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Sinhala & Hindu New Year - History, Culture, Rituals
2007-04-08 17:14:00
So the sun has circulated the earth one more time and once again it's the time of peace and love for the Sri Lankans. The Sinhala Hindu New Year is here.Thought of exploring a bit into the history, events and rituals regarding this major event of the people of this country. But found out an abundant set of information on the lankalibrary.comSinhala & Tamil New YearMythological and Astrological Conception of Sinhala & Hindu New YearNew Year - A National festival for Sri LankaCustoms & Ritual s of the New YearA Celebration of LifeMemories of a Bygone EraSocio-anthropological Significance of the New YearRecalling a New Year of YesteryearHow Tamils Celebrate the New YearThe Ayurweda System
More About: Culture , History , Stor

Traditional Sinhalese Marriage Rituals
2007-04-04 02:12:00
Marriage rituals in any culture carry with them certain established rituals and practices that are unique to it and these portray the underline values and beliefs of the people of that culture. Accordingly, the Sri Lankan Sinhalese marriage rituals has a history that spans across centuries and have been evolving through time with the basic concepts still being preserved. Though the laws and customs relating to marriages and especially pre-marriage stage have gone through major changes, the process of the wedding ceremony has retained most of its original rituals intact. Marriage itself was considered as one of the most important events of a person?s life and Sinhalese marriages saw the involvement of several integral aspects of life including religion, family structure, astrology, cast system and ancient beliefs. The involvement of religion, prominently Buddhism, in every major event of peoples? lives was the norm even in the weddings too. Marriages based on proposals being the...
More About: Marriage , Ritual , Arri , Traditional , Rituals

Traditional Sinhalese Marriage Rituals
2007-04-04 02:12:00
Marriage rituals in any culture carry with them certain established rituals and practices that are unique to it and these portray the underline values and beliefs of the people of that culture. Accordingly, the Sri Lankan Sinhalese marriage rituals has a history that spans across centuries and have been evolving through time with the basic concepts still being preserved. Though the laws and customs relating to marriages and especially pre-marriage stage have gone through major changes, the process of the wedding ceremony has retained most of its original rituals intact. Marriage itself was considered as one of the most important events of a person?s life and Sinhalese marriages saw the involvement of several integral aspects of life including religion, family structure, astrology, cast system and ancient beliefs. The involvement of religion, prominently Buddhism, in every major event of peoples? lives was the norm even in the weddings too. Marriages based on proposals being the...
More About: Marriage , Ritual , Arri , Traditional , Rituals

10 Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka
2007-03-18 17:52:00
01. The Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa)The most venerated religious place of the Sri Lanka n Buddhist people. Resting place of the tooth relic of Lord Buddha. 02. Anuradhapuraya The ancient capital of Sri Lanka. Monuments, statues, Stupas and remnants of ancient palaces tell the story of a proud history. 03. Polonnaruwa Famous for its stone sculptures and Stupas. 04. Sigiriya Considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. The palace on the rock constructed by king Kashyapa and famous for its frescos. 05. Dambulla The cave temples of Sri Lanka. A calm and a spiritual walk through the paths of Buddhism. 06. Horton Plains National Park The ideal place for camping among the wild life and the enchanting nature. The misty plains in the hill country. 07. Pinnawela Elephant Sanctuary A first hand experience of Sri Lankan elephants felt at arms length. 08. Unawatuna Beach Considered to...
More About: Places , Place , Visi , Visit

Why Why Why
2007-03-10 18:20:00
I found this list of cool questions in my inbox and thought i'd share them with you. Give them a serious thought, that'll wake you up.Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money?Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that...

The Misty Heaven - Horton Plains National Park
2007-03-08 23:32:00
Among the many reasons why Sri Lanka has become a centre of tourism, the diversity of its geological arrangement takes a prominent place. With sandy beaches around the country and lush green mountains towards the center of the country, Sri Lanka has a lot to provide for the aesthetic visitor arriving here. The Horton Plains National Park is one of the highly visited sites in the hill country of Sri Lanka due to various fascinations it has to offer including the unforgettable beauty of the diverse nature itself. Situated in the misty mountains in the midlands of Sri Lanka, Horton Plains was discovered by the English planter Thomas Farr and was named after the governor Sir Robert Wilmot Horton. The site is famous for its diverse collection of flaura and fauna, most of which are endemic to Sri Lanka, the world?s end, the baker?s falls and the footpaths circling the grasslands that are dispersed throughout the plateau. Situated 7000 feet above sea level, the area spans over 31...
More About: Nature , Heaven

