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Dambulla Giants Cricketers
Dambulla ( ''Dam̆bulla'', ''Tampuḷḷai'') is a city situated in the north of Matale District, in Sri Lanka's Central Province. It is the second largest populated and urbanised centre after Matale in the Matale District. It is situated north-east of Colombo, north of Matale and north of Kandy. Due to its location at a major junction, it is the centre of major vegetable distribution in the country. Major attractions of the area include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, sigiriya rock fortress located in the division and the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built in just 167 days. The area also boasts the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or Na Uyana Aranya. Ibbankatuwa prehistoric burial site near Dambulla cave temple complexes is the latest archaeological site of significant historical importance found in Dambulla, which is located within of the cave temples providing evi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dambulla Cave Temple
Dambulla cave temple (; ), also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, is a World Heritage Site (1991) in Sri Lanka, situated in the central part of the country. This site is situated east of Colombo, north of Kandy and north of Matale. Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers over the surrounding plains. There are more than eighty documented caves in the surrounding area. Major attractions are spread over five caves, which contain statues and paintings. These paintings and statues are related to Gautama Buddha and his life. There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of deva (Buddhism), gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and the Ganesha. The murals cover an area of . Depictions on the walls of the caves include the temptation by the demon Mara (demon), Mara, and Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Buddha's first sermon. Prehistoric Sri Lankans would have lived in these cav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kandy
Kandy (, ; , ) is a major city located in the Central Province, Sri Lanka, Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy from 1469 to 1818, under the Kingdom of Kandy. The city is situated in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic (''Sri Dalada Maligawa''), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Historically the local Buddhist rulers resisted Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial expansion and occupation. Etymology The city and the region have been known by many different names and versions of those names. Some scholars suggest that the original name of Kandy was Katubulu Nuwara located near the present Watapuluwa. However, the more popular historical name ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caves
Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance underground (such as rock shelters). Caves which extend further underground than the opening is wide are called endogene caves. Speleology is the science of exploration and study of all aspects of caves and the cave environment. Visiting or exploring caves for recreation may be called ''caving'', ''potholing'', or ''spelunking''. Formation types The formation and development of caves is known as '' speleogenesis''; it can occur over the course of millions of years. Caves can range widely in size, and are formed by various geological processes. These may involve a combination of chemical processes, erosion by water, tectonic forces, microorganisms, pressure, and atmospheric influences. Isotopic dating techniques can be applied to cave sediments, to determine the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rajendra Chola
Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as co-regent with his father in 1012 until his father died in 1014, when Rajendra ascended to the Chola throne. During his reign, the Chola Empire reached its zenith in the Indian subcontinent; it extended its reach via trade and conquest across the Indian Ocean, making Rajendra one of only a few Indian monarchs who conquered territory beyond South Asia. In his early years, Rajendra was involved in the Chola military, Chola Army, with which he fought in several campaigns against the Western Chalukya Empire, Western Chalukyas and the rulers of Anuradhapura, earning him his first victories. He quelled rebellions in the Chera dynasty, Chera and Pandya dynasty, Pandiya vassal states, and in Sri Lanka. As Emperor, Rajendra completed the conquest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raja Raja Chola
Rajaraja I (Middle Tamil: ''Rājarāja Cōḻaṉ''; Classical Sanskrit: ''Rājarāja Śōḷa''; 3 November 947 – January/February 1014), also known as Rajaraja the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola emperor who reigned from 985 to 1014. He was known for his conquests of South India, southern India and Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka, as well as increasing Chola influence across the Indian Ocean. Rajaraja's birth name is variously given as Arul Mozhi Varman and Arul Moli Varman. Rajaraja's empire encompassed vast territories, including regions of the Pandya dynasty, Pandya country, the Chera dynasty, Chera country, and northern Sri Lanka. He also extended his influence over strategic islands such as Lakshadweep, Thailand, Thiladhunmadulu atoll, and parts of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. His conquests weren't limited to the south; he also launched successful campaigns against the Western Ganga dynasty, Western Gangas and the Western Chalukya Empire, Western Chalukyas, ex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buddhism In Sri Lanka
Theravada Buddhism is the largest and official religion of Sri Lanka, practiced by 70.2% of the population as of 2012. Practitioners of Sri Lankan Buddhism can be found amongst the majority Sinhalese people, Sinhalese population as well as among the minority ethnic groups, most notably the Chinese people in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Chinese. Sri Lankan Buddhists share many similarities with Southeast Asian Buddhists, specifically Buddhism in Thailand, Thai Buddhists and Buddhism in Myanmar, Burmese Buddhists due to traditional and cultural exchange. Sri Lanka is one of only five countries in the world with a Theravada Buddhist majority, and others are Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Buddhism has been declared as the state religion under Article 9 of Constitution of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Constitution which can be traced back to an attempt to bring the status of Buddhism back to the status it enjoyed prior to the Dutch Ceylon, Dutch and British Ceylon, British colonial eras ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buddhists
