SRI LANKA ~ Abhayagiri Dagoba - Anuradhapura - UNESCO ~

... Another lovely view of the sacred City of Anuradhapura...  a complex of ancient Buddhist dagoba ruins...  a photo of restoration work at the Abhayagiri Dagoba at the Abhayagiri Monastery... the works started in 2008 and and it took till 2015 to get it done due to lack of funds... it's the second largest stupa on the island... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】

The 75 meter high Abhayagiri stupa was constructed in the reign of King Vattagamini Abaya (commonly known as King Valagamba) in the 1st Century BC.

According to the 5thC traveler Chinese monk Fa-Hsien’s descriptions, this stupa has been 400 feet (122 meters) in height and has been decorated with gold and silver and studded with all kinds of jewels.There also has been a 20 foot (6.1 meters) high Buddha statue made out of green jade.


Stamps:

Vesak
(Issued 28-04-2018)

2X Vesak (Issued 09-04-2018)

SRI LANKA ~ Mural - Kelaniya Temple ~

... Lovely wall painting of Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamali bringing the Gautama Buddha's tooth relic hidden on her hair to Sri Lanka... this Buddhist Temple is a famous pilgrimage spot in Sri Lanka where it is believed Lord Buddha once visited... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】

Photograph of Wall painting in a public premises at Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara painted by Solias Mendis. The murals are those of the 18th century and the early 20th century.

The murals depict various stories about the Buddha and the aspects of the philosophy he preached.

Kelaniya Temple is located in the city of Kelaniya on the banks of Kelani River.










Stamps:

Ambalam of Sri Lanka
(Issued 23-03-2018)

2X Vesak
(Issued 09-04-2018)

SRI LANKA ~ Trincomalee ~

... Pretty views of a few landmarks... this port city is one of the oldest known cities in Asia and has a recorded history of more than 2.500 years.... it's one of the largest natural harbours in the world which has long been of major strategic importance throughout the islands history, being held by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the British.... with beautiful beaches for surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching...  the hot springs are also a major tourist attraction...Trincomalee is considered a very sacred place by the Tamil and Sinhalese... it has both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance... Big Thanks once again dear Ravindra!! (✿ ♥‿♥)  (still searching for the coins you asked forツ)

© Lasantha Lakmal
Trincomalee is a port city situated on the east coast of Sri Lanka and the biggest city in Eastern Province. Trincomalee is an anglicized version of the Tamil word Tirukonamalai (which means "lord of the sacred hill"); it is a hill situated in the end of a natural land formation that resembles an arc. It is one of the main where Tamil is spoken at large scale.

View of the colourful Koneswaram temple. Surrounded by the dramatic Swami Rock and Gokarna Bay, the classical-medieval complex is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

Ravana’s Cleft (or ‘Lovers’ Leap’) at Swami Rock is the name of this natural rock formation stems back from the legend of King Ravana who when moving the colossal rock dropped his sword because of god Shiva, which fell and created the dramatic parting in the rock.

Stamp:

2X The 100th Anniversary of the All Ceylon Moor's Association
(Issued 02-12-2013)

2X  Ambalam of Sri Lanka
(Issued 23-03-2018)

SRI LANKA ~ Stupa of Lankarama - Anuradhapura - UNESCO ~

... Great view of one of the smallest ancient Stupas in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura... an ancient Buddhist complex with temple and dagoba ruins... it is situated in an area known as the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka...Thanks a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】

Lankarama is a stupa built by King Valagamba, in an ancient place at Galhebakada in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura. Nothing is known about the ancient form of the stupa, and later this was renovated.

The ruins show that there are rows of stone pillars and it is no doubt that there has been a house built encircling the stupa (vatadage) to cover it. The round courtyard of the stupa seems to be 3m above the ground. The diameter of the stupa is 14m. The courtyard is circular in shape and the diameter is 406m.

Anuradhapura became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.


