{"id":3168,"date":"2019-09-09T10:15:30","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T14:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/?p=3168"},"modified":"2023-05-24T11:04:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T15:04:29","slug":"sri-lanka-part-2-cultural-triangle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/sri-lanka-part-2-cultural-triangle\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka \u2013 Part 2 \u2013 Cultural Triangle"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Introduction<\/h2>

We explored the Cultural Triangle, the center of Sri Lanka history, where we saw Buddhist statues and wall paintings in Dambulla Cave\u2026<\/p>

\"Buddhist<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u2026the millennial-old ruins of Polonnaruwa\u2026<\/p>

\"Polonnaruwa<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u2026the inner chamber of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy\u2026<\/p>

\"Inner<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u2026and the Elephant Wall in Anuradhapura.<\/p>

\"Anuradhapura<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

But it was not just cultural immersion. In between, we took breaks to cool off in the waterfalls of Sri Lanka with the locals.<\/p>

\"Young<\/a><\/p>

Our Story<\/h3>

My wife Khadija and I, with our friends Peter and Caitlin, were in Sri Lanka for a week, mainly in tea country<\/a>. By this time, we were over the jet lag and acclimated to the winding mountain roads.<\/p>

This post covers our travels in the Cultural Triangle, the area between the cities of Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura which have ancient ruins and restored temples. It was the home of Sinhalese royalty starting almost 2,500 years ago. Our route was from Gal Oya National Park to Kandy (2 nights) to Sigiriya (2 nights) to Anuradhapura (1 night).<\/p>

\"Map<\/a><\/p>

We travelled this segment by van with Suresh<\/a> (Email: sureshsanjeewa1978@gmail.com) who drove carefully from morning till night.<\/p>

\"Ed<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/h3>

Gal Oya National Park to Kandy<\/h3>

This was a six-hour drive, mostly through mountains. On the way, we saw this interesting clock tower with lions and elephants.<\/p>

\"Clock<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

On some stretches, Macaques monkeys were a constant sight.<\/p>

\"Three<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/h3>

Kandy<\/h3>

Kandy is the second-largest city in Sri Lanka. The city was established in the late 15th-century and soon became an independent kingdom. It stayed independent during the partial occupations of Sri Lanka by the Portuguese (1597\u20131658) and the Dutch (1659 to when they ceded their territory to England in 1802). It was not conquered because the mountain terrain and thick forest were very difficult for outsiders to penetrate. After many attempts over several years, the British finally occupied it in 1815.<\/p>

The city is on a plateau between multiple mountain ranges.<\/p>

\"View<\/a><\/p>

We stayed in the Sevana City Hotel<\/a>\u00a0in the city center. The owners told us harrowing stories about operating during the Sri Lanka Civil War and how badly it affected business.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic<\/h3>

This temple is the most famous site in Kandy and claims to hold a tooth of Buddha.<\/p>

\"Temple<\/a><\/p>

According to Sri Lankan legends, when the Buddha died in 543 BC, his body was cremated in what is now India. His left canine tooth was retrieved from the funeral pyre by a disciple, who gave it to a Sri Lankan king. The subsequent Sri Lankan kings claimed the tooth gave them the divine right to rule the island. It is fair to say that if the tooth was stolen or destroyed, the ruling government would collapse.<\/p>

In my travels through Buddhist nations, I discovered many sects of Buddhism had similar practices with Christianity. For instance, both religions claim to have relics from important figures. The life of Buddha, as with Jesus, is widely depicted in pictures and statues. There are also stories of miraculous feats like Jesus raising the dead and Buddha teleporting to Sri Lanka. Before learning this, I thought all sects of Buddhism were practiced in a more austere and less literal fashion.<\/p>

On certain religious dates, thousands of pilgrims come to the temple, as was the case when we were there.<\/p>

\"Hall<\/a><\/p>

The complex is large and with many finely decorated rooms and halls.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/h3>

Royal Botanical Gardens<\/h3>

The Royal Botanical Gardens are not in Kandy, but close by in Peradeniya. In the beginning, the gardens were only for royal families to enjoy, but now are open to the public. The gardens are the largest in Sri Lanka and are known for a wide variety of species. I particularly liked the building with the extensive collection of orchids\u2026<\/p>

\"Close<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u2026and the twisting, fish-tail looking pine trees which were occupied by hundreds of bats.<\/p>

\"Bent<\/a><\/p>

The Gardens were established in 1821 and are situated in a bend of a large river. The gardens are very well organized with detailed labeling of species. World-famous people such as Yuri Gagarin (first man in space), English King George V and Russian Tsar Nicholas II have planted trees here.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/h3>

Waterfall Country<\/h3>

Sri Lanka is home to hundreds of waterfalls, which is remarkable because it is a small country (40,000 square kilometers \/ 25,000 square miles, similar to the Netherlands and West Virginia). Many are difficult to get to, but there is a number around Kandy which can be accessed by an SUV or a tuk-tuk.<\/p>

Once I found out we could go to many falls, I was excited as I love photographing them. We used Roshan of Kandy Waterfall Hunters<\/a> who picked us up in two tuk-tuks from our hotel and efficiently took us to four different waterfalls in one day. Here he was in front of a house he is building to rent to tourists.<\/p>

\"Roshan<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The first waterfall we saw was the Huluganga Falls in the town of the same name, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Kandy. It is 75 meters (250 feet) high. There are platforms to mount a tripod for photos.<\/p>

\"Huluganga<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The stream that feeds Huluganga Ella Falls originates in the Knuckles Mountains, which can be seen in the distance.<\/p>

\"View<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Saree Falls was so named, perhaps with a lot of imagination, because it resembles a woman\u2019s saree.<\/p>

\"Saree<\/a><\/p>

The waterfalls on the Lebanon Estate are not as well-known as the others in the area and have no official names. Instead, they go by numbers. They are fed from a stream that runs through the estate and for many years were only known by the people who lived and worked in the area. Lebanon Falls #1 involves a walk over large rocks on a river to arrive at the top of the falls.<\/p>

\"Lebanon<\/a><\/p>

Bouncing over the large rocks is fun for some, while it is difficult for others.<\/p>

My favorite for the day was Lebanon Falls #2, which had natural beauty.<\/p>

\"Lebanon<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

It is also a popular swimming hole for local boys\u2026<\/p>

\"Local<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u2026and two sisters.<\/p>

\"Two<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The day was enhanced by traveling through terraced fields, tea plantations, and tiny villages where we saw local merchants\u2026<\/p>

\"Local<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u2026and a blade sharper.<\/p>

\"Man<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The most fun was seeing the children of a local school exercise to a classic Bollywood song<\/p>