Arecanuts, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka

The Arecanut palm grows in abundance in the wet zone of Sri Lanka. These trees are seen in the hills and valleys of Sabaragamuwa. They do not need care or attention. The ripe fruits fall done and are rarely collected by the villagers, in large amounts. The kernel of the arecanut is used as shavings to prepare a chew of betel. The fruits find a ready market in Pakistan. They are bought by the whole-sale traders for Rs.5/- each fruit in Sri Lanka. The photo shows a young village couple coming out of a shop in Ratnapura, after selling a sack full of arecanuts.

The three waterfalls of Alupola, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

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Alupola waterfalls

 

Trip to Alupola Estate, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka, March 2019

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A 'picnic' at Alupola, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Kuruwita close to Rathnapura and Bus stand Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Kuruwita was a railway station on the narrow-gauge railway line, where the pilgrims to Sri Paadha - Adams Peak would disembark. This was the entry point for the walk to the top of Adam's Peak. The route was steep and would go through Eratna.

The Rathnapura Bus-stand which was the site of the Railway station a few decades ago.

Gem museum, Batugedera, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Cross-section of a gem-pit'.

Photo of workers in a gem-pit.

The famous 'Arabian Nights' has a story of gems most probably relating to Rathnapura of Sri Lanka. It goes as follows.
There is an inaccessible valley in these parts, whose bottom is strewn with gems of every hue and colour. Pieces of fresh meat on which a sticky gum from a tree in these parts (most probably the Jak or 'Kos' tree) is smeared and is thrown down into the valley by the natives. Scores of a large bird called a 'Roc' by the natives (?'Brahminy Kite') swoop down, pick these pieces of meat with the gems adhering to it and carry them to their nests to feed their young. These nests are then raided by the locals and the gems picked out to be sold by them.
Rathnapura is the land famed for gems from time immemorial. Foreign merchants, Arabs, Persians, Indians, and Chinese used to travel up the Kalu Ganga by boat from Kaluthara on the western sea-board of the Island, to Batugedera in Rathnapura. The two targets of these travelers was to climb the holy Adam's Peak also known as Sri Pada and to buy gems which were mined in the area.
Now there is a superb highway from Colombo to Rathnapura roughly a 100Km distance. From Rathnapura which has a thriving market in uncut gems, to Batugedera is about 3 Kilometers on the Badulla highway. The Gem Museum at Batugedera is on the left hand side of the road. It is owned and managed by Mr. Bodhi Amerasinghe who has a degree in Gemmology from Germany, his charming wife Wimala and daughter Palika who also has a degree in Gemmology from Germany. They have a nice museum exhibiting the different varieties of gems. They also have a sales point where jewelry using gems mined locally to suit the tastes of tourists is found. These items of jewelry are produced here and a guarantee card is given with each item of jewelry. This place is well worth a visit.

Welcome to the new Principal - Ms.Mercy Galagama, Ferguson High School, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The old 'Assembly Hall where the welcome by the Old Girls Association was held.

Mercy in her school days - leading the School Band - Photo by Ms. S.R.Veerasingam.

Assembly Hall, Ferguson High School, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The front entrance of the 'Assembly Hall'. This hall was there in 1946 when I was a boarder in the males hostel in this school. It still stands proud.

The rear entrance of the 'Assembly Hall'

Inside the 'Assembly Hall'.

 

The corner of the 'Assembly Hall' where the 2nd standard had its classes in 1946. I was in this class and there might have been ten students in the class at that time.

The world's first female Prime Minister Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who hailed from Balangoda, attended this School. Her daughter Madam Chandrika Bandaranaike who was a President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, unveiled a plaque near the entrance to the assembly hall.

Ferguson High School, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Ferguson High School in late 1940s - Photo by Mr. Jayaratna of Puwakpitiya.

Primar section Boy's Hostel of the 1940s - Photo taken in the 1980s by Philip GV

The School 'Coat of Arms' and motto.

"Ferguson High School' had its antecedents as a Girl's school started by the Baptist Mission, at Rathnapura.. Mr.Ferguson was a missionary who's brother was the Editor of the 'Times of Ceylon' and authored 'The Ferguson's directory'.
In 1946 I was in the 2nd Standard and was boarded at the Ferguson High School. Miss Alsop was the Principal and Miss Brook was the deputy. The Primary section accommodated boys also. Miss Van der Straaten was our boarding mistress. It was a very enjoyable time for the two years that I was there. It was a Baptist Missionary School and had the logo BMS on it. One of my young friends told me that the BMS stood for 'Buth Mas Ischolaya' as they served beef in the boarding there. In 1972 when I went to the UK to do my FRCS both Miss Alsop and Miss Brook were still living in the UK.

Sights at Saman Dewala, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Climbing the steps to the Saman Dewala.

View of the main 'veediya' leading to the temple.

Worshippers coming down the stairway and exiting the main gate.

Inflatable toys for sale outside the temple.

Saman Dewale, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Boats on the shore of the Kalu Ganga opposite Saman Dewale.

Wall on the old rampart of the earlier Portuguese Fort.

An old stupa inside the temple premises.

Entrance gate to the temple premises seen from inside the premises.

Saman Dewale on  the Rathnapura - Panadura road was the site of an ancient temple. It is surrounded on ita three sides by the waters of the Kalu Ganga. This is reminiscent of the situation of the 'Barandy Kovil' at Avissawella. There was boat traffic from Kalutara to Batugedara beyond Rathnapura, on the river. An annual Perahera carrying the sacred Tooth-relic of Lord Buddha was held for ten years in this temple during the reign of King Rajasinghe of Sithawake in the 16th Century of the Present Era. The Portuguese captured this site and built a fort here. During Brtish times this place had a temple dedicated to Lakshmanan the brother of the legendary Rama. It is now a temple of Lord Saman the guardian diety of Sri Pada - Adam's Peak.

'Mountain Squirrel' at Saman Dewale, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

I spotted this chap on a tall tree near the p;lace where the fruits from the 'pooja' site was dumped. It was part of the wild life near the temple. Called 'Dandu Lena' in Sinhalese and 'Mara Anil' in Tamil.

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A rock and trees near it bearing abundant fruit, Pothgul Vihara area, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

A Jak and a coconut tree near a large rock.

The large rock.

The Jak tree bearing a lot of fruits.

It is part of village lore in Sri Lanka that any sap-bearing tree ('Kiri gas') with its roos near a large rock on the ground bear plenty of fruits. They ascribe it to the heat retained by the large rock. I saw this on the road to 'Pothgul Vihara'.

Flowers by the wayside, Pothgu Vihara road, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Paintings inside the "Chaithya', Rathganga, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Coming down.

Painting inside on the ground floor of the 'Chaithya.

Inside the 'Chaithya', Rathganga, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Wall paintings depicting stories of the life of the Buddha in the bottom floor.

The upper floor housing a miniature Dagoba and Apsaras and Gods painted on the inner wall of the 'Chaithya'.

Rathganga, Galboda, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The bridge over Rathganga.

A 'Varichchy' style house.

Pilgrims hall.

A decorative bridge.

'Rathganga' is a hamlet in the hills above Galboda on the Rathnapura - Wewalwaththe road. The Buddhist temple and the surrounding village was developed by the Late Mr. Premadasa. It attracts a lot of pilgrims now. It is close to Sri Paada and the scenic beauty is superb. Very often the village is shrouded in mist adding to its enchantment.