Stamp:

Ambalam of Sri Lanka
(Issued 23-03-2018)

SRI LANKA ~ Adam's Peak ~

... Breathtaking mountain view before sunrise... this sacred mountain has something incredibly unique about it... a pilgrimage for every religion of the island... Muslims and Buddhists, Christians and Hindus...  a depression in the rocky summit resembles a huge footprint, which has been venerated as a sacred sight from ancient times...  this was identified by Buddhists as the Budha footprint, by Hindus as that of Shiva, and by Muslims as Adam's... later the Portuguese attributed it to St. Thomas the Apostle... pilgrims from around the world have come here for more than 1,000 years to to climb the 5,200 stairs reaching more than a mile into the sky... where else on earth do so many religions join together as one for a festive and spiritual journey? Maybe this makes it a real "holy" place...  the surrounding region is largely forested hills and a wildlife reserve... housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic species... Big Thanks Ravindra!!(✿ ♥‿♥)

© Lasantha Lakmal
Adam’s Peak (or Sri Pada) with its 2,243 meters height is the most remarkable mountain in Sri Lanka, despite of not being the highest one. The mountain is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands. In the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province.

Stamp:

Vesak
(Issued 09-04-2018)

SRI LANKA ~ Aradhana Gala Rock - Mihintale - UNESCO ~

... Impressive rock view of a significant historic place for Sri Lanka Buddhism... Mihintale is popularly known as the cradle of Buddhism... there’s an ancient ceremonial stairway of 1840 steps cut into the rock, which leads up the mountain.. .even during very windy weather pilgrims do not fail to visit this rock, which has iron railings to help them to climb... the view from the peak are just stunning... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

The sacred rock Aradhana Gala (Aradhana Gala) is located in the town of Mihintale (Mihintale) near Anuradhapura in the north-central province of Sri Lanka.

 Aradhana Gala, where the Arahant Mahinda landed. Which faces Maha Seya is on a summit of a hill. It is believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.  In the ancient books such as the Mahavamsa it is written that Mahinda came to Sri Lanka by travelling through the air. He came down and landed at Sri Lanka on the top of the Aradhana Gala.

Stamps:

The 100th Anniversary of the All Ceylon Moor's Association
(02-12-2013)

National Independence Day
(04-02-2018)

Olympic Games - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Issued 21-07-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Thuparamaya dagoba - Anuradhapura ~

... Once more a sacred place of sri lankan Buddhism... a calm and quiet, respectful place of worship... located in the heart of Anuradhapura... the first stupa to be built in the country after the introduction of Buddhism to the island... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!(✿ ♥‿♥)

Built in the time of king Devanampiyatissa (250BC – 210BC) this was a stupa as well as an Aramic complex (monastery).

The stupa is built in the shape of a bell. Its dome is 3.5 meters tall from the ground and its diameters measures 50.1 meters. It has been destroyed many times, but always rebuilt by different Kings throughout history. At one point, the stupa was covered by silver and gold until the Pandyans from India robbed plundered it.


Stamp:

Olympic Games - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
(Issued 21-07-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Monkeys - Relaxing Time ~

... A bunch of playful monkeys... troops of monkeys are a common sight on the island and from the days of the Monkey King Hanuman who is believed to have come from India to Sri Lanka in search of Sita in the popular epic Ramayana, these animals have been a part of its people for generations blending in with their culture and history... with as always an interesting selection of stamps... Thanks a lot Ravindra!✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

© Lasantha Lakmal Sri Lanka has the greatest diversity of primates in South Asia. The island takes up only 1,5 % of the land area of South Asia countries where primates live. Still the island is home to 30% of all primates in South Asia with 13 or 14 subspecies.

The langurs are believed to be the descendants of the fire-wielding monkey god Hanuman, and are often treated as sacred beings. Hanuman langurs can be found across the Indian subcontinent, in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Stamps:

Moonstones, Guardstones & Balustrades
(Issued 12-12-2012)

World Kidney Day
Issued 08-03-2018)

National Independence Day
(Issued 04-02-2018)

Sustainable Energy for All
(Issued 20-03-2012)

SRI LANKA ~ Kandy by Night ~

... Nice city nightview... Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka is a major tourist destination... famous for the Temple of the Tooth and many other temples...  the city could be called the cultural capital of the island... steeped in tradition and history...one of the centerpieces of the town is Kandy Lake an artificial lake in the heart of the hill city...  built in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasing the last ruler of the Kingdom of Kandy next to the Temple of the Tooth... Thanks a lot Ravindra!! ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

© Lasantha Lakmal
Lying 115 km from Colombo, Kandy is Sri Lanka’s second biggest city and the capital of the central province. The busy town is situated in a valley at an elevation of 600m, inside a wide loop of the Mahaweli River and is surrounded by hills covered with tropical vegetation.

