http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/michaelasanda-1876406-greetings-sri-lanka1/

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; known as Ceylon before 1972 and as Taprobane among Greeks in ancient times, is an island country in South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India.Four Guardians, or Protectors: The native tutelary gods of Sri Lanka: Saman on Adam's Peak, Kataragama (Skanda), Upulvan (Vishnu), and Vibhishana. Kataragama: The Sri Lankan version of Skanda, an important god in Lanka and one of the Four Protectors of the island. Kataragama/Skanda is the Indian god of war, a son of Shiva and Parvati. His vehicle is the peacock, and he carries numerous weapons and other attributes (bow, spear, trident, etc

Wasgamuwa Peacock

Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) – the Quintessential PeacockYala National Park

Jewelry Box peacock hinestones home decoration craft table decor

PeacockYala National ParkColorful resin peacock fruit tray resin desk

The Sri Lankan Peacock Devil mask, Mayura Raksha, brings peace, harmony and wealth, according to the superstition.

Colorful mask in Ambalangoda

Nil Mahanel aka Water Lily aka Nymphaea Stellata was declared the National Flower of Sri Lanka on 26th February 1986

A boy jumping off on the Galle fort ruins during twilight scenery

A beautiful sunset landscape in southern beach of Sri Lanka

Wali-Kukula/Sri Lanka Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii) Fairly common endemic bird found in forests and dense scrubs from low lands to higher hills

Wali kukula or Ceylon Jungle fowl or Gallus Lafayetti, the National Bird of Sri Lanka

A Gemstone cutter at a antique shop in Galle Fort

Sri Lanka’s gem industry has a very long and colorful history.

Sri Lanka was affectionately known as Ratna-Dweepa which means Gem Island. The name is a reflection of its natural wealth.

Marco Polo wrote that the island had the best sapphires, topazes, amethysts, and other gems in the world

A mask maker crafting masks

Mr. Wimalasiri a mask maker in Ambalangoda in side a mask making place

A sandy beach scene in Bentota with tourist hut

The famous Rhumassala Temple in the headland facing the Unawatuna Beach

It is said amongst Sri Lankan people that having these in homes brings good luck and protection. They date back to pre-Buddhist times when Sri Lanka was an agricultural based society. This is a typical example of a Sinhalese ritual mask.

Gini Raksha (Fire Demon) subdues enemies and brings friendship and harmony.

Through years of civil wars, and hardships like tsunami's, the people of Sri Lanka have

maintained their unique

happiness, friendliness,

traditions, and culture.

A street vendor who sells cooked chickpeas around the streets of colonial Galle fort

Buddhist temple in Kalutara - Gangatilaka Viharaya

Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Dutchman's Pipe)

Epiphyllum oxypetalum flower

This is the Kadupul - the legendary flower of the Celestial Nagas. It is believed that when these flowers bloom, the Nagas come down from their celestial abodes, to offer them to the Buddha on the Holy Mountain Sri Pada. The strange fragrance, the midnight miracle, and the fact that flowers bloom in the season when people flock to Sri Pada, seem to add authenticity to this belief.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Dutchman's Pipe) is a species of cactus and one of the most cultivated species in the genus. It is also referred to as Night blooming Cereus

Kadupul flower is not a flower that you would see everyday. The rareness is due to its time of blossoming and it’s unique fragrance. The flower blooms at midnight and dies in the morning.

An entrance in the Galle fort Heritage site

An entrance with a traditionally

crafted door in an old house in

Galle

An old English style house balcony in Galle

Man riding bicycle in Galle

Dambulla cave temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a World Heritage Site (1991)

Dambulla cave temple

Dambulla cave temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a World Heritage Site (1991)

Fishermen at work in Bentota

group of stilt fishermen are fishing in southern beach in Ski Lanka

Garuda, the solar bird who is the vehicle of Vishnu. It is used in a Raksha Dance (Demon Dance) to frighten away the Cobra Demon. Garuda is decorated with enemy snakes, as if they were a sort of trophy. The dance is apotropaic, its purpose being to magically avert the real danger that snakebite poses to the villagers.

A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing semi aquatic rice

Butea monosperma (Palash, Flame of the Forest)

Butea monosperma (Palash, Flame of the Forest)It is said that the tree is a form of Agnidev, God of Fire. It was a punishment given to Him by Goddess Parvati for disturbing Her and Lord Shiva's privacy.

Tourists at the Galle fort ruins in Sri Lanka

People walking near a handicrafts shop in Galle colonial Town

People riding cycle in Galle fort - near a wall painting in the background

tourist walking in the streets of Galle

Mr. Dudly Silva Batik artist

Over the past several centuries the Indonesian art of batik making has become firmly established in Sri Lanka. The Batik industry in Sri Lanka is a small scale industry which can employ individual design talent and creativity.

Batiks incorporate many motifs and colours, some traditional, others highly contemporary and individual. Many display a vigorousness of design related to their origin. The material created by the batik-makers is used to produce distinctive dresses, shirts, sarongs and beachwear well-suited for tropical climes

Mr. Dudly Silva Batik artist

Batik

An old Dutch style bread

baking fire place in Galle

Sigiriya lion's rock

Sig

iriya

lio

n's

ro

ck

Sigiriya lion's rockThe Lion Rock Citadel Sigiriya

stands high above the

surrounding plain, visible for miles in all directions. The rock rests on as

steep mound that rises abruptly

from the flat plain surrounding it. More than 100

meters above the ground level in a natural pocket of the rock, which

has been protected for 14 centuries from

rain by an overhang, we

enjoy the sight of bare breasted

apsaras (celestial nymphs),

Tamarindus indica, leaves, pod

walking during the sunset in Beruwala

A vendor displays a Video CD

Niyagala Gloriosa Lilies are a climbing member of the Lily family, Synonymous with suicide in Sinhala

Niyagala Gloriosa Lilies

A mosque and the lighthouse inside the Dutch fort in Galle

Fisherman walking in a sandy beach with boats

Wali kukula or Ceylon Jungle fowl or Gallus LafayettiJungle fowl the National Bird of Sri Lanka

Fishermen push their boat

Plumeria (common name Frangipani) is a genus of flowering plants. It contains seven or eight species of mainly deciduous shrubs and small trees.

Sri Lankan train

Tea picking

Hindu Devotess engaing in kavadi at a Vavuniya temple

Hindu temple in Colombo

Text and pictures: Internet

Copyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu

www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Merwin Perera-Oba Dedunna Akasaye