Pirith Chanting Ceremony
2007-03-05 17:42:00
Been on a trip for two days now to the hill country in Sri Lanka. Got loads of things to share. But for the moment, the imminent arrival of the annual Pirith ceremony of my university made me ponder a little deep into the ceremony, one of the most significant religion-related cultural events in Sinhalese Buddhist society, and to explore some of the rituals and hidden facts involved in the event. Pirith chanting is a set of protective chants or rules sanctioned by the Buddha for the use of both laymen and bhikkhus. Pirith is regarded to have the capability to wipe out all forms of evil and bad luck, diseases and evil spirits to name a few. ?Pirith? or ?Paritta? - the word itself means the term ?Protection?. Furthermore, pirith is chanted in the hope of obtaining blessings of the ?Dhamma? ? the sacred words of Lord Buddha.During the ceremony, extracts from Pali texts are selected from the Book of Paritta (Pali-Pota). Rathana & Mangala are two of the suttas contained in Paritta. These...
More About: Ceremony , Anti , Chan , Chant

Dalada Maligawa ? the Procession
2007-02-27 17:37:00
It?s the time when the hill country of Sri Lanka goes wild with beaming crowds and colors of life. One of the most exuberant yet spiritual functions of the Sinhalese people and one of the major events of tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. The annual procession of the Sri Dalada Maligawa ? the temple of tooth ? witnesses the gathering of thousands of locals and foreigners in the city of Kandy in the month of July for this colorful experience. The history of the Dalada procession dates back to the time when the sacred tooth relic was brought into Sri Lanka, 4th century AC. It is recorded in the chronicles of Sri Lanka that the king of Sri Lanka had annually taken the sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha to Abayagiri Viharaya ? one of the leading Buddhist monasteries at that time in whole of Asia ? and was displayed for three months in the monastery. The decorations we observe in today?s procession were originally brought up with these initial processions and the traditions exist t...
More About: Procession , Lada , Proc , Sion , Process

Dalada Maligawa ? the Setting
2007-02-24 18:21:00
So it rested in peace in the beautiful hill country of Sri Lanka. With the Bogambara Lake beside and the majestic courtyard providing the royalty of a flaunting king, the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha now resides in the center of the royal complex with a highly ornate surrounding. The Maligawa (Palace) comprises of several stunning edifices that?ll catch the eyes of its visitors at a glance. With the central courtyard leading up to the palace, the first building to be witnessed which has been the trademark of Dalada Maligawa is the Octagon (Pattirippuwa). The passage is then led through a tunnel to reach the main shrine region passing by the hall devoted for the drum beatings during the daily offerings (thevava) to the relic. Classic paintings of the life of the Buddha and the related stories are depicted through out these tunnels which belong to the history of three centuries. The sacred relic resides in what is called the ?Vadahitina Maligaya?, decorated with mo...
More About: Lada

Dalada Maligawa ? the History
2007-02-22 17:56:00
Undoubtedly, it is the most venerated place of worship of the Sri Lankan Buddhists. One of the major tourist attractions in Sri Lanka and one of the most valuable treasures we have amongst us as it captures the detailed history and culture of Sri Lanka for more than 16 centuries. The story behind the tooth relic of the Lord Buddha runs back to the time of his passing away. Several texts written with regard to the tooth relic provides ample information about these interesting stories behind the incidents that took place after his demise. After the final rituals of the Lord Buddha, his remains were distributed to different parts of the Indian sub continent and the neighboring regions as relics to be honored by his followers, normally building monuments named ?stupas? where these remains were enshrined. Among these relics, the four canine teeth of the Lord Buddha were distributed into four regions, according to the texts, one to the sakra (king of gods), one to the nagas, one to ...
More About: History , Kandy , Lada , Stor , Hist

