Happy Diwali!!!!!

A festival full of sweet childhood memories,
sky full of fireworks,
mouth full of sweets,
house full of diyas and heart full of joy.
Wishing you all a very happy Diwali!

Rithika's Hideout, Sigiriya

Rithika's Hideout (RHO) & Wild Camping Holidays in Sri Lanka @ Sigiriya, truly an Eco friendly luxury accommodation opening in early 2014. 

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Food of Sri Lanka

Food of Sri Lanka is hot and spicy. Base food of the inhabitants of the island is rice which they consume with curry both veg and fish based. All the dishes are cooked on the base of coconut milk and flavored by liberal use of spices. Like all the people of coastal regions, the Sri Lankans are also expert in preparing fish dishes. Mallung, Sambol, Lamprais, Buriyani and Polos Pehi are some popular dishes of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans also like several juicy sweetmeats like Kavum, Halape, Thalaguli and Wattalapam. Sri Lankans also like to have drinks like tea and coffee.

Curry
Curry accompanies the dishes of meat, vegetables or fish. Number of spices, all roasted and then stone-ground come together to prepare these curries. Coconut milk forms the base of this curry. Fresh herbs and garnishes flavour these curries. Basic items like chicken, beef, mutton, eggs or vegetables are cooked in a thick sauce of coconut milk with all the ingredient spices. There is plenty of variety in fish curries across the region. The Sri Lankans have their own distinctive style of preparing fish curries. Southern ambul thiyal or sour fish curry is very famous. Vegetarian curries are prepared from very available fruit or vegetable like brinjals, beans, beetroot, carrot, banana flower, pumpkin etc. Curries in Sri Lanka are very hot. However, adjustments are made to suit the foreign palate. Ingredients of curries include chilli powder, fresh chillies, cinnamon, tumeric, curry powder, curry leaves, onions, garlic, ginger and coconut milk. 

Rice
Rice is the staple food of the Sri Lankans. Almost every household in Sri Lanka takes rice and curry as its main meal. Rice too comes in plenty of variety. Samba is a pearly rice consumed on special occasions. On festivals yellow rice is cooked on the base of coconut milk and delicately flavoured by spices. Kiribath or milk-rice is a popular festive dish. Large grained milchard variety of rice gives a slightly pungent smell when cooked.

Fish Dishes
People of coastal towns consume delicious fresh fish with prawsn, crabs and lobsters. Fried fish is eaten with chips and salad while fish curry is taken with rice. Sour fish curry is a popular dish of southern Sri Lanka. Tuna, seer and para fish are very popular among the natives of Sri Lanka. 

Popular Dishes
Mallung is fondly eaten with curries. Prepared from finely shredded green vegetables and dried shrimps, it is mingled with grated coconut and spices. Sambol is a spicy hot dish. Pol Symbol is a simple combination of grated coconut, onions, red pepper, lime and salt. Seeni Sambol is a juicy combination of Maldive fish preserve and spicy onion. The Sri Lankans are fond of eating wafers, pickles and chutneys with their food. Lamprais is a dish with unique flavour. Plenty of ingredients including curries, cutlets, sambols, special prawn paste, eggplant curry and rice are kept together in a banana leaf and baked. Buriyani is rice cooked in meat stock. Polos Pehi is a dish made of the tender fruit of the jak tree. Several juicy sweetmeats are also part of the island's cuisine. Kavum is a battercake made of ground rice and treacle. Halape is a blending of coconut, jaggery and floor. Thalaguli is a confectionary ball. Many Indian sweetmeats are also found in Sri Lanka, specially in Colombo and Kandy. Wattalapam is a mouth-watering dessert. Curd and treacle is also very much liked by the visitors. Scrunchy sandwiches, delicious biscuits, potato chips and sausages are used as snacks by the Sri Lankans. 

Fruits
Several varieties of fruits are found in Sri Lanka. One can enjoy fruits like mangoes, pineapple, water melon, papaya, woodapple, bananas (also known as plantains), and rambuttan (a fruit resembling lychees). Some of these fruits are found only in Sri Lanka.

