SRI LANKA ~ Hummanaya - Kudawella ~

... Beautiful postcard to complete the wonderful "Unseen Sri Lanka" series... a rare and spectacular natural site... the blowhole has always been one of the main attractions in the Deep South. ...it is regarded to be the second largest in the world.... sometimes when the wind conditions are favourable the water sprouts up to a height of 30m... even from far away, one can hear the sounds of the blow hole... Big thanks dear Ravindra for so many amazing postcards showing your  "paradise" island!! (✿ ♥‿♥) ➞ Discover the World on Trains

Hummanaya is the only known blowhole in Sri Lanka. Meaning of the word “Hummanaya” is the distance a sound of "hoo" can be heard. It is located near to the  small fishing village called Kudawella.

Hummanaya is a natural blowhole, and caused when sea water rushes through a submerged cavern and is pushed upwards. The sea water flows underneath the shore, and then comes out of this hole due to pressure.

The water fountain created by the geological feature shoots up every couple of minutes, depending on the nature of the sea, with the spray often reaching as high as 25 m (82 ft) to 30 m (98 ft).

Stamp:

Hummanaya blowhole
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Kudiramalai Point - Wilpattu National Park ~

... Great postcard from the "Unseen Sri Lanka" series... beautiful sunset of a place filled with unique landscapes located in the largest and oldest national park... this natural harbour opening into the Gulf of Mannar is most famed for its pearl fishing banks in the classical and medieval eras.... Thanks a lot Ravindra!! (✿ ♥‿♥) (but for me this is card nr11... I think one must be lost somewhere... I miss "Hummanaya Kudawella - Dikwella☹)

Kudiramalai also known as Horse Mountain is a cape and ancient port town located in North Western, Sri Lanka. It is recorded in the historical chronicle, Mahavamsa, as being the location where Prince Vijaya who set sail from India and landed in 543 B.C.

This national park  covers an area of approximately 1300 square kilometres.Wilpattu derives its name from an extensive complex of about sixty wetlands known as ‘Villu’ which is a feature not seen elsewhere in any of the other national parks in Sri Lanka. Villu’s are shallow natural lakes that fill with rainwater during the wet season and sustain wildlife during the dry months.

Stamp:

Kudiramalai Point
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Sir Frederick North's Bungalow - Arippu - Mannar Island ~

... Nice postcard nr10 issued by Sri Lankan post showing unseen places of natural beauty... part of the island's heritage... with the amazing history about the colonial rulers, harvesting and clearing all the pearls in the sea, using local and Indian slave labour... but time showed the ravages of nature on this building... sea breeze, corroded by the wind, washed by the rains and lack of maintenance were the key reasons for this... with great matching stamp... Thanks a lot dear Ravindra!!  \_(♥‿♥)_/

Used by Sri Lanka's first British Governor, Sir Frederick North (1798-1805).

It was built at the beginning of the 19thC  (between 1801-1804) to revive and supervise the pearl fisheries. Other than being used as the residence for the governor, it was later used by "other governors, government agents, and other officials, including superintendents of pearl fishery."

Doric was so named, due to the architectural design of the columns which was similar to the Ancient Greek Doric order style.

Reverend James Cordiner, then Chaplain to the British Military, writes in his Description of Ceylon that at the time, Doric was "undoubtedly the most beautiful building on the island and almost the only one which is planned according to architecture."

Stamp:

Sir Frederick North's Bungalow
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Govinda Hela - Siyambalanduwa ~

... And beauty nr9... a protected forest...  has probably the largest number of Ebony Trees in a single location... with rocks of all sizes... during the British ruling time given the name "Westminster Abbey"  to commemorate the famous Westminster church in London... from the top you have a magnificent view of the Gal Oya basin... Big Thanks once more dear Ravindra!!【ツ】
"Best wishes with your new home! May you enjoy wonderful times and create a lifetime of memories.♥"

Govinda Hela  is the highest point in the Gal Oya region, standing at 573m and is located next to Siyambalanduwa  in Uva province.

It is believed to have been used as a fortress by the Rohana (one of the three main kingdoms of ancient Sri Lanka) chieftain named Bhuvanekabaahu somewhere during 1215 – 1236 AD. This dominating monolith lies somewhat beyond the protected area, towards the South East in the Siyambalanduwa region directly overlooking the Jayanthi Wewa reservoir.

Stamp:

Govinda Hela
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Fort Hammenhiel - Jaffna ~

... Great postcard nr8 from the wonderful serie "Unseen Sri Lanka"...  set in a beautiful location... it stands on a rock and is surrounded on all sides by the sea... Fort Hammenhiel is an old restored dutch fort and former prison converted in a boutique hotel by the Sri lankan Navy....a unique place to stay... with as always nice matching stamp... Big Thanks once more Ravindra!! ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

The Hammenhiel Fort is a small island at the entrance to the Jaffna Lagoon between the islands of Kayts and Karativu.

The fort was built by the Portuguese in the 17thC to guard the entrance of the lagoon of quarried coral and was named Fortaleza Real (Fort Royal). After a 3 month siege, the The Dutch captured the fort in 1658 and renamed it as Hammenhiel (Heel of the Ham) and was rebuilt by them in 1680.  It had been used as a store of gunpowder in nine large dungeons and later as a prison.

