Before we ended the Sri Lankan Civl war this road was belong to two countries,two ethnic groups,Sinhalese and Tamils.
Since the war is ended A9 is free,
But I m not going to tell about A9.the road which spent most of my time is not the A9 road,
It is the A8.Over twenty years I m going through this road.This is my road...
I m not sure on which basis the British numbered this roads in Sri Lanka,If it is based on it length this cannot be A8, In distance A8 is the shortest road.
The A8 which connects Panadura, a coastal town in western province and Ratnapura capital of Sabaragamauwa.The topography of the road stated form sea level the fourth tallest mountain of Sri Lnaka, the Adams' Speak.
Panadura town clock tower.
The mountain Adam's peak not only scared but also it is the place where four main rivers starting.
Mahawali,Kalani.Kalu,Walawe the great rivers of Sri lanka starting from Adam's Speak and run to four directions and meet the Indian ocean from Trincomalee,Colombo,Kalutara and Ambalanthota.
There are no any Sri Lankan who did not clibe this Mountain at least once in our life time,it ia a secred mountain to the all religions,If you are sick,you clibe this,if you are well you climbe this,does not matter young or old,no particular reason we all sri lankans climb this mountain at least onec.
For me it was over 10-12 times,
Living in the A8 road menas we are in the shadow of the mountain.Climbing Adam's peak is a cultural event in Srilanka
The town Panadura,is famous during the colonial time for it s Buddhist Revival.Like most of coastal town Panadura became mainly Christian town and Buddhist Monks started rebuilding Buddhist temples.The famous Panadura wadaya ,the debate of Panadura happened between Buddhist monks and christian Fathers.
The town Ratnapura is world famous for it s Gems.The word it self Ratna means Gems in Sinhalese.But there are common land marks in both towns,that is the clock towers. Presently Pandura consists of all ethnic groups,where Ratnapura predominately Buddhist.
Gems in Ratnapura
Traditional gem mining place in Ratnapura District
For me I grew up actually center of the A8 Road.
It is a sleepy little town ,Ingiriya.After the low land are of Panadura and Horana ,Ingiriya is the
gate way to hill terrain.Just passing Ingiriya Town You are driving parallel to the Kalu River.Of course Ingiriya does not have a clock Tower.But it has a Giant Boo tree.But Ingiriya has lot more than monasteries on either A8 road and Colombo Ingiriya road is well know places.
Ingiriya Bo tree
Some landscape in Ingiriya.
As it s a area we get rain throughout the year.
Tea and paddy fields common in and around Ingiriya town.
gate way to hill terrain.Just passing Ingiriya Town You are driving parallel to the Kalu River.Of course Ingiriya does not have a clock Tower.But it has a Giant Boo tree.But Ingiriya has lot more than monasteries on either A8 road and Colombo Ingiriya road is well know places.
Some landscape in Ingiriya.
As it s a area we get rain throughout the year.
Tea and paddy fields common in and around Ingiriya town.
Actually there were several Boo trees on the A8 road side,A8 road was the first road which started up grading and widening.Most of Bo trees were taken on that time.
If we moving further up form Ingiriya town one important area is Dumbara.
During the British period Sri Lanka ,it was Ceylon.
Dumbara is well famous for Graphite known as black gold at that time.Still in Dumbara the old now abandon Graphite mining area can be seen.
Some random images I took at the abandon mining site at Dumbara.I m not recomandig to go there unless you don t have local villager who is very much familiar with this.
Now of course there are no any Graphite mining ,but full of sand mining on river banks.Manual sand mining is very hard work.They have to dive into the bottom of the river approximately 10- 15 feet during the dry season, and fill sand while you holding you r breath.
We may have lot of environmental impacts over sand mining,but everybody did not gems.
During the heavy rainy season flood is a conman experienced.Of course we enjoyed riding boats in the river.
Beginning with the Kiri Ella it s Border line of the Sabaragamuwa and Western province,The Sabaragamuwa People little different form rest of the Sri Lankan, Over half of my uncles form my fathers side live in Sabaragamuwa Area.
