Travel Journal

  Sri Lankan sambar deer  ගෝණා   Sambar deer is the most common large mammal found in Horton Plains National Park in Nuwara Eliya. Sambar deer is native to South and South East Asia. Horton Plains became a Sambar deer hunting ground between 1831 and 1948 when the  Kandyan Kingdom came under the British in 1815. The original name of the area was Maha Eliya Thenna ( මහ එළිය තැන්න  - "great open plain"). When British discovered the central highlands they renamed after the British governor of Ceylon Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton. 

  The picture is of Ambasthala Dagaba in Mihintale, with Mahaseya in the background.   A moderate climb of 1840 steps to the top of Mihintale mountain peak take you to the Ambasthala Dagoba on the mountain plane. It is a small stupa which is surrounded by stone pillars on which a wooden roof once stood upon known as "vatadage". Vatadage is a circular structure built around a stupa where a wooden roof was built on decorative stone pillars.    This stupa has been converted to a  vatadage style stupa in the 2nd or 3rd century. Vatadage is a unique architectural style of ancient sri Lanka found in Buddhist religious sites.      The Ambastala Dagoba is built on the spot  King Devanampiyatissa of Anuradhapura saw Buddhist monk Arhat Mahinda  for the very first time. Arhat Mahinda was standing on the "Aradanagala" peak with his group of emissaries,above the summit the king stood.   Arhat Mahinda, Emperor Ashok...

  Aradana Gala is where the Arhat Mahinda arrived from India.   Aradanagala is a  boulder on the summit of Mihintale mountain. This is from where Arhat Mahinda addressed king Devanampiyatissa for the first time. King was  hunting deer below the rock in the mango forest on the mountain plateau. Arhat Mahinda, the missionary and son of Emperor Ashoka of India, came to Mihintale to officially inaugurate Buddhism in the country in 263 B.C. Ashoka became an emperor  in India 218 years after Lord Buddha passed away. He converted to Buddhism  after seeing the mass deaths of Kalinga war which he won. Emperor Asoka promoted the spread of Buddhism across Asia.    The historical meeting of Monk Mahinda and the king 2,329 years back is commemorated annually in June on a full moon day by Buddhists across the country with Mihintale being the focal point. They make an annual pilgrimage to Mihintale summit and other historical locations i...

  Mihintale temple is located 13 Km east of Anuradapura . This is the historic place where Emperor Asoka's son, Arahant Mahinda thero preached his first sermon to King  Devanampiya Tissa  in 236 B.C in Sri Lanka.  This historical event occurred on a full moon day in the  month of June. Mihintale is considered the cradle of Sinhalese Buddhism.   The first attraction the visitor see at the  temple premises is the ancient stairway at the foot of the  temple  premises  leading to the top of the Mihintale plateau. There are over to 1o00 wide steps to the top of the plateau and the climb is not very steep. Some steps are carved out of the rock and others ae granite slabs. You can also drive halfway up the mountain. However, the rock climbing experience is more rewarding with the view of the surrounding countryside as you climb up and the ancient attractions to see on the way up.   The path along the stai...

  World Rainforest Day This year, the theme of this day is ‘Protected Together. Now. Forever’. World Rainforest Day falls on 22 June 2021. The day is observed to raise awareness about preservation of rainforests.   Mahauskanda rainforest is a regenerated tropical rainforest bordering  Bambaragala forest reserve in Deniyaya, Rathnapura in  Sri Lanka. This land was a degraded  rubber estate  before the project to convert the plot of land to  regenerate a tropical rainforest by an environmentalist.   The reason to initiate World Rainforest Day in 2017 was to protect rainforests across the world as they are an integral part of the ecosystem. Rainforests play an important role in balancing climate change, providing fresh water and clean air to people. Deforestation, is the biggest threat to protect the forest reservation.   Attached picture is of Mahauskanda, captured in 2011.