Appreciating Sri Lanka Natural Heritage

Appreciating Sri Lanka Natural Heritage

From the cascading torrents, the burbling springs, the gentle rivulets to the quiet pools and giant lakes the waters of Sri Lanka are home to a myriad of creatures of great diversity. Among them are the fresh water fish found only in this habitat and endemic to our country.

The Sri Lanka Telecom alender for 2007 portrays a journey into the little known world of fresh water fish showcasing a preview that illustrates in detail their exquisite beauty as well as the importance of helping to protect them and their habitat of future generations. Dr. Lester Jamen Pieris, Sri Lanka's veteran film director, commenting on the 2007 calender of SLT said, ' The calender is pictorially effective. The colours and the attention to detail are very pleasing, while serving as a source of knowledge.

Further elaborating on the artists appeal of the calender renowned film director Sumithra Pieris also commented, saying, Visually fish are very restful to the eye and to the mind. It is very artistic and appealing to nature lovers who could frame the picture later on as well as to children as means of learning about Sri Lanka's natural heritage. It brings out the message of conservation as well as creating awareness in a subtle manner. This heightens its aesthetic value.

Veteran actress Iranganie Serasingha who is also a renowned environmental conservationist said, ' my immediate reaction at having seen this calender is that this is a marvelous effort by SLT. It helps to create awareness. People will realise the importance of preserving what is unique to us, because once these creatures become extinct, we cannot get them back. The public fails to realise that everything is interconnected and if one pert of this chain is destroyed, then the whole cycle is affected. Artistically also the calender appeals to a cross section giving a sense of good feeling even after the calender life.'

Tea

Tea
Tea was firstly introduced in Ceylon (Sri Lanka known as Ceylon then) in 1824 at the botanical gardens at Peradeniya in Kandy.they were brought from China and later more were introduced from Assam in 1839.A Scottish planter call James Taylor planted tea seedlings on eight hectares of forest land which had been actually cleared for coffee plantation. Two years later blight destroyed the whole coffee corp. and the all planters had to turn to tea as a result of James Taylor’s encouragement.

The first sale of Looll kandara tea was held in Kandy in 1872, and exporting of Tea started with 23 pounds (approximately 10 kg) being shipped to London in 1873.

The first public Tea auction was held in Ceylon in 1880 and The Ceylon Tea Traders Association was formed in 1884.To extend the facility of research work and to improve the industry The Tea Research Institute was established at Talawakelle in 1925.
Growing of tea is classified by elevation in to three main Groups,

1) Low grown teas those grown bellow 550m
2) Medium grown teas those grown from 550 to 1220m
3) The high grown teas those grown from 1220m up to about 2500m

Quality tea should meet all the criteria a tea drinker would look for: such as Flavor, an attractive bright coppery or orange color, good liquoring properties, which give body or strength to the tea, and fragrance. All the type of Tea produced in Sri Lanka is flavored by different drinkers of worldwide.
The high grown verities, with their light taste, weak color and strong aroma are proffered by German and Japan.Medium grown teas with their good mix of liquor, color are popular in Australia, Europe and North America.Low grown teas with their thick taste and strong color are popular in Middle East.
Present day marketers have introduced verity of flavored teas in to the domestic and export markets.

Simple, Comfortable & unpretentious

Three words that summed up my experience dining at Insideout. Invited to indulge my senses in something different, little did I realize that I found the perfect place to unwind. One immediately feels at ease, closely followed by sense of elation at discovering a place where relaxation and homeliness is second nature. Tranquility is occasionally interrupted by the sound of world going on outside, but you know that you have found a place where you can take a brief reprieve, sink into the comfortable chairs and savour the breathtaking array of cuisine, be it Italian or Indian or just take in a warm cup of coffee. And if you are looking for something special then head straight for the wide variety of authentic, custom made ans electric mix of items - scented candles, tapestries, wooden picture frames, cups, plates and stationary - holding a little surprise that appeals to the connoisseur in all us. Insideout is about indulging your senses, rekindling old memories and shutting the world away for just a little while. One is almost tempted to keep its a secret, for such a place is a rarity. In fact it's hard to believe that the coffee lounge and restaurant is located in the outskirts of the city of Colombo. making it worth dropping by Insideout.

