the temple. Click on the web-link below:-

http://www.srilankaview.com/lankatilaka_temple.htm

Gadalaadeniya temple, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka

Coming down from the temple.

The only mendicant we saw in the premises.

Gadalaadeniya temple, Sri Lanka.

The paddy storage bin for the secretion of paddy harvested from the temple lands.

The buildings on the rock.

Gadalaadeniya Temple, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka.

A door-frame made of decorated granite.

A lotus pond

It has been claimed that wood-working and wooden furniture was introduced into Sri Lanka by the Portuguese only in the 16th Century of the Present Era. Almost all the old buildings have roof supports of pillar-shaped granite. The doorways and windows had frames from granite.

Gadaladeniya Temple, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka.

The 'inverted lotus bud' design on the roof of the sanctuary.

Tying a charmed thread around the wrist of a devotee

Stone carvings at the Gadaladeniya temple, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka.

Stone-carving of 'Siva-Nataraja,

Another decorative stone carving.

Gadaladeniya Temple, Sri Lanka.

A covered Sthupa

The main temple

A temple on a rock with a lovely view of the countryside.

Gadaladeniya, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka.

A store-room at the Gadaladeniya Temple.

A 'rock-edict' at the temple.

Various members of the Royal family of the Gampola and Kandyan period in the history of Sri-Lanka have patronized this temple.
Click on web-link below:-
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/kandy/gadaladeniya/gadaladeniya.htm

Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Pooja requisites

Coconuts, claypot  lamps containing ghee, plastic garlands, incense sticks are the various items for sale inside the premises of the Dewale.

Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Queing up to go for Pooja.

An old building

The environs of the 'Chaithya' at Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka

The sacred 'Bo' tree near the 'Chaithya'

The courtyard in front of the 'Chaithya'

Breaking coconuts, Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka

Breaking of coconuts

Pieces of broken coconuts surrounding the stone where the coconuts are smashed

Breaking of coconuts to fulfil a vow to Lord Ganesha is practiced extensively in the Hindu Dewales of Sri Lanka. There are various interpretations given to this act. I have heard it said that it is an act symbolizing the breaking of the hard outer ego to taste the white sweet kernel of the deity resident in each human being. I took these pictures and video at the Aluthnuwara Dewale in Mawanella, Sri Lanka.
Video:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAceEbYQ_y0

Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

The sacred tree

A coconut leaf receptacle to offer flowers at the site

Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Lamp offerings

Cock-bird donated to Dewale

Aluthnuwara Dewale, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Dewale premises

Click on web-link below:-
http://www.visitsabaragamuwa.lk/doc_view.php?page=6

Aluthnuwara Dewala, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Entrance to the Aluthnuwara Dewala.

Inside the Dewala premises.

Aluthnuwara Dewala, Mawanella, Sri Lanka.

Temple elephant

'Pooja vattiya'

Scenes at the entrance to 'Aluthnuwara Dewala', Mawanalla.

Resting Place near the Batticaloa Lagoon, Sri Lanka.

A place to sit and watch the sunset and getting a gentle breeze, this indeed is Paradise.

Light-house beach, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka