Some Valuable Comments about our service on Trip Adviser

Some Valuable Comments about our service on Trip Adviser 

Certainly we are very happy to received these kind of reviews from our clients & honestly all these came from through very hard team work specially the all the chauffeurs.who did their best to make satisfy each group individually & It is not an easy  task.

Thanking for all the contributors !!!

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Pidurangala sanctuary & King Kashyapa’s Temple- Sigiriya,Sri lanka

Pidurangala sanctuary & King Kashyapa’s Temple- Sigiriya,Sri lanka

Sri Lanka is blessed with such a variety of archaeological sites of historical and cultural value that the visitor is often spoilt for choice. While the grandeur of the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa is difficult to surpass, there are lesser-known sites like Pidurangala in Sigiriya, Ritigala, Namal Uyana etc., which are overshadowed by the grandeur of the Sigiriya rock fortress.This frequently stems from the fact that many of these sites lie off the beaten track, are on a smaller scale, and encircled and even encroached upon by jungle.

Located down a dusty gravel track off the road leading to the Sigiriya rock fortress, the Pidurangala monastery was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th Century A.D. There is said to be a strong connection between Sigiriya and Pidurangala. Although Sigiriya was his kingdom, King Kashyapa’s religious center was at Pidurangala.


When King Kashyapa discovered Sigiriya, there was supposed to have been a monastery where bhikkus lived and meditated on the lower levels of the rock. Kashyapa is believed to have built a new aramaya (monastery) for these bhikkus at Pidurangala before he started work on the Sigiriya fortress. Spread over 13½ acres the monastery gave sanctuary to over 500 meditating bhikkus, complete with the five major ritual buildings- the Chapter House, Image House, the Bodhiya, Chaitya and the Sangharamaya. 

The View of Sigiriya from Pidurangala:

Photo: From Mr.Dennis Kopp

‘Pidu’ means donated or gifted and ‘rangala’ means golden rock. Although its origins date back to the same period as the Sigiriya rock fortress, this site does not share the same glamour and renown despite being located just a short distance away from the Sigiriya Rock fortress. Not even ten percent of visitors who flock to the Sigiriya rock fortress spare even a glance at this ancient shrine. Most don’t even know it exists. Not even Sri Lankans!

Therefore the ‘Discover Sri Lanka’ team and I headed towards Pidurangala to place this hidden site on the map of Sri Lanka's historical sites, so that future generations and tourists will be aware of its existence and its connection to the Sigiriya Rock fortress.

On our visit to Pidurangala, our guides were Telson Fernando, Manager Operations of Serendib Leisure Management, and Kularaja Abeykoone from the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. Our host hotel- Hotel Sigiriya provided plenty of food and water, as well as a team of assistants to carry our television equipment.

The climb to the top of Pidurangala was much more challenging than I expected and I even had a ‘helper’ to carry my bag of ‘stuff’ because most of the time I needed both hands to crawl my way up.

Along the way, we found huge rocks with steps cut into the stone, where the monks meditated at the summit. Those monks must have been gymnasts to ascend these rocks.

I tried my luck and must have looked a sight because I had to crawl up like a crocodile on all fours, and the descent was a nightmare. I was not even wearing my boots after having learnt my lesson by wearing them (as a snake repellent) during the coverage of The Elephant Gathering in Minneriya.

Crude stone steps along the way lead to the rock cave temple. We also had to creep under huge overhanging rocks and I felt so sorry for the boys laden with our TV equipment.

Finally when we reached the summit, it all seemed worth it. The view was breathtaking and there was a large rock cave about 200 feet in length inside which was a statue of the reclining Buddha- 48 1/2 feet in length. This is said to be the largest reclining Buddha image in the world, built of clay and brick.

Unfortunately, the original head and upper portion of the statue had been destroyed by treasure-hunting vandals. However, thanks to the Department of Archeology the statue has now been restored.

The head of the image faces the east, towards the Sigiriya Rock. It could be seen from beside the famed Lion's Paws at Sigiriya. Legend has it that King Kashyapa worshipped this statue twice a day standing by the Lion's Paws and that the maidens bearing flowers depicted in the famed Sigiriya frescoes face the Buddha image at Pidurangala, giving the impression that they were making their way there.

Towards the feet of the sleeping Buddha image, the cave is divided into twelve sections which had been used as meditation cells or ‘Kutis’ by the monks. These Kutis built of earth and stone are now ruined.

Paintings on the walls and ceilings were often a feature of caves inhabited by monks. And though there had been such murals at Pidurangala like the Sigiriya frescoes which once adorned the ceiling of these caves, they have long since disappeared due to the elements of weather, lack of care and maintenance as well as the destruction of modern day vandals.

Article By Ms.Sharmini Serasingha

The Island of Mannar

The Island of Mannar

There exist many legends and beliefs regarding the History of Mannar. It is believed that King Vijaya and his retinue had landed in Sri Lanka at this site and that a bride from Madurai was transported between A.D. 505 and 543 across Mannar. (There is also a belief that they had com e here from the area known as Kudiramale, situated at the edge of the Wilpattu Wildlife reserve). Another folk-tale claims that King Ilanaga had escaped to Kerala due to enemy invasions, through Mannar. The Mahawamsa mentions that during the era of Kakusadha Budun, a Bo-tree had been planted at Mahathiththa.

The Mannar Island which occupies an area of 1505.4 square kilometers, has been known historically by names such as, “Manthei”, “Mathota”, “Mahathiththa”, “Mahaputu” “Mawatuthota”. Mannar displays a similarity to the dry desert climate.

There are two main roads leading to Mannar. One is the road passing through Anuradhapura and Madwachchiya, along which 80km should be travelled to reach Mannar. The other is the recently opened road through Puttalam, Eluankulam, Silawatura and the Wilpattu National Park

Venkalai Bridge and the Bird-sanctuary

The Venkalai bridge connecting the Mannar Island is the longest island built in Sri Lanka. This bird-sanctuary is located on either side of the bride, between Paliyanthiv and Thirikenilwert, and is 4828 hectares in extent. This place which is a sanctuary of Migratory birds is a haven for about 200 types of birds. Siyakkaraya, Kabiliththa, Ranpath tharawa, Ul peda Tharawa, Petamathabatta are the main types. Apart from them, very rare species of animals have made this place their home, among them are, the Geta Kibula, and Muhudu oora. Mangrove plans and stretches of sand are found all over the Venkalai Sanctuary.

Thiruketheeswaram Kovil

Thiruketheeswaram Kovil is one of the famous Kovils built to worship God Eeswara. The others are the Muneshwaram kovil in Halawatha, Koneshwaram Kovil in Trincomale and Rameshwaram of India. This Kovil is situated near the A-32 road. There is a legend that the Kovil was built by Mayan, Ravana’s Uncle, while it is also believed that Rama had worshipped at this temple before travelling to India with Seetha. Another belief among the villagers is that a Brahmin of King Vijaya had worshipped at the temple. The temple is one of the legendary sites where Eeswara had performed many miracles.

Donkeys of Mannar.

Donkeys had been imported to Mannar from Somalia for daft purposes. These donkeys were transported to Puttalam and Kalpitiya too. They can still be seen in herds in the area.

Agriculture in Mannar.

The rainy season of Mannar is only two-months long. The day is much longer too. This climate is favorable for paddy-cultivation. Most of the cultivation is done using rain-water while 24,000 acres are nourished by the water of the Yada Wawa. The red-mixed Latirus soil is perfect for paddy cultivation, while the Data of the Agriculture department show that 170 bushels of paddy are obtained per acre.

Mannar Fort.

The Mannar Fort had been built by the Portuguese. After 1696, the Fort has been controlled by the Dutch. The English captured the fort on October 05 th, 1975. The Mannar port could be described as port that linked Sri Lanka to the world. Details about the Mannar port and fort are found in a stone inscription at Thamanhil island. Presently, the island is controlled by the Sri Lanka police.

Biobas tree.

The Biobas is a huge tree found on the Mannar island. The largest Biobas tree in Mannar is found about 2km from the entrance to Mannar island. The Biobas tree had been the favorite food of Camels brought to the island for draft.

Urumale beach

Urumale is a beautiful beach situated on the annar island. On a clear day, the light of the light-house situated in Rameshwaram, India could be seen at Urumale. The only place in Sri Lanka from which another country could be seen is the Urumale beach. The closest beach to India is the Urumale beach. The sand-hills of the Adam’s bridge which the legendary Hanumatha had used are seen at Urumale. A variety of fish are present in this sea-strip. Beautiful corals are also seen. Presently, this sea-strip is under the control of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The Doric Tower

The Doric has been erroneously mentioned as the Dutch Fort by a few journalists and authors recently. Some of these have provided photographs of it. This mistaken identification seems to be due to few reasons. Though many knew about the existence of the Dutch Fort in Arippu, most of them were ignorant of the existence of a British mansion in the area. Also the lack of frequent visitors is the main cause of this ignorance. In some extreme cases the Doric was mentioned as a Portuguese mansion and the palace of a legendary queen Dona Katerina.

Photos from Mr.Doric /Sources:Sancharaya Blogspot

Lets Go Jaffna

Top 10 Tourist Attractions to visit in Jaffna

Jaffna is situated on the northern tip of Sri Lanka and has a predominantly Tamil population and considered as a cultural capital of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The locals of Jaffna are indeed wonderful and friendly people and making a trip to this beautiful part of Sri Lanka should be a priority on anyone’s travel plan. Now the peace seems to be back. But the city will need a lot of time and money to regain its glory.

Below are Top 10 must visit places in Jaffna

      1)      Jaffna Library

The Jaffna library was one of the best in Asia before being burned down by some Sinhala extremists. Now most of it is restored and it is open for public viewing. It is one of the monumental buildings in Jaffna and very close to the town.

2) Jaffna Fort

Situated on the south side of the Jaffna peninsula at the water’s edge of the lagoon, the ancient fort in Jaffna is the second largest existing fort in the Island. Originally built by the Portuguese in 1619 and re-built and expanded by the Dutch during the second half of the 17th and the 18th centuries to facilitate trading activities of Sri Lanka’s northern region indicate not only of Jaffna’s strategic importance to Europeans but its significance throughout Sri Lanka’s history.

3) Nallur Temple

Nallur Kandasamy Kovil is Jaffna's premier place of Hindu worship. Nallur Kandasamy Kovil characterised by a golden arch and elaborate gopuram attracts hundreds of pilgrims and worshippers. The present building of the kovil goes back to the eighteenth century. The original temple said to go back to the times of the Tamil kings was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1620 and stood on the site presently occupied by St. James Church about a quarter mile from the present temple. This temple is a place of the most important religious festival on Jaffna's Peninsula. It last 26 days and finish on the first day of August's full moon. Don't forget to try out ice creams from the famous ice cream shop (Lingam Cool bar) nearby when you visit there. The Nallur kovil is about 1Km from the Jaffna town.

4) Sangilean Thoopu

During the existence of Nallur Rajadhani, last king of the kingdom of the people in the northern part of the country was Sankiliyan.But with the arrival of the Portuguese rule in Sri Lanka the fall of the kingdom was inevitable. This arch is found in the land where the earlier Tamil King Sangiliyan's Palace stood. Now there is an entrance-arch, but this is said to be part of a later Dutch building. The Sangilean Thoopu is about 2.7 Km from Jaffna bus stand.