Once the capital of the Sinhalese Kandyan kingdom, it is now a mountain resort and market center for an area producing tea, rubber, rice, and cacao.

Stamps:
The 100th Anniversary of the All Ceylon Moor's Association
(Issued 02-12-2013)

World Post Day
(Issued 09-10-2017)

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

SRI LANKA ~ Unawatuna Beach ~

... Even tough postcard nr2 shows once more a beautiful peaceful beach, I read disturbing sad news about my "paradise" island... about communal violence involving members of the majority Buddhist Sinhalese community and minority Muslims... Facebook and other social media services were blocked or restricted across Sri Lanka on Wednesday afternoon to prevent the spread of anti-Muslim posts... The district of Kandy has been at the centre of the storm... Hope everything is OK for you Ravindra ☹... Thanks a lot!!【ツ】

Unawatuna is a coastal town in Galle district of Sri Lanka located  on the west coast of Sri Lanka and only 6kms from Galle Fort.


It is one of the biggest tourist destinations on the island and is the most “famous” beach, a  banana-shaped beach of golden sand and turquoise water, surrounded by green palm trees..







©Lasantha Lakmal

Stamp:

 Pigeon Island Marine National Park
 (Issued 22-08-2014)

Archaeological Society of Sri Lanka
(Issued 08-09-2016)

SRI LANKA ~ Panchakapaduwa Island - Aluthgama ~

... Two more wonderful postcards from the ☀Pearl of the Indian Ocean☀.. with lovely views of the Araniya Panchakapaduwa Buddhist Temple which offers spectacular views of the ocean. ... the island is covered by a dense jungle... a place where you can meditate under the guidance of the monks... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!❁◕ ‿ ◕❁ It surprises me too that you still find new fantastic postcard... I hope there are many more (◕‿-)!!

Photo: Juergen Schreiber © Lasantha Lakmal
Aluthgama is a coastal town situated in the western coast south of Colombo on the southern bank of the Bentota Ganga (River) mouth. The Araniya Panchakapaduwa is a temple on the northern tip of Paradise Island in Aluthgama, Bentota.

Stamp:

The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Baddegama Wimalawansa Nayaka Thero
(Issued 21-12-2013)

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

SRI LANKA ~ The Maha Raja Viharaya - Dambulla - UNESCO ~

... Beautiful Cave Temple view... these caves form the best preserved and biggest cave temple complex in Asia and the most impressive of Sri Lanka... they displaying a range of Buddha statues and beautiful artwork... all related to Lord Buddha and his life... the centre of pilgrimage and a sacred place for Buddhists and Hindus for 22 centuries.... it's the island's most popular historic site... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】

Photo: Juergen Schreiber © Lasantha Lakmal
Dambulla Cave temple is situated in the central part of the country. The rock towers 160 m over the surrounding plains.The history of the caves, rock and temple dates from the 1st century BC. There are five caves (shrine rooms) in Dambulla temple. All of these caves arc full of statues of Buddha and various personages of the Buddhist Order or History.

The Maha Raja Viharaya or Temple of the Great King (cave nr2) is 52 metres from one side to another, and 23 metres from the entrance to the back, with the sloping ceiling seven metres at its highest point. The entire surface of the cave is a mosaic of frescoes with so many themes and styles. This cave contains fifty-there images. The majority of the statues are of Buddha in different attitudes. Many of them are larger, but none much smaller than life

The Temple of Dambulla were declared as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1991.

