Rajamaha Temple of Rangiri Dambulla

Rajamaha Temple of Rangiri Dambulla
Rajamaha Temple of Rangiri Dambulla (Golden Rock Temple) Located north of Kandy and considered by most to be the centre point of Sri Lanka. Dambulla is a town built around a vast isolated rock mass and a World Heritage City, declared by UNESCO.
The name Dambulla derives from Damba - Rock and Ulla - fountain. One sees the incessant drip of water from the fountain within the main image house.
This complex of caves at Dambulla is one of the most impressive Buddhist Temples in the world. It was here that King Vattagamini Abhaya (Valagamba) took refuge in the 1st century BCE. He later turned the caves into a rock temple. Later kings made further improvements, including King Nissanka Malla who had the temple interior gilded, earning it the name of Ran Giri - Golden Rock.
Dambulla Viharaya contains an abundance of valuable material from the very earliest times till the late eighteenth century, and shows the evolution of the Singhalese Buddhist art. Such vast material in one place, combined with a long history, is a rare find anywhere.
The temples contain 153 Buddha images, 3 images of kings and 4 images of gods and goddesses. There are also 4 main monasteries and it was within this complex that the monks began the militant nationalist movement against the British in 1848.

Ruvanveliseya

Ruvanveliseya
Every monastery has a dagoba. Ruvanveliseya is the dagoba of Maha Vihara. It was built by a Sinhalese hero King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century B.C. The architect ingeniously combined the Buddhist philosophy in the architectural conception. He conceived this as a bubble of milk: representing life, which will burst in no time just like the fragility of our lives. Its dome represents the vastness of the doctrine; the four facets of the box oh top represents the four noble truths. The concentric rings there after indicate the noble eightfold path that leads man to illumination. The illumination: the whole truth is light and transparent like the rock crystal at the pinnacle. The 1956's restoration curb on the dome is much to the chagrin of the purists: which looks flatter than bubbly.
Ruvanweliseya is opposite the museum. It was begun to house relics; priests from all over India were recorded as being present at the enshrinement of the relics in 140 BC. A huge dagaba, It is surrounded by the remains of lots of buildings. you can see the columns often no more than 500 cm in height dotted around in the grass underneath huge rain trees where monkeys play. The dome is 80m in diameter at its base and 53m high. A small passage leads to the relic chamber. At the cardinal points are four ' chapels' which were reconstructed in 1873, when renovation started. The restoration has flattened the shape of the dome, and some of the painting is of questionable style, but it remains a remarkably striking monument. Today, you may find watching the dagaba being "white washed"- an interesting spectacle.

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa
Throughout the 10th century Sri Lankan politics was marked by continual power struggles, regional revolts and civil wars. The south Indians took advantage of this instability to launch a series of invasions. In 954 Sena IV became king and took the decision to move the capital to Polonnaruwa, a large regional city which was much further east and thus much safer from invasions. Two of Sri Lanka’s greatest kings, Vijayabahu I and Parakramabahu I ruled from Polonnaruwa; the first for forty years and the second for thirty-two years. Both monarchs were great builders and these two men built most of the monuments the pilgrim sees in the city today. Another great builder was the Nissankamalla who also repaired or enlarged several temples and stupas built earlier. The ruins of Polonnaruwa are spread over a wide area in a north – south formation. We will start with those in the south and move north.

Sri Dalada Maligawa

Dalada Maligawa
The most spectacular Buddhist festival of the year, the historic Kandy Esala Perahera of the Sri Dalada Maligawa commenced on 27th July 2009, with the Kumbal Perahera and comes to a conclusion on the August 5th with the final Randoli Perahera. The day Perahera will be on the 6th with the water cutting ceremony (Diya Kepeeme Mangalya) at the Gatembe ferry.
This year, the route of the Kumbal Perahera was extended. It started from the Maligawa Square and proceeded along Dalada Veediya. D. S. Senanayake Veediya (Trincomalee street), Pansala Para, Deva Veediya, Srimath Bennet Soysa Veediya, Kotugodella Veediya, Raja Veediya and back to Maligawa Square.
With the planting of the Kap, the inner Perahera commenced on the 22nd by parading within the Sri Dalada Maligawa Complex and continued till 26th before it took to the streets with the Kumbal Perahera.
The perahera festival - an event of great historical and cultural significance - takes place annually in the charming hill capital of the country in the month of July/August. This event, known the world over as the Kandy Esala perahera, is not only a religious ritual but also a folk festival which provides an occasion for local artistes and multi-racial populace to exhibit their reverence and devotion to the Buddha and Gods and Goddesses such as Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini who with their divine blessings protect this country.