Category Archives: Sri Lanka

A Train Ride Across the Highlands of Sri Lanka

Previous Post: Sri Lanka’s Horton Plains & the Hike To World’s End Sri Lanka’s ultimate train trip runs 290 kilometers from the capital all the way east to Badulla.  In his excellent blog The man in Seat 61,  train aficionado Mark Smith says that … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka’s Horton Plains & The View From World’s End

Previous Post: Hiking Sri Lanka’s Knuckles – To Meemure and Corbett Gap We were out of our hotel in Nuwara Eliya and on the road by 7:00 a.m. the next morning.  Our destination for the day: the hill station of … Continue reading

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Hiking Sri Lanka’s Knuckles – To Meemure and Corbett’s Gap

Previous Post: The Manigala Hike In Sri Lanka’s Dumbara Hills (The Knuckles Range)  The next morning our campsite on the banks of the Thelgamu Oya near Illukumbura provided those keen on photography with some beautiful river views.  My roommate and I … Continue reading

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The Manigala Hike In Sri Lanka’s Knuckles Range (Dumbara Hills)

Previous Post: Sri Lanka’s Dambulla Cave Temple – A Treasure Trove of Buddhist Art To the south of Dambulla – and to the north-east of Kandy – is one of Sri Lanka’s least-visited areas, the highlands area called the Dumbara Hills … Continue reading

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The Aukana Buddha: Sri Lanka’s Colossal Standing Rock Statue

Table of Contents The Standing and Reclining Buddha Figures of Polonnaruwa The Location of the Aukana Buddha The Aukana Buddha – Details and Views When Was The Aukana Buddha Made? The Aukana Buddha’s Mudra (Hand Position) Signs of the Original … Continue reading

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A Visit To The Ruins of Sri Lanka’s Ancient Polonnaruwa – Part Two

Table of Contents: Shiva Devale No. 2 The Pabalu Vihara Area The Three Rulers of Polonnaruwa’s Golden Age The Rankot Vihara Alahana Pirivena Lankatilaka Kiri Vihara The Gal Vihara Buddha(s) A Visitor’s Tip – Hire A Taxi For the Tour! … Continue reading

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A Visit To The Ruins Of Sri Lanka’s Ancient Polonnaruwa – Part 1

Last revised on October 15, 2022. Table of Contents: Previous Post: Sri Lanka’s Dambulla Cave Temple – A Buddhist Treasure Trove A Key Point In The Sinhalese Cultural Triangle Logistics: The Best Way To See the Site What I Did … Continue reading

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Colombo’s National Museum – Some of What You’ll See

Table of Contents: The Museum’s Location and History The Seated Buddha Figure At The Entrance The Ground Floor Galleries Depictions of Hindu Deities Buddha Figures in Various Styles The Art of Buddha Carving Explained Some Other Posts On Sri Lanka’s … Continue reading

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Seema Malaka: Colombo’s Serene Buddhist Island Vihara

It began with a pleasant early morning walk from my guesthouse (The Wayfarers’ Inn) on Rosemead Place in Colombo’s Cinnamon Garden District.  I walked along the path which traces the northern edge of a beautiful green space called Viharamahadevi Park. The previous afternoon I … Continue reading

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Buddhist Baroque: Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple

Previous Post: Seema Malaka: Colombo’s serene Buddhist Island Vihara To say I was overwhelmed does not even come close to capturing the initial breathless moment of stepping inside the main temple at the Gangaramaya Vihara complex.  I had just walked over after … Continue reading

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