Stamp: 

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

SRI LANKA ~ Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage ~

... Lovely view of a bathing elephant herd... ...🐘"The gentle giants of the jungle"🐘 .... this orphanage has had many mixed reviews about it... is it a tourist trap or a peaceful sanctuary??... after reading many articles about it I think it should be seen as a conservation project maybe not perfect but doing a lot of good work... there goal is to protect, rescuing and caring for the Sri Lankan elephant... an animal at the risk of becoming extinct... they saving baby elephants without their mothers... in most of these cases the mother had either died or been killed... the only problem is, they would not be able to survive if they go back in the wild...  you can follow the elephants' daily routine, including feeding time and their twice-daily bath in the local river... and to fund the conservation, tourism is necessary... Big Thanks dear Ravindra!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Photo: Juergen Schreiber - © Lasantha Lakmal
The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was started in 1975 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation on a twenty five acre coconut property on the Maha Oya river at Rambukkana. When the orphanage opened in there were 5 elephants, now there are 88 of them.

Asian elephants are known to be one of the most gentle and intelligent mammals. There are three subspecies of Asian elephant – the Indian, Sumatran and Sri Lankan. The Sri Lankan is physically the largest of the subspecies, and also the darkest in colour. They can be identified by their small, rounded ears and are quite a bit smaller than their cousins, the African elephants. They are about 3.4 m tall, can weigh up to 5,400 kg. and consume about 200 kg of foliage and grass per day and plenty of water for drinking and bathing.

Stamps:

2X Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

SRI LANKA ~ South West Coast Beach ~

... Beautiful withe-sand palm tree lined tranquil beach ☀... with a few local fisherman boats... known as the gold coast for the colour of its sand... and the beautiful turquoise blue sea... paradise does indeed exist... just imagine having this all to yourself... here it is another grey☁ and rainy☂  winter day... with as always a great selection of lovely stamp... Big Thanks once more Ravindra!!【ツ】

This is the area stretching south of Colombo towards Galle and was one of the first areas to be developed with lots of famous resort towns and hotels.

You find here gorgeous beaches, colonial towns, stilt fishermen, fantastic wildlife parks and Buddhist shrines and temples.





Ⓒ Lasantha Lakmal
Photo: Jergen Schreiber

Stamps:

Endemic Birds
(Issued 16-12-2017)

National Meelad-Un-Nabi, Muslim
(Issued 23-12-2017)

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

SRI LANKA ~Royal Botanical Gardens - Kandy ~

... Lovely view of the most impressive and largest botanical gardens in Sri Lanka... home to several species that are endangered or extinct in the wild... these stunning gardens were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan royalty... nowadays it attracts close to 2 million visitors annually...  the place for nature, trees and flowers lovers... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】

The Royal Botanic Gardens are located  near the Mahaweli River (the longest in Sri Lanka).  The total area of the garden is 147 acres (60ha) and dates back to 1371 with more than 4000 species of plants. Famous for its orchids collection, spices, palm trees and medicinal plants.  Attached to it is the National Herbarium of Sri Lanka.

Among the 10,000 or more trees found in the park, are the Giant Bamboo of Burma(40m-high) , the century old giant Javan fig tree, the Cannonball tree and a range of exotic palms.

Stamps:

The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Baddegama Wimalawansa Nayaka Thero
(Issued 21-12-2013)

United Nations Day of Vesak
(Issued 12-05-2017)

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

SRI LANKA ~ Spotted Deer - Yala National Park ~

... More animal beauty from Yala National Park... showing a herd of Spotted Deer looking into the camera... received already so many wonderful postcards with the animals living in this Park... and I love them all♥...  it's one of the island's most popular wildlife destinations... a must-see for safari enthusiasts... Dear Ravindra, I hope you have a wonderful time visiting the park... it must be awesome!! Thanks a lot!!(✿ ♥‿♥)

Yala National Park with an area 378 sq miles is situated in Sri Lanka’s south-east close to the Indian Ocean. Yala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and became a national park in 1938. There are four Gates to the Park.

Yala is home to 44 mammal species, 46 reptile species and 215 bird species 6 of which are endemic to Sri Lanka. Among its more famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, majestic elephants, sloth bears, jackals, sambars, spotted dear, peacocks, and crocodiles.

