Central
Sri Lanka, famous for the tea plantations, is unlike the rest of the
island. The altitude produces a virtually perpetual Spring season. The
city of Kandy remains the spiritual centre and is home to the sacred tooth
of Buddha.
Temple of the Tooth
The tooth was said to have been snatched from his funeral pyre
in 543BC and smuggled to Ceylon. The present Temple of the Tooth was built
in the 1680’s and is now a World Heritage site. Following the 1998
bombing security is very high.
Kandy Dawn View
Kandyan
Dancers
The Kandyan dancers and drummers perform every day at the Temple to signal
the start of religious services. They also perform a very energetic
programme of spirit dances every night in town, often accompanied by Low
Country fire dancers.
Kandy Devil Dancer and Fire Walker
Sigiriya is a spectacular 200 metre high monolithic rock fortress surrounded by jungle.
About halfway up are the famous frescos dating back to the 5th century and a rock face with 1000 year old graffiti commenting on them.
Sigiriya Fresco
These
are the only non-religious old paintings to be found in the country. The
area is being restored by UNESCO.