As I noticed both men and women getting married in their very young ages,a girl hardly passing age of 30.Boys not very much into education,there very ambitions of searching gems and they succeeded.They get married very soon.
They have different traditional dancing culture known as Sabaragaamuwaa dancing.
Its a dance of masculinity.And they have unique drum called Sabaragamuwa drum.
Most lands here Belongs to one Buddhist temple,People living on the temple lands.It s is actually thousands of acres of paddy fields and large estates of tea.Even the Adam's Speak belongs to the same Buddhist temple for over Hundreds of years.
Kiriella Nadun Rajamaha Wiharaya Gurdian temple of the Adam's peak.Morning time is the best if you can visit.
It s believe King Nishankamalla has given this area to the temple during the era of Polonnaruwa.
How ever Sabaragamuwa people Strongly believing God Sumana Saman.Almost ever Buddhist believe that Lord Buddha was Invited by God Suman Saman to come to Sri Lanka and kept his footstep on Adam's peak.
How ever which I really like about God Sumana Saman is the temple which belongs to him.I m not aware which era actually it belonging but I really like it s spatial progression which I experienced.During the rainy season the entire temple grounds get flooded but there are small raised pavilions which help to people to stay.The temple situated on the bank of the river KALU.
If we moving further up form Ingiriya town one important area is Dumbara.
During the British period Sri Lanka ,it was Ceylon.
Dumbara is well famous for Graphite known as black gold at that time.Still in Dumbara the old now abandon Graphite mining area can be seen.
Now of course there are no any Graphite mining ,but full of sand mining on river banks.Manual sand mining is very hard work.They have to dive into the bottom of the river approximately 10- 15 feet during the dry season, and fill sand while you holding you r breath.
We may have lot of environmental impacts over sand mining,but everybody did not gems.
Beginning with the Kiri Ella it s Border line of the Sabaragamuwa and Western province,The Sabaragamuwa People little different form rest of the Sri Lankan, Over half of my uncles form my fathers side live in Sabaragamuwa Area.
As I noticed both men and women getting married in their very young ages,a girl hardly passing age of 30.Boys not very much into education,there very ambitions of searching gems and they succeeded.They get married very soon.
They have different traditional dancing culture known as Sabaragaamuwaa dancing.
Its a dance of masculinity.And they have unique drum called Sabaragamuwa drum.
Most lands here Belongs to one Buddhist temple,People living on the temple lands.It s is actually thousands of acres of paddy fields and large estates of tea.Even the Adam's Speak belongs to the same Buddhist temple for over Hundreds of years.
It s believe King Nishankamalla has given this area to the temple during the era of Polonnaruwa.
How ever Sabaragamuwa people Strongly believing God Sumana Saman.Almost ever Buddhist believe that Lord Buddha was Invited by God Suman Saman to come to Sri Lanka and kept his footstep on Adam's peak.
How ever which I really like about God Sumana Saman is the temple which belongs to him.I m not aware which era actually it belonging but I really like it s spatial progression which I experienced.During the rainy season the entire temple grounds get flooded but there are small raised pavilions which help to people to stay.The temple situated on the bank of the river KALU.
These are building with out architects.But as architects we have to learn so much out of it.
The connection between roofs,hierarchy of the space.
Bater I ll do this in another day.
This was the place I spend so much time with my father during the Perahara time.The lower building all occupied during perahara by dancers and the central courtyard by the elephants.It a nice experience and very much diff rent from the Kandy Perahara.
First time I came to here with my father.I remember there was an Elephant.Sri Lankan believe if we walk through an Elephant between it s legs the person become fearless.Childhood is a time we never identified the risk and we do any lunatic thing.
Some how when I was with my father out of stupidity I walked through the legs of an elephant.
Though it was a moronic childhood experience but now I think what Sri Lankan believe is correct.
I m kind of fearless....
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