Sri Pada ( Adam’s Peak )

 

Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak is an ancient pilgrimage site, which has long attracted thousands of pilgrims from all faiths. This conical mountain is 7,360 feet (2,250 meters )high, soaring clear above the surrounding mountain ranges. The mountain is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands in the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province —lying about 40 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura and 32 km southwest of the city of Hatton. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby.

The region along the mountain is a wildlife reserve, housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic species. The region of Peak Wilderness Sanctuary that encompass the Sri Pada together with Horton Plains National Park and Knuckles Range, all in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka is recognized as a World Heritage Site in the year 2011. 

Sri Pada is derived from Sanskrit, used by the Sinhalese people in a religious context; roughly translated as “the sacred foot”, It refers to the footprint-shaped mark at the summit, which is believed by Buddhists to be that of the Buddha. Christian and Islamic traditions assert that it is the footprint of Adam, left when first setting foot on Earth after having been cast out of paradise, giving it the name “Adam’s Peak”. The legends of Adam are connected to the idea that Sri Lanka was the original Eden, and in the Muslim tradition that Adam was 30 ft tall. Hindu tradition refers to the footprint as that of the Hindu deity Shiva, and thus names the mountain Shiva padam (Shiva’s foot) in Tamil. It is also fabled that the mountain is the legendary mount Trikuta the capital of Ravana during the Ramayana times from where he ruled Lanka. Another Sinhala name for the mountain is Samanalakanda, which refers either to the deity Saman, who is said to live upon and protect the mountain (a shrine dedicated to the deity can be found near the footprint), or to the butterflies (samanalayā) that frequent the mountain during their annual migrations to the region.

The summit of the mountain is a small plateau, and according to measurements it is 74 ft. in length and 24 ft. in breadth. On the top of the Peak broad steps lead up to a walled enclosure containing the rock over which is a tower-like structure. The real footprint on Adam’s Peak is believed to be set in jewels beneath the visible rock. The soles of the Buddha’s feet are said to be flat with all the toes of equal length. On each sole there are one hundred and eight auspicious marks (mangala­lakkhana), with the wheel (chakra) the principal mark at the centre while around it are grouped figures of animals, inhabitants of various worlds and other kinds of symbols. Access to the Adam’s Peak is possible by 6 trails: Hatton-Nallathanni; Ratnapura-Palabaddala; Kuruwita-Erathna; Murraywatte; Mookuwatte; Malimboda; the most popular routes are the Hatton-Nallathanni&Ratnapura-Palabaddala due to the picturesque views and postcard worthy scenery that can be encountered along them. Once a final node is reached (Nallanthanni or Palabaddala or Erathna), there begins the difficult journey through the jungle on foot.

 

Most of the pilgrims use the Hatton route as the journey can be reduced by more than five kilometers even though the slope of this route is much steeper than the others. The greater part of the track leading from the base to the summit consists of thousands of steps built in cement or rough stones. The trails are illuminated with electric light, making night-time ascent possible and safe to do even when accompanied by children. Rest stops and wayside shops along the trails serve refreshments and supplies. On the way up, after a few minutes climb the SamaChatiya, the World Peace Pagoda, can be found.This stupa was built by the famous Japanese Buddhist monk VenNichi Fuji in 1976 and stands out dramatically with the amazing backdrop of Adam’s Peak during the daytime.

The pilgrims’ season to Sri Pada traditionally starts on the full moon of December and ends on the full moon of April, with the crowd increasing during the latter half of the season. During other months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, extreme wind, and thick mist. Most people make the climb by night to reach the mountain top to watch the sun rise over the sea; the sun almost leaps over the eastern horizon drawing a perfect triangle of a shadow of the mountain spreading over the western backdrop of the mountain. As the sun keeps on rising, the shadow shifts towards the base of the mountain until it completely disappears, a grand finale to a breathtaking natural spectacle. Sri Pada is one of the rare places that people of four major religions in the world worship. Devotees of many religions climb the mountain daily to invoke blessings while trekkers enjoy an exhilarating hike through the different access routes to the summit.

Aukana Buddha Statue

When considering the standing statues created during the Anuradhapura period, the Aukana Buddha statue can be mentioned as a very important creation. This is considered to be a creation of King Dhatusena, who is considered to be an excellent king who ruled in the 5th century AD.

It got its name because it is located in the village of Aukana, which is located near Kala Lake. This Buddha statue, built in the form of sitting on a padmasana, is 38 feet and 10 inches high on the granite rock. Abhaya Mudra is formed in the right hand while the left hand holds the wave of the robe. According to the uniform method, the robe has a rhythmic wave pattern and it can also be seen clinging to the body. It can be seen that the single wave in the robe, characteristic of the Anuradhapura period Buddha statues, has been well polished in this statue as well.

Some scholars are reluctant to accept this Buddha statue as the work of King Dhatusena, but Professor Senarath Paranavithana is of the opinion that this is the work of King Dhatusena.

Faces are oval shaped and the eyes are thought to express deep emotions. It is widely believed that the inscriptions seen on the top of the head had fallen to the ground and were fixed later. According to the inscriptions found here, it can be considered that the Padmasana of the Aukana idol belongs to the eighth and ninth centuries.

Many scholars and the elderly believe that this Buddha statue is not Gautama Buddha but Dipankara Buddha. Because although the Buddha statues that reflect Gautama Buddha are usually eighteen cubits tall, this one can be said to be taller than that. Scholars are of the opinion that this represents the Abhaya Mudra and thus reflects that Dipankara is the Buddha.

It is shown that the characteristics found in the Amaravati Buddha statues, which show the excellence in the art of ancient India, can also be seen in the Aukana Buddha statue.

As for the designer of the Aukana Buddha statue, it can be considered that he had a thorough knowledge of the human figure. Also, considering the verticality of this statue, the most surprising fact is that a drop of water falling on the nose falls right in the middle of the two feet. Another point of similar excellence is the parallelism seen in the body's curves. When we consider how even the fingernails are shown in a granite, we can undoubtedly come to a conclusion that how much the designer must have understood the human figure. And does this not show the excellence of the art and technology of our ancient ancestors?