My Sri Lanka journey.With a little detail and according to the chronology of my stay there.It would probably be a 4 part post,with Part 1,2 and 3 according to the chronology and the final part with my views on Sri Lanka and on certain issues.So behold,your computer may lag due to photos and this will be a LONG post series!!
I hope you all enjoy!!
Note:I took 410 photos for this trip.Mostly through the window of the bus.Some will have watermarks (the Chong Yong photography thing...),some will not.Not all photos will be posted too because some contain my family members in them.Just to protect their rights.
Since the original tree in Bodhgaya had died,this tree in Sri Lanka is the original Bodhi Tree left and a sapling from it was taken to be planted in various places such as Brickfields Temple in Kuala Lumpur and the original tree site in Bodhgaya.It is said that the spot where the tree is planted in Sri Lanka was planted with Bodhi trees from the original place (also Bodhgaya) by all the Buddhas that have come down aeons ago.
Also,in the constitution of Sri Lanka,the President is to protect the Buddha's relics and this Sri Maha Bodhi with his life.Hence,he has 5 botanist with 2 coming to check this tree every week with reports and findings to give to the President regarding the tree.Also,Mr. Amara told us that in 2004 all the Bodhi trees' (original and the ones surrounding them) leaves fell down for no reason and walls surrounding the trees and temple all cracked.Everyone was on alert with the President,botanists and monks knowing that Sri Lanka would face something serious.No one knew what was coming.A week later,the worst tsunami struck the Indian Ocean killing many innocent people.
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It was just only 3 weeks ago that I left Malaysia for an amazing journey at an unknown land.For the record,this would be the third country I have actually visited outside Malaysia besides Singapore and Australia that is.
It's rather expensive to travel anywhere these days even though Air Asia is there to provide cheap air fares.So around somewhere in the middle of this year,my mum said to me:
"I registered our names at temple for the trip"
"What trip?"
"Sri Lanka"
Sri Lanka.At that moment in time,all I can think of is of an island.Somewhere near India.People there are somewhat like India but much more developed.And the fact that the civil war there was just over.Million of thoughts wondered through my head thinking what will I see when I head down there.At some point,I just can't wait to leave.Heck,it's my first overseas (as in over Malaysian seas that is) trip in 8 years!! I'll jump at once at it!! And it's with temple group and it's chief monk,so a whole new experience all together for me.At some point,I stopped all the excitement because I think back.Sri Lanka.The people are kind of poor.Perhaps like India? Or a little better off?I wasn't sure.Then,I came to think how would accommodation and food there be like.Especially at one point where I recalled that my mum got a bad diarrhea in India.
With mixed emotions,thoughts with an intrigued feeling,before I knew it,I was leaving on a jetplane.
DAY 1-From LCCT to Sri Lanka International Airport.
Flight was scheduled for 6.15 am.At 11pm,I was finishing up all the scheduled posts.Could not really sleep then because at 3.00 am,I would be leaving Subang for LCCT.After blogging and chatting a little bit,I finally slept at 11.30 pm then woke up at around 2 am for a cuppa and a shower.Before I can even clock the time I got dressed,I find myself with the luggages and my back pack heading towards a cab,with a new adventure ahead.At LCCT,my parents and I waited for the temple group and the chief monk,Venerable Saranankara to arrive.Then,once everyone was here,we all checked in our luggages and head to the departure lounge.After that at 5.45 am,we board Air Asia.The plane took off at 6.15 am sharp.
Since Sri Lanka is 2 hours and 30 minutes behind Malaysian time,leaving home at 6.15pm would mean we arrive there at 9.15 am (it was a 3 hour flight).However,there it was only 7.15 am.As though we just gone back in time.Anyway,7.15 there is as though it's 9.00 am in Malaysia with the sun shinning so bright.And Sri Lanka International Airport is as advance as KLIA.
Reverend Ananda (I hope I'm right!) feeding one.He asked me to feed one as well.
This would be a nice photo if someone didn't stand at the back.
From there,we board a bus and got to know our tour guide,Mr Amara,and we head off for breakfast in a hotel in Colombo which faces the sea.It was a great place with sandy beaches and very,very friendly Sri Lankan squirrels.After breakfast was a 4 hours bus ride from the city of Colombo to Anuradhapura,with the bus driving through vast agricultural lands and from Anuradhapura was another 2 hours 30 minutes journey with some sightseeing via the bus ride and a short stop at a tea garden before the bus heads to the city of Habarana where we stayed at a mountainous are for 2 nights.
It was only then,through the window of the bus,where my unanswered question and thoughts began to be answered.Sri Lanka is a developing nation,though not really developed yet,its condition is not as bad as India.People there are still poor but their lives are improving and a strong middle class is rising among the people.Though poor,education is free and one could see many school children on the streets or outside the school grounds once school ends at 1.30 pm.
It was only then,through the window of the bus,where my unanswered question and thoughts began to be answered.Sri Lanka is a developing nation,though not really developed yet,its condition is not as bad as India.People there are still poor but their lives are improving and a strong middle class is rising among the people.Though poor,education is free and one could see many school children on the streets or outside the school grounds once school ends at 1.30 pm.