Pallebedda Sri Sankapala Purana Rajamaha Viharaya

The entire temple complex is dominated by natural boulder formations, interceded by shrines and prayer rooms,Monkeys are everywhere, curiously looking down at visitors who arrive here.

A brief, but steep, climb to the top of the natural path brings us to the pinnacle of the temple, where we come face to face with the white domed stupa. The viewe from here is impressive at it takes in much of the surrounding beauty made up of mountains and foliage.

The Venerable Karathota Dharmarama rejuvenated the spiritual presence of the temple during the kandyan period. The precursor of this rejuvenation was the gifting of the land by King Rajadhi Rajasingha to Venerable Dharmarama by the King, who was enlightened after reading a book in verse form written by Venerable Dharmarama while in prison.

The king was highly pleased with the spiritually - positive message of the book, and he bestowed Sri Sankapala Raja Maha Viharaya and the village of Pallebedda to venerable Dharmarama.

The king also bestowed on him the chief inumbent of Sri Padaya and low country Sanghanayaka status. The glory of the temple began with this incident, and it prospered thereafter until now.

The 14 caves scattered across the temple complex posses carvings and verses from Brahmin Scriptures. Among the relivs in the museum of Sri Sankapala Rajamaha Viharaya is a disa (district) flag, upon which the sun and the moon has been drawn, a vatapotha (round-shaped fan used by monks) with a handle made of ivory, a standing gold statue of lord Buddha with characteristics of the deed of Pallebedda Sankapala Viharaya, On the year 1786 B.C King Rajadhi Rajasingha gifted a deed to Venerable Karathota containing a land exceeding thirteen thousand acres, including the Sankapala Viharaya Pallebedda.

Creating a masterpiece

Been looking for intricate handicrafts that wil bring colour to your home? The search ends at Anusha Handicrafts.

In the land of serenity. it isn't out of the ordinary to find a statue of the Buddha in a Sri Lanka home. When it comes to having one of your own either as one's way of embracing all things Buddha or just wanting to have something to remember Sri Lanka by, then one needs to look no further than Anusha Handicrafts.

Filled to the brim, with knick knacks comprosing of smiling Buddha's antiques, collections items, jewellery made of wood. steel, coral and other raw materials. it is literally impossible to walk away empty handed.

It has a large selection of beautifully carved elephants, which are one of the most pipular handicrafts items at the store Carvings are available as single elephants or up to four in a row, varying in size from two up to forty inches, and are made of mahogany, ebony, teak, nadum, coconut as well as granite, brass, silver and oxidised metals.

The hallmark of the Sri Lanka handicrafts industry, masks reflect the traditional crafts skills as well as the cultural and religious values of the local people, Historically wooden masks with vibrant colours each with a duistinct characteristic and shape, were used for creative riuals and ex orcisms. Today masks are more commonly seen in religious processions, ttheaatrical and cultural concerts, making colourful and dramatic interior decor.

The magnificence of Sri Lanka craftsmanship is clear when one studies the Buddha statues, from the serene tranquility of his facial expressions to the details of his robes, carved to perfection. The status at the store are seated in meditation pose, standing. preaching and lying positions, and are made of wood, granite, brass, oxidised metal and bone. The size varies fro three to thirty inches.

Anusha Handicrafts also have as impressive selection of oter revered dieties including gods - Kataragama, Shiva, Ganesh, Krishna,Nataraj, and goddesses Saraswathi, Pattini, Lakshmi, Parvathi, Kali amma as well as Sai Baba. Awide range of Brassware, silverware and copperware are also available with the inclusion of unity items such as bowis, candle stands, vases, oil lamps, cutlery , dinnerware, decorative curios, wall plaques, jewllery and trinket boxes. The engravings on these are exquisite, using stylish motifs depicting local flora and fauna, human ans divine figures, Some are inlaid with copper or set with precious gems handmade to the highest quality and finish.

Tapping into the country's rich history steeped in culture and tradition, the store has successfully displayed these exotic crafts, the result of master craftmanship. whose age old skills have been handed down from one generation to the next, and are preseved to date, So if you are looking for your very own masterpiece, beckoning you to its doors is a store that has no qualms in spoiling its customers for choice.