Sri Lankan Marine turtles
2007-02-21 18:11:00
Most of the Sri Lanka n sites the visitors to this country appreciate are based on the coastal areas with the stunning beaches this country has to offer. The foreigners often visit Sri Lanka to witness its beauty and the diversity it has within the 65525 square kilometers of land. The sea turtles of Sri Lanka are a vital part of the coastal eco system in Sri Lanka and a major attraction to the tourists visiting the coastal areas. The sea turtles have used the Sri Lankan coasts for a long time as their breeding grounds where they arrive at the coasts to lay their eggs. With a not so pleasant history, the turtles have managed to survive the onslaught that has been carried upon them by the humans and today we witness five categories of marine turtles in Sri Lankan coastal areas namely green turtle, olive ridley, loggerhead, leatherback and hawksbill. For the past two centuries, turtle hunting had been a major problem for the environmentalists of this country where the coastal pe...
More About: Turtles , Marine , Mari

Kalugala ? the spiritual haven
2007-02-17 17:30:00
Have you ever explored the spirituality of life or even been at the presence of a group who have explored it to the limits? Well can?t say I had before. But I had the chance to be in such a place last week; the ?Kalugala Meditation Site?. Situated in the border of Matugama in the Kalutara district this is the place for true spiritual freedom and it?s a must-go place for the Sri Lankans who seek first hand experience of the spiritual side of mainly the Buddhist monks, who meditate for hours at a stretch at this site. It had a surprisingly quiet environment around its premises with the site being situated fairly deep in the jungle with very few human inhabitants around other than those who serve the monks in their quest for spiritual liberty. Great caution has been taken to safeguard the quietness and the sanctity of the place where women are allowed only if they are clad in full garments. I got the impression that the monks have very little inclination in welcoming women to the sit...
More About: Spiritual , Ritual , The Spirit , Have , Spirit

Sirasa (Taka)Ran Depaya
2007-02-16 18:43:00
I?ve been long waiting to write something about the teledrama culture that?s been around for a while now here at home. I couldn?t post this on my other blog -A Week in Sri Lanka- since this doesn?t fit in to it. But hell I?ve got to write a lot about this just to get it out of my system. I sometimes wonder whether it?s too late now. Obviously I don?t think I could do much about it other than feeling relaxed about the fact that now I have made my voice heard to atleast some number of people. But the private media, especially Sirasa TV has made an irreversible damage to the Sri Lankan people, not only through the teledramas which I?m about to explore but through various other ways as well. Coming back to the teledramas, I should appreciate the way they have marketed their TV time and how they have succeeded in keeping people glued to their chairs, mainly during the evening hours from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. This is the time where mostly housewives and children flock around the TV se...
More About: Rasa , Paya

The Valentine Bluff
2007-02-14 17:39:00
I hate to have started this new weblog on February 14th, the Vale nti ne s Day. One of the days in the year which I hope never comes across Sri Lanka. Those who may not like the rest of this, bear in mind, this is not a single man?s opinion. There?s plenty who?ll agree with me on the rest of the content. I ran a quick search in wikipedia on ?Valentines Day? and came up with a lot of factual content in addition to most of the facts I already new. As all of you may know, the day was originally born as a tribute to Saint Valentine and today different countries celebrate the day with added value to it according to their own country. But generally it?s the day that?s dedicated to lovers and the day most lovers express their love to each other. It?s what the world does on this day and Sri Lanka is no exception. I?m not against the concept of Valentines Day nor am I such a stone to be devoid of feelings. But seeing the mockery going around this day here in our own country makes me ver...
More About: The V , Bluff

ÃYUBÕWAN ? Welcome to the Paradise Island
2007-02-14 17:32:00
Ãyubõwan, to all those who are visiting this weblog today and to all those who?ll visit this in the future. For some time I?ve been thinking of starting a weblog for the sole purpose of making the world see what Sri Lankan identity is all about, even if it is in a very infinitesimal context since humbly accept that I won?t be able to achieve a whole lot through such a simple weblog. It is my intention to make these thoughts reach out to people who are not Sri Lankans so that they?ll find the beauty of this paradise and its people while I always cherish the readers from home as well. I?ve been maintaining a weblog on Sri Lankan politics and current affairs under the title ?A Week in Sri Lanka? and often found a great deal of things I wanted to say which didn?t fit in to the content of that blog in which case I hope that this weblog will provide me with that opportunity. So let me start this with the very description of the title itself ? ÃYUBÕWAN. It?s no news for the Sri Lankan...
More About: Island , Paradise Island , Paradise , Para , Come