Drinks
Sri Lanka is among the topmost producers of tea in the world. Usually, it is consumed with sugar and milk. Some people are fond of taking 'plain tea' which means tea only with sugar and without milk. Crushed ginger can add more flavour to the tea. The Sri Lankans also like to have coffee. Colombo is a place to enjoy really good espresso. Indigenous cold drinks in Sri Lanka are made of fresh fruit. Bottled carbonated branded drinks like Coca-Cola, Sprite, Pepsi etc. are also widely available. Carbonated drink brands Elephant House and Ginger Beer are very popular in Sri Lanka. People also like drinking water of young coconut. Cut fresh they are delicious and nutritious too. An array of locally produced and imported beers are also available. Two local intoxicating drinks are Toddy and Arrack. Toddy is made out of palm trees while Arrack is fermented and refined toddy. 

Girihanduseya Temple at Thiriyaya (World's first Sthupa ever built)

The Girihanduseya temple at Thiriyaya is considered unique as it is supposed to be the oldest Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka enshrined with the hair relic of the Buddha.
According to Buddhist annals two trader brothers Thapassu and Bhallika offered the first `dana' to the Buddha on the 50th day of His attaining Buddhahood.
The Buddha delivered an anusasana and having come to know that the glorious personality to whom they offered alms was the Buddha himself, they requested him for something for them to worship. The Buddha offered them a lock of hair from his head.
The jubilant trader brothers placed the hair relic in a golden casket and carried it with reverence wherever they went. Soon they set sail with a large consignment of cargo and having arrived in Lanka they anchored at Galwaraya now known as Kallarawa. The people lived there were `yakka'. The two brothers who met their chieftain spent the night on a hilltop where they placed the golden casket on a small rock and covered it with a white cloth.
The next morning to their astonishment they found that the golden casket was embedded to the rock. All attempts to retrieve the casket failed and they left the place having covered the casket with a piece of rock for safety.
The `yakka' chieftain who came to know about the Buddha began to worship the relic. Later he became a follower of the Buddha. Legend has it that king Wasaba (67AD) built the original stupa and also an irrigation tank which is known as Thiriyaya tank. King Pandukabhaya and king Devanampiyatissa also venerated this `stupa' till 412 AD, it is claimed.

The Girihanduseya is also known as `Neethupatpana' a `Pali' word meaning rock visited by trade leaders. King Agrabodhi Seelamega (733AD) built a bigger chetiya over the small one. Later foreign invasions followed and the people had to seek refuge elsewhere. The overpowering forest began to set in leaving the chetiya at the mercy of the elements.
It is believed that king Agbo (VI) (772AD) who stationed himself on the hilltop with an army completed the granite work and also built the `Watadage'.
The area became once again populated with the native Sinhala Buddhists but who too had to leave the area due to constant enemy conquest. Once again the temple fell victim to the thick jungle.It was however in 1929 that a group of surveyors discovered the Chetiya and observed several stone inscriptions. The inscriptions bore testimony to the true identity of Girihanduseya where Buddha relics were enshrined.

KONESWARAM, THIRUKETHEESWARAM & MUNNESWARAM HINDU TEMPLES IN SRI LANKA

KONESWARAM, on the summit of the Rock, known as the Swami Rock or the Three Swami Rock, was the “temple of unusual size and splendor, renowned through the whole of India,” the temple which was razed to the ground and despoiled by the Portuguese in 1624. Tirujnana Sambandar the Saivite saint of the 7th century AD features the temple in his devotional hymns. This is the earliest reference to the temple, which in point of time goes back to a far distant epoch.
The Pallavas of South India had considerable influence over the region, in the time specifically of the King of Ceylon, Manavanna (668—703 AD), as we learn from the Sanskrit inscriptions at Tiriyayi, 29 miles north of Trincomalee. From this and other related accounts, it is reasonable to conclude that the Pallava kings bestowed much attention to the temple dedicated to Koneswara and enlarged it considerably. From references to the “Thousand Pillared Mandapam,” it was obviously a shrine of magnificent proportions.
The Chola and Pandyan kings maintained the traditions of royal patronage. The inscriptions at the archway of Fort Frederick with the insignia of the double fish symbolism of the Pandyan kings, are eloquent of the Pandyan connections ascribed to the 13th century.

THIRUKETHEESWARAM, is an ancient temple in Manthottamam, in Mannar District, about seven miles north of the Mannar Town. According to legend, it was at this ancient temple that Kethu Bhagavan worshipped Lord Easwaram (Shiva). Hence the shrine acquired the name of Thiruketheeswaram.