Stamp:

Fort Hammenhiel Jaffna
 (Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Queen's Tower-Delft National Park ~

... And here great postcard nr7... a strange looking square chimney-like tower... a remnant of the bygone colonial era when the island was an important outpost for the Portuguese and Dutch... dating back to the 16th century... Big Thanks once more Ravindra!!(✿ ♥‿♥)

Delft island is situated in the Palk Strait, northern Sri Lanka.  It is the biggest of the seven inhabitable islands. This 8km long and 6km wide island is basically flat and surrounded by shallow waters and sandy beaches.

The Queen's Tower is a tower built by Dutch during their rule in Sri Lanka. It was used as a navigation point by the Dutch and British.

Delft became a national park on 22 June 2015 with an area of 1,846 ha.

Stamp:

Queen's Tower - Delft Island
 (Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Senanayaka Samudraya - Gal Oya National Park ~

... Postcard nr6 from the wonderful serie "Unseen Sri Lanka" and a new National Park... a stunning peaceful view of the largest man-made reservoir in Sri Lanka providing water, habitat and livelihood for man, birds and beast... Gal Oya National Park is most famous for swimming elephants and it is the only national park offering you the great experience of a Boat Safari in Sri Lanka... Thanks so much Ravindra!! \_(♥‿♥)_/

Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Gal Oya at Inginiyagala in 1950. This giant reservoir is bordered by the rising mountains of Inginiyagala.

This reservoir that irrigates the dry lands of the east of Sri Lanka, remains a glorious testament to the most ambitious irrigation development project undertaken immediately after the Independence.

Stamp:

Senanayaka Samudraya - Inginiyagala
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Mini World's End - Pitamaruwa- Madulsima ~

... One more breathtaking nature view (unfortunately damaged during traveling)... it's a viewpoint from where you can see all the Eastern province from the top of the hill... great postcard nr5 of the series "Unseen Sri Lanka" showing  places from different parts of the island which are lesser known by tourists... with matching stamp...Thanks a lot Ravindra!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mini World’s End is located at Madulsima close to Passara town at the southern end of the Knuckles range. It is a gulf and not less than 1250 feet in depth.

The place is called “Mini world’s end” as it resembles a smaller version of the “world’s end” drop situated at Horton Plains National Park.

Stamp:

"Unseen Sri Lanka"
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Lighthouse and Old Pier - Talaimannar ~

... Great card nr 4 from the series "Unseen Sri Lanka"... this time a coastal view with fishermen... the place where Sri Lanka and India almost meet... with nice matching stamp... Thanks a lot Ravindra!! ヽ(ヅ)ノ

The Talaimannar Lighthouse is located close to the Talaimannar Pier on Mannar Island in northern Sri Lanka. Built in 1915 by the British, the 19m white lighthouse has a round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery.

The Talaimannar Pier was the terminus of a ferry service to India across the very shallow Palk Bay. The ferry service was part of the Indo-Lanka Railway service, where passengers and goods were ferried between Talaimannar and Dhanushkodi on Rameswaram Island in India. The Talaimannar Pier is now mainly used by the Sri Lanka Navy and local fishing boats.

Stamp:

Lighthouse and Old Pier
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Wild Horses Sanctuary-Delft National Park ~

...Lovely card nr 3 from the series "Unseen Sri Lanka" with matching stamp... the only place where you can see wild horses in their natural habitat... they are bigger than a pony but smaller than the average horse... must say never thought to get a postcard showing horses... as being a "tropical" island I thought mostly of more exotic animals such as elephants. tigers, leopardsヅ ...Thanks once more Ravindra for another wonderful card of this series!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Delft’s Tamil name is Neduntivu. It was was named after the Dutch city of Delft by Rijckloff van Goens. He named the eight most important islands in Sri Lanka after Dutch cities, but the seven others now have domestic names.

The semi-arid tropical island is the biggest among seven inhabitable islands in the neighborhood, and its area takes around 50km2. The 8km long and 6km wide island is basically flat and surrounded by shallow waters and sandy beaches.

The island is home to about 450 horses, who are believed to descend from horses kept on the island from the time of Delft’s Portuguese occupation.

Stamp:

Wild Horse Sanctuary
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Sand Dunes - Pooneryn ~

... Great card nr 2 from the series "Unseen Sri Lanka" with matching stamp... this beautiful pearl-shaped island located in the Indian Ocean offers such a high diversity in nature... a view so totally different from the lush green tea plantations that I received recently... Thanks a lot Ravindra!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Pooneryn is located in the  North Eastern part of the country. These sand dunes can be seen after travelling towards Kawtharimunai from Poonerin in the Poonerin Peninsula.

It is a belt of low sandy terrain which extends from Pooneryn town on the mainland northwestward in the Pooneryn peninsula. As a result of the tidal currents and the small waves and wavelets combined with the dry windy southwest monsoon, this particular feature has been gradually developed. The sand is carried by the winds from southwest towards the lagoon side of the peninsula.

Stamp:

Sand Dunes
(Issued 02-12-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Bambarakanda Falls - Balangoda ~

...Great waterfall in an amazing setting... the tallest on the island... it is not a wide waterfall but drops as a thin line from a rocky outcrop... this is the first of 12 new postcards issued by Sri Lankan post showing unseen places of natural beauty... I already know for sure that 2017 will be once more a fantastic postcard yearツ... looking forward to see more...always special with a matching stamp...Thanks so much Ravindra!!\_(♥‿♥)_/

With a height of 263 m (863 ft) is it  the 299th highest waterfall in the world. The Bambarakanda Falls  lies in the Badulla District among a evergreen forest in the Kalupahana Area.

The fall is formed by the Uduweriya Haputale mountain and Kuda Oya, a tributary of Walawe River.

Stamp:

 Bambarakanda Falls
(Issued 02-12-2016)