While On the Path of Buddha Philosophy

---

Lord Buddha’s fragrance did not take time to travel all the way from Bodhgaya (India) and touch the kind-hearted people of Sri Lanka. Fringed with a number of temples in the country, Lord Buddha glorifies every day life of Sri Lankan people. The ‘Tooth Temple’ of Kandy is the most famous amongst the local people as well as the tourists. It houses a sacred tooth of Lord Buddha, which is said to have taken from the flames of Buddha’s funeral pyre in 543 BC. The fascinating story behind its travel from India to Sri Lanka includes its hiding in hair of a princess and thus being smuggled here.

Anuradhapura, at 206 km from Kolombo is considered to be one of the most holy sites in Sri Lanka, which houses the largest ‘dagoba’- a dome enshrining sacred relics of the Buddha - in the country. The 4th century statue of the meditative Buddha is the prime attraction here while Sri maha Bodhi Tree, Thuparma Dagoba, Jetavana Dagoba and Abhayagiri Dagoba demand your close attention. Mihintale, thirteen kilometers from Anuradhapura is a must see destination that houses a number of splendid statues of Lord Buddha.

Dambulla Rock Temple, famous for its excellent gallery of Buddha images make a must visit site in Sri Lanka. Another destination Buduruvagala near Wellawaya houses the tallest statue among the rock cuts and touches the height of 51 feet. The uniqueness of the statue even increases as it stands in between two images of ‘Bodhisatvas’, each of which are 40 feet tall.

Aukana houses the tallest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka. The 39 feet rock cut statue narrates the wondrous marvel of ancient Sri Lankan heritage, which stands on a decorated lotus plinth. Make sure to add this jewel in your itinerary while you are in Sri Lanka.

Shopping Wonder
A wide range of handlooms, furniture and gems make shopping in Sri Lanka a wonderful experience. Be it the Dutch and British styled furniture or excellent handloom garments, Sri Lanka is shopper’s paradise. But the most exciting part of Sri Lankan treasure is its gems and jewellery. Ratnapura, the ‘gem city’ in Sri Lanka is the center of all precious stone trading in country and you will be amazed finding the numerous options you find here and you just can’t resist having a pendant or a spectacular ring for your loved ones.

Indulge Your Taste Sense
Sweet-fleshed Sri Lankan crabs, no doubt, should be your first priority in Sri Lanka. This spicy delectable dish when served, you just can’t control your watering mouth. Other meat and seafood dishes also find extreme applause when cooked in special Sinhalee spices. Though coconut have found their place in every part of Sri Lankan cuisine, the impression of Dutch and Portuguese flavours are still present with dishes like Lamprais (rice boiled in stock with a special curry) and Frikkadels (meatballs wrapped in a banana leaf). The spicy ‘hoppers’ made from fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of palm are an inevitable part of Sri Lankan lunch, which you should not miss in your Sri Lanka tour. Wattalapam (a pudding made with coconut milk, eggs and jaggery) is a must taste sweet dish in the country.

Getting There
The only way to enter Sri Lanka is by flying and the capital city Colombo enjoys the honour to connect the entire country with rest of the world by regular flight services. London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Bahrin and Qatar are connected to Colombo by regular flights whereas Zurich, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Paris and Abu Dhabi connect Colombo with less frequent flights. Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are the major cities of South East Asia that are connected with Colombo by regular flights. India is well connected to Colombo by frequent flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.