This temple dedicated to the worship of the Supreme God Siva has been the most venerated for centuries and the holy waters of the Palavi Tank by its side are venerated in the sacred hymns of two great Saivite saints, Thirugnana Sambandhar and Sundarar, who lived in the 7th and 8th Centuries respectively.
This great temple was completely destroyed by the Portuguese in the 16th Century and the stones from here were used to build the Fort at Mannar, the churches and also the Hammershield Fort at Kayts.
The history of the temple goes back to the era of Chola. It is believed to be built in 600 B.C. Another story related to the Kovil says that the father-in-law of Ravana, the king of Lanka, built Thiruketheeswaram. Ravana himself had been a devotee of Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee. Rama, who built the Sivan Temple at Rameshwaram, on his way back to Ayodhya from Lanka, is reputed to have worshipped Lord Siva at the Thiruketheeswaram as well.


MUNNESWARAM, a slumbery, sleepy and normally inactive hamlet, lying in the outskirts of Chilaw, comes alive this season, with complex ritualistic festivities, ceremonies and processions, culminating with the water cutting ceremony, to be performed at the Deduru Oya, two miles off Chilaw, on September 16.
The Munneswaram temple, dedicated to Lord Ishwara, is reminiscent of other celebrated and renowned temples like Koneswaram and Thiruketheeswaram, in which, three Sivalingams are enshrined.
Looking back to the festival legend of this glorious Hindu shrine, Munneswaram is regarded as one of the oldest Hindu temples in the island. And it has a strange origin; and according to legend, Rama, after slaying Ravana, was returning to India with Sita in his "Air chariot,'' when, impulsively, a desperate feeling of guilt gripped him.
And, passing Munneswaram, he espied a spire of a temple, and decided to alight and worship there. While praying, Lord Siva and his consort Parvathy appeared before him; and a feeling compassion for the penitent Rama, ordered him to enshrine three Sivalingams, one in each of the most sacred places: Munneswaram, Koneswaram and Thiruketheeswaram.
Lord Siva, according to legend, had pointed to a place north of the Mayavan Aru (Mee Oya), and told him to enshrine the relic. And Rama built the temple at the exact spot, which is now known as Munneswaram. The festival, too, is obscured in antiquity, and according to legend, one full-moon night, in the month of Nikini, a sage who was meditating under a banyan tree looked up and saw the goddess Amman, the mother of Skanda, who granted him his wishes.

Trails of Ramayana Sites in Sri Lanka

In this post you will see below places, of Ramayana Sites in Sri Lanka:

Seethawaka
Yudhuganawa
Thotupola Kanda at Hoton Plains
Rumassala Sanjeevani drops
Dolu Kanda, Sanjeevani drops
Thalladi, Sanjeevani drops
Kachchativu, Sanjeevani drops
Dunuvila
Laggala
Kataragama
Yehangala
Divurumpola
Amman Kovil, Vantharumulai

Seethawaka:
An interesting as well as shocking episode took place here. To shatter Lord Rama’s confidence and halt his progress during the war, Indrajith eldest son of King Ravana played a trick, with Sitadevi’s look alike. Indrajith beheaded the look alike in front of Lord Hanuman thinking that it will stop the advancing forces of Lord Rama. There is a stone in this area called “Rampathagala” with one foot mark which is traditionally believed by the people as Lord Rama’s foot mark. This place is known as Sita Waka and situated close to Avissawella.

Yudhuganawa:
Yudhuganawa is situated in the midst of the jungle called Wasgamuwa. It is said that this particular piece of land can never bear any vegetation as this served as the battlefield and had borne the brunt of destruction.

World’s end or Pathala Lok:
World’s end or Pathala Lok is the place where Mahi Ravanan had hidden both Lord Rama and Lakshmana who were later rescued by Lord Hanuman and brought them back carrying them on his broad shoulders. This is situated at Horton Plains close to Nuwara Eliya.

Thotupola Kanda at Hoton Plains:
Researchers have found out more than 5 airports believed to have been used by King Ravana and his mighty army to land and take off their vimana's. These Vimana's were used as goods and passenger carriers. Identified airports are Weregantota in Mahiyangana, Thotupola Kanda at Hoton Plains, Usangoda on the Southern Coast, Wariyapola in Kurunegala and Wariyapola in Mattale.