5) Nainatheevu

There are boat services available and the boat ride is an enjoyable way to visit the island. The Island is a bit far from Jaffna and it will take around 2-3 hours to get there, depending on the availability of the boats.

Naga Pooshani Ambal Kovil

Original temple was built by a rich foreign trader who received blessing from Goddess Ambal Devi when passing by in the sea, was demolished in the sixteen century by Portuguese. However Ambal statue was hidden by locals and temple was rebuilt in 18 century. The actual gopuram was added in 1933.Many parents bring their new-born babies to this temple seeking the blessing of Goddess Meenkashi (wife of Shiva) to whom this temple is now dedicated.

Nagadipa Purana Vihara

This Temple is one of the three places in Sri Lanka where Lord Buddha has visited so Nagadeepa viharaya is an important destination for Buddhist pilgrims. Purana Vihara were constructed by the two warring Naga kings, Mahodara and his nephew Chulodara, at the site where Lord Buddha during his second visit to Lanka - five years after attaining Enlightenment - intervened and mediated in settling a dispute over the possession of a gem-studded throne; This precious throne which was offered to the Buddha, was returned by him to the Naga Kings and was later enshrined in stupa located next to the temple.

6) Kandarodei / Kadurugoda Temple

There is an ancient Buddhist historical place called 'Kandarodei' situated in the midst of Palmyra trees near to Chunnakam and it is 8 Km away from Jaffna Town. There are small dagobas numbering 61 scattered over about 1/2 acre land. Those small structures are constructed with ash-coloured stone. Some dagobas have only the foundation. A Buddha statue, Bodhisaththva statue, a stone scripture and some coins believed to be in the 1st and 2nd centuries were found in this area. They are preserved at Jaffna museum.

7) Casuarina beach

One of the best beaches in the Jaffna peninsula, the shallow waters and the very gentle waves making it an ideal for safe sea bathing. You can a long way toward the sea in the clear blue water and a great place to visit to have a break during your travels. There are houses for rent if you want stay in this area, and it is around 15 Km away from Jaffna Town.

8) Charty Beach

This clean prestige beach is situated in Allaippiddy, which is located some 23 Km North of Jaffna Town.

9) Keerimalai/Naguleeswaram Temple

Keerimalai is renowned for its natural water spring where illnesses and sicknesses are cured miraculously after bathing in it. Only a stone wall separate the pool from the sea but the water is fresh water coming from a spring. There is a Hindu Temple called Naguleeswaram Temple is situated near to the Keerimali pond and is very popular among Hindu’s. The nearest place is Kankeesanthurai and situated northern tip of the Jaffna peninsula around 15 Km away from Jaffna Town.

10) Dambakola Patuna

An ancient port in Sri Lanka, this is where Sangamiththa theraniya landed while bringing the Bo saplings used at Sri Maha Bodiya. There is a temple and a statue of Sangamiththa theraniya.The Tamil name of this place called Mathagal and situated around 20 Km from Jaffna Town.

The ingenious Puppet & Mask Museum in Ambalangoda

The ingenious Puppet & Mask Museum in Ambalangoda

Many travelers come to Sri lanka and miss this hot spot of Sri Lankan tourism, the Mask & Puppet museum Ambalangoda. This museum arguably most interested in both local and foreign travelers. There are few galleries of this museum.

 The city of Ambalangoda is famous for making these kinds of masks in Sri Lanka.

So that most of these are made by the artists from Ambalangoda. Unfortunately there are only 3 families who know about all the techniques beyond the wooden Puppetry industry in Ambaalangoda. But they want to rescue this tradition rather than losing it. The mask of King Mahasammatha (the first king of the world), gara yaka, Maname masks, Riri Yaka and so on are exhibited in this gallery. They are giant, curious and beautiful. Various puppets are hanged on raftings can be touched and enjoyed. Marvelous clothing painted with fabrics and sewn with sequins and beads will astonish you.