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth-largest religion, with about 500 million followers, known as Buddhists, who comprise four percent of the global population. It arose in the eastern Gangetic plain as a movement in the 5th century BCE, and gradually spread throughout much of Asia. Buddhism has subsequently played a major role in Asian culture and spirituality, eventually spreading to the West in the 20th century. According to tradition, the Buddha instructed his followers in a path of development which leads to awakening and full liberation from '' dukkha'' (). He regarded this path as a Middle Way between extremes such as asceticism or sensual indulgence. Teaching that ''dukkha'' arises alongside attachment or clinging, the Buddha advised meditation practices and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anuradapura
Anuradhapura (, ; , ) is a major city located in the north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province and the capital of Anuradhapura District. The city lies north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malwathu Oya. The city is now a World Heritage Site famous for its well-preserved ruins of the ancient Sinhalese civilisation. While ''Mahāvaṃsa'' places the founding of the city in 437 BCE, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement on the island for almost three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Asia. It is the cradle of the Hydraulic Sinhalese civilisation, Theravada Buddhism, and the longest-serving ancient capital of Sri Lanka that has survived for 1500 years. Moreover, it was the first capital of the Sinhala Kingdom of Rajarata, following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara. Anuradhapura was also th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valagamba
Valagamba (Sinhala: වට්ඨ ගාමණී අභය, වලගම්බා), also known as the Great Black Lion, Vattha gamani Abhaya and Valagam Abha, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Five months after becoming king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India, but regained the throne by defeating the invaders fourteen years later. He is also known for the construction of the Abhayagiri Dagaba & Aluthepola Ganekanda Raja Maha Vihara. Accession to the throne Valagamba was the fourth son of King Saddha Tissa, the brother of Dutugamunu. His three elder brothers, Thulatthana, Lanja Tissa and Khallata Naga, ruled the country before him. A general of the army named Kammaharattaka (Maharattaka) killed Khallata Naga and seized power. Valagamba in turn killed Kammaharattaka and took over the throne in 103 BC. He adopted Mahaculika, the son of Khallatanaga, as his own son, and took Anuladevi, Mahaculika's mother, as his queen. He als ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs
The Ibbankatuwa Megalith#Tombs, Megalithic Tombs (Sinhala language, Sinhala: ඉබ්බන්කටුව මෙගාලිතික සුසාන) is an ancient burial site located near Ibbankatuwa Wewa, Ibbankatuwa Wewa in Galewela Divisional Secretariat, Galewela DS, Sri Lanka. The site is thought to belong to the megalithic prehistoric and protohistoric periods of Sri Lanka and is considered one of the several ancient burial sites that have been found in the country. The site is situated on the Kurunegala - Dambulla road approximately five kilometers southwest of Dambulla town. Currently, the tomb site has been designated an List of Archaeological Protected Monuments in Matale District, archaeological protected site in Sri Lanka. Discovery and excavation The Prehistory, prehistoric period of Sri Lanka ranges from 125,000 – 2,400 BC. The transition period between the end of the prehistoric period and the commencement of the historic period is known as the Protohistory, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Na Uyana Aranya
Nā Uyana Āranya Senāsanaya ( Sinhala: නා උයන ආරණ්ය සේනාසනය, meaning 'Ironwood Grove Forest Monastery') is a Buddhist forest monastery in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, associated with the Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā. It spreads over more than 5000 acres of forest on the 'Dummiya' mountain range and is residence to about 150 Buddhist monks. Nā Uyana is so named because of the old Ceylon ironwood forest that forms part of the monastery. History Ancient cave dwellings with Brāhmī inscriptions, as well as ruins of a small Stupa complex, have been found at Nā Uyana which date back to 3rd century BCE. The new stupa of the monastery is built on the location of this complex. One inscription states that King Uttiya has donated his pleasure grove to the Sangha. As Uttiya was the successor to King Devanampiya Tissa, during whose reign Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka, the ancient monastery at Nā Uyana seems to have been one of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mesua Ferrea
''Mesua ferrea'', the Ceylon ironwood, or cobra saffron, is a species in the family Calophyllaceae native to the Indomalayan realm. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental for its graceful shape, grayish-green foliage with a striking pink to red flush of drooping young leaves, and its large, fragrant white flowers. It is the national tree of Sri Lanka, as well as the state tree of Mizoram and state flower of Tripura in India. Vernacular Names In the Indian subcontinent, Mesua ferrea is known by various vernacular names. In Hindi and Sanskrit, it is called ''Nagkesar'' (नागकेसर). In Tamil, it is known as ''Vagai'' (வாகை); in Telugu, ''Nagakesaramu'' (నాగకేశరము); in Kannada, ''Nagakesara'' (ನಾಗಕೇಸರ); in Malayalam, ''Naagappoo'' (നാഗപ്പൂ); and in Bengali, ''Nagkeshar'' (নাগকেশর). Taxonomy The species was first publi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