Tea Garden Scene Shot.
The Scenery facing the Tea Garden.
Sirigiya Rock Fortress (photographed via bus window).
While sightseeing,we saw the Sirigiya Rock Fortress.This fortress is an ancient palace with swimming pools and its at a height of 500 feet!! The frescos here at the fortress is beautifully painted since the old times and still last till' today.We were supposed to climb to see this fortress but Mother Nature decided that it should rain heavily.So only 3 people went to climb that place (and halfway they had to stop due to terrible thunderstorms occurring at the fortress's peak.
From 5.30 pm onwards everyday,Sri Lanka would like how Malaysia looks at 7.30 pm.It gets dark so fast,so what more to do then to retire to our beds,have some tea while watching TV and getting a nap before dinner? And the rest is history.
A random through the bus window shot.I love this shot.
Second day was where we continued our journey or little tour again but this time we visited and got down to see several places.First off,we travel by bus to Anuradhapura from Habarana (where we stayed).The 2-hour journey started out pretty well,with everyone energized from a good night's sleep.Again,people tried to take naps.I was with my camera,looking out trough the bus window,trying to get some shots.We were heading to one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka.The Sri Maha Bodhi.This place is where the branch taken from the original Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya,where the Buddha sat,meditated and gain enlightenment was planted.Oldest tree ever recorded with it dated as planted in 288 BC.
Maha Bodhi
Since the original tree in Bodhgaya had died,this tree in Sri Lanka is the original Bodhi Tree left and a sapling from it was taken to be planted in various places such as Brickfields Temple in Kuala Lumpur and the original tree site in Bodhgaya.It is said that the spot where the tree is planted in Sri Lanka was planted with Bodhi trees from the original place (also Bodhgaya) by all the Buddhas that have come down aeons ago.
Maha Bodhi and the Buddha
Also,in the constitution of Sri Lanka,the President is to protect the Buddha's relics and this Sri Maha Bodhi with his life.Hence,he has 5 botanist with 2 coming to check this tree every week with reports and findings to give to the President regarding the tree.Also,Mr. Amara told us that in 2004 all the Bodhi trees' (original and the ones surrounding them) leaves fell down for no reason and walls surrounding the trees and temple all cracked.Everyone was on alert with the President,botanists and monks knowing that Sri Lanka would face something serious.No one knew what was coming.A week later,the worst tsunami struck the Indian Ocean killing many innocent people.
Bodhi tree leaves.Known as Ficus religiosa (religious fig I guess) start from red leaves before turning green.
Whether you may believe or not,I feel amazing and grateful to go here.Especially with our group being able to actually enter and see the original tree which is usually open only to monks,botanists and important people in Sri Lanka.This happen due to the close relationship between our tour guide,Mr.Amara and the chief monk of the Sri Maha Bodhi temple.I somewhat feel energized when I was here.Don't know whether it was just me or the Maha Bodhi.
It is said when the world ends,the places where the Maha Bodhis are (Sri Lanka and India),will be the last to be destroyed.When the whole world starts anew,it will be the first place to flourish with lotus flowers coming out according to the number of the Buddha for that point off time.
Mr. Amara in action as usual with the temple group.
Brazen Palace with the replica.
After that,are just more sightseeing.Near the area where the Maha Bodhi was stood a place called the Brazen Palace,a 1600 stone column monument.It used to be a multistory palace like building for monks to stay back in 2 Century BC but now all's left is a replica and the columns.Later,we head to another place nearby where the oldest stupa or Dagoba as the Sri Lankans call it known as Thuparama Dagoba which houses the collarbone of the Buddha.Sadly,we didn't have the time to go down and explore as restoration work was going on.So the place was closed and we only saw it only through the bus window.
After that was just lunch and afternoon leisure for all of us.Some people decided to go for the Ayurvedic massage while my family decided to go for an Elephant ride.It was my first time riding an elephant and my last.This is because seing the Elephant having to put a metal-seat-like-thing on its back,carrying 6 people and it being chained on the leg and neck wasn't really something I would think of doing on a elephant.It was as though cruelty to animals.I was so glad when the ride ended and gave it bananas to try eliminate my quilt about the things I just said.Anyway,the elephant ride was basically just a tour around a really nice lake while the guide showing numerous flora and fauna.Also the elephant went close to a waterfall to have a drink then it head us back to where we came from.
Later that evening was just the usual thing that includes dinner,sleep and some battery charging.And did I mention the food is just great.They have nearly everything you see in a hotel buffet meal.Had yogurt,marshmallows with chocolate sauce and ice-cream for nearly every desert.
The elephant we sat on,named Rani.
Later that evening was just the usual thing that includes dinner,sleep and some battery charging.And did I mention the food is just great.They have nearly everything you see in a hotel buffet meal.Had yogurt,marshmallows with chocolate sauce and ice-cream for nearly every desert.
Anyway,that's all for now.Have to stop here or it'll get too long.Stay tuned for Part 2.