The Spotted Deer is the most common member of the deer family in Sri Lanka. It is found in most parts of the country except in the highest hills. Deer are seen, in the protected areas sometimes in large herds, as large as 30 – 50 females with a few stags. Spotted deer grow to a height of approximately 90 cm at the shoulder and can weigh up to 85 kg. Their life expectancy ranges from 20-30 years.

Stamp:

Endemic Birds of Sri Lanka
(Issued 16-12-2017)

SRI LANKA ~ Atha Mala Ella Waterfall - Morawaka ~

... Lovely Sri Lankan waterfall view... home to many waterfalls which ends their journey in the Indian Ocean from varies points of the island... surrounded by beautiful nature... wildlife and birds whose songs mix with the sound of rushing water... Ayubowan and Thanks Ravindra!!【ツ】

The source of the fall is the Deniyaya Gongala mountain range with a height of 52m.

It is said that this massive waterfall fed by the Nilwala River was on a Elephant Migration Path and an elephant fell to death off this 52 meter fall. Thus this waterfall was called Etha Mala Ella.









Ⓒ Vijitha and Lalana Yapa

Stamps:

The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Baddegama Wimalawansa Nayaka Thero
(Issued 31-12-2013)

2X United Nations Day of Vesak
(Issued 12-05-2017)

SRI LANKA ~ Reclining Buddha Statue at Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura ~

... Two lovely postcards showing typical Sri Lankan heritage sites... an ancient rock temple set in a beautiful surrounding... view of the sleeping Buddha  which has been carved out of the rock... this temple is both religiously and historically significant and still attracts thousands of pilgrims during Poson festival... Thanks Ravindra!!❁◕ ‿ ◕❁

"The Reclining Budha carved on the northern slope of the Thanthirimale rock"
Thanthirimale is an old village which lies in thick jungle in the Anuradhapura District. It is known for the ancient Buddhist temple Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara, situated in a nearby rock covered and built in the tird century BC.

There are five ancient Buddha statues, four of which are incomplete on the temple premises. The largest of these is the sleeping Buddha (photograph above) which has been carved out of the rock.

The remains of an ancient library have been found on the premises. A number of rock huts and caves, which have most probably been used for meditation by monks for centuries, have also been discovered on the site.

Stamps:

The 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations with South Korea
(Issued 14-11-2017)

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-09-2014)

SRI LANKA ~ Mihintale mountain ~

... Another peaceful view of a special pilgrimage site for many Buddhists... Mihintale is the place from which Buddhism originated in the country. ... the entire site has many interesting places of historical interest.... according to the legend it is here that Budha meditated... the panorama of the region is stunning... Thanks a lot once more Ravindra!!【ツ】

Mihintale, a mountain peak located near Anuradhapura. It is believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

 A stone staircase made of 1,840 steps has been built to climb the mountain. These steps lead to the summit in three phases. On the first plateau, the Kantaka Cetiya,  on the second plateau, vestiges of monastery buildings have survived. Then comes the third plateau, (985 ft),the object of special veneration.



Ⓒ Lasantha Lakmal

Stamps:

The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Baddegama Wimalawansa Nayaka Thero,
(Issued 31-12-2013)

2X United Nations Day of Vesak
(Issued 12-05-2017)

SRI LANKA ~ Ramayana Trail ~

... The ancient Indian epic poem "Ramayana" is one of the most important in Hindu literature... the epic is widely known and loved in South and Southeast Asia...  evidence of this mythological tale are found in various parts of the island... Thanks Ravindra!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

Ⓒ Vijtha and Lalana Yapa
The Sri Lankan tourism department has identified about 50 sites (temples, caves, gardens, mountains and heritage sites) that are said to be connected to the Ramayana that tells the tale of the Hindu god Rama, whose wife Sita was kidnapped by Ravana and taken to ‘sone ki Lanka’, or the golden kingdom of Lanka.

The Ramayana is one of the longest epic poems in Hinduism, with more than 24,000 verses. Although its precise origins are unclear, the poet Valmiki is generally credited with writing the Ramayana in the 5th century B.C.

The word "Ramayana", literally means "the march (ayana) of Rama" in search of human values.

Stamps:

Pigeon Island Marine National Park
(Issued 22-08-2014)

2X Endemic Birds of Sri Lanka
(Issued 16-12-2017)