Rumassala Sanjeevani drops:
At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the life saving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya , Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.
Lord Hanumanji statue is found at the site.

Dolu Kanda, Sanjeevani drops:
At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the life saving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya , Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.
Access 15 kms from Wariyapola.

Ritigala, Sanjeevani drops:
At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the life saving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya , Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.
Access 10 kms from Habarana on Maradankadawa Road, turn off and further 10 kilo meters which leads to Ritigala.

Thalladi, Sanjeevani drops:
At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the life saving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya , Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.

Kachchativu, Sanjeevani drops:
At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the life saving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya , Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road, Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.
Access By boat from Jaffna

Dunuvila:
Dunuwilla is the place from where Lord Rama fired the Brahmaastharam at King Ravana, which eventually killed him. Dhunu means arrow and Vila Means Lake. This place got its name because Lord Rama fired his arrow from this lake.

Laggala:
The cartels behind the Dunuvila lake are called Laggala which when translated into English gives us the meaning target rock. Laggala served as a sentry point to the King Ravana's army and it was from this rock the first Glimpse of Lord Rama's army was sighted and informed to King Ravana. This hill is geographically the highest part of the northern region of King Ravana's city and on a clear day the north east side that is Thiru Koneshwaran and north west side that is Talai mannar could be seen even today. King Ravana is believed to have done meditation on this rock and prayed Lord shiva at Thiru Koneshwaran from this point.

Kataragama:
This is the temple of Lord Karthikeya Subramaniam at Kataragama. Lord Karthikeya was requested to go to the battlefield by Lord Indra on the last day of war. This was done to protect Lord Rama from the wrath of Brahmasthra aimed by King Ravana which other wise would have weakened Lord Rama. The benefit was one of the most powerful weapon brahma asthra aimed at Lord Rama for the second time was rendered useless by the presence of Lord Karthikeya.

Yehangala:
King Ravana's body after his death was kept upon this rock Yehangala meaning bedrock. His body was kept here for his countrymen to pay their last respects to their dear departed king. Geographically this rock is visible from miles away on its 3 sides.

Divurumpola:
This is the place where Sita underwent Agni test. Sita reached her husband. Meeting him after such a long time, she ws overcome by joyous emotion. But Rama seemed to be lost in thought. At length he spoke, I have killed my enemy. I have done my duty as a true king. But you have lived for a year in the enemy's abode. It is not proper that I should take you back now. Sita was shocked. Is it my fault that the monster carried me off by force? All the time, my mind, my heart, and soul were fixed on you and you alone, my Lord!. She turned to Lakshmana and said with tears streaming from her eyes, Prepare for me a fire, That is the only remedy for this sorrow of mind. Lakshman in suppressed anger, looked at Rama's face, but saw no sign of softening. He lighted a big fire. Sita reverently went round her husband and approached the blazing fire. Joining her palms in salutation, she said, If I am pure, O fire, protect me. With these words she jumped into the flames, to the horror of monkeys who stood on all sides watching the tragic sight. Then arose from out of the flames Agni, the fire-god, whom she had invoked. He lifted Sita from the flames unharmed, and presented her to Rama. Don't I know that she is spotless and pure at heart? cried Rama, standing up to receiver her. It is for the sake of the world that I made her go through this ordeal of fire, so that the truth may be known to all.
Divurumpola means a place of oath. Today the temple is revered for the oath taken by Sitadevi and even the legal system permits and accepts the swearing done at this temple while settling disputes between parties.

Amman Kovil, Vantharumulai:
Vantharumulai in tamil means corner where they came and rested. It is believed that Lord Rama, Sitadevi, Lakshmana and Lord Hanuman rested at this place after the turmoil's of the war. Today the Eastern University is situated at this place.

Amarnthakali:
Amarnthakali is believed to be the place where Lord Rama, Seethadevi and Lakshmana had their first meal after the ravages of the war. There is also a lake at this place known as Hanuman Lake or the old lake, which served to extinguish the fire set on lord hanuman's tail. Today their exists a temple for Kali Amman , Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha.

 Watch all these places in this video below

(Author of the blog Shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of use of this information).