The beauty of a female figure, Kelany Vihare, Sri Lanka.

A female figure in the Tivanka - three curves posture, carved on the outer aspect of the wall in the sanctum at Kelaniya Vihare, Sri Lanka. Can you see the whimsical smile on the face looking down at the watcher. To me it seems to surpass the enigmatic smile on the face of the famous 'Mona Lisa' of Da Vinci.

Figurines in a niche on the outer side of the wall at the Kelanya Vihare, Sri Lanka.

Statues representing two figures carrying a 'pun kalasa' - S, 'Nirai Kudam' - T.

Garden blooms of 'Fairy Bells' for Christmas, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

I took this photo in our garden at Avissawella, Sri Lanka, a day before Christmas 2011.

Brown-headed Barbet, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The rather noisy Brown-headed Barbet (Polos Kottoruws - S, Kukkuruwan - T) seen eating unripe black-pepper berries. The Barbet makes a loud cry in the vicinity before it descends to quietly partake of its meal. It is rather a shy bird and flies away if disturbed. I took this photo in our garden at Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

New variety of coconut trees, Sri Lanka.

 

 My friend Capt. Jermyn Fernando got me five saplings of a new variety of coconut produced by the Coconut Research Board, Sri Lanka . The CRI claimed that they would produce fruits within five years and five trees would provide all the coconut needed for an average household for an year. I have a bee-hive in our garden. I have seen the bees pollinating the flowers of the tree. They produced fruits in abundance three years after planting. The bunches are so heavy that one of them broke off from the tree. We drank the contents of the  fallen fruits in its 'Kurumba' stage. We have now put additional supports for the heavy bunches of coconuts. My wife says that it was the 'evil eye' of the neighbors which caused the bunch to break off early. The first photo shows the tree heavy with fruits. The second picture shows the broken bunch at the foot of the tree.

Indian Cormorant, Habarana, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture over the lake adjoining the Habarana Lodge in 2010.
The following is a video I took of 'The Little Cormorant'. Both species spread out their wings after a dive 'to cool their blood in the breeze' according to some sources.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Lh1pGBtAU

A hut by the river, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka.

This beautiful setting is on the opposite bank of the Belihuloya Rest House. The place is popular with bathers doing the long trip to Katharagama from Rathnapura. Now there is a shorter but less scenic route through Embilipitiya and Udawalawe. The stream looks placid but is dangerous. A companion of mine got nearly drowned bathing here. He lost his sarong in the struggle and had to be given a towel to cover his nakedness before emerging from the water.