Special Feature – IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN OF A GOD: a Visit to the Temples of Saman

The legends disagree on the exact method in which Sumana Saman became a god, but what is clear is that Adam’s Peak, or Siripada, is believed to be his earthly home, and the centre of his influence and protection.”

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The Mountain of Saman, Sumanakuta, also known as Siripada and Adam’s Peak, as seen across the Kuru Ganga Valley, close to Ratnapura.
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Special Feature — THE FORGOTTEN TEMPLE: Dakkinagiriya & the Other Kaludiya Pokuna

A thousand-year-old ‘mountain monastery’, lost in the Kaludiya Pokuna Forest, east of Dambulla; forgotten by the tour guides, and seemingly by time itself. For the visitor seeking something literally off the beaten track, the Dakkinagiri Viharaya is an intriguing but serene detour away from the well-trodden sites of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle.”

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The stupa of the 9th century Dakkinagiri Viharaya, with Erawalgala behind it.
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No Other Gods Before Me

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Grey langur (Semnopithecus priam) in the ruins of the holy city of Anuradhapura. December 2016.

Secret Roads

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Hidden by layers of dead foliage from the rainforest canopy is a barely discernible path through the gloom. It has been here for over 16,000 years, when the earliest inhabitants of this island first set out through the jungle to find a new home in the foothills of what is now called the Peak Wilderness. At the end of this trail is the Batadombalena, a cave in which Balangoda Man (Homo sapiens balangodensis) lived with his family. Their skeletons were found in 1955. Spear- and arrowheads discovered in the cave in 1981 are the oldest evidence of the use of tools by modern humans outside Africa. Examination of Balangoda Man’s teeth in 2015 revealed a diet exclusive to the rainforest, indicating that man might have colonised the jungle as early as 45,000 years ago, well before the end of the Pleistocene period. The jungle has many secrets. How many more are still to be discovered? Shot on assignment for Serendib, the inflight magazine of Sri Lankan Airlines. My photo story, ‘The Cave in the Jungle‘ ran in the March 2016 issue.

The Eternal Taj Mahal

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The most striking aspect of the Taj Mahal, is the delicacy of its beauty; never as clear as when juxtaposed against the swarming crowds of India. Created in the 17th century by the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it is built entirely of white Makrana marble; but in the wintery afternoon light of Agra in February 2012, it looked carved from a single block of ivory.
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King Mahasen’s Doorstep

King Mahasen's Doorstep - The intricately carved steps of King Mahasen's 3rd century BC palace, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
The intricately carved stone entrance steps to the 3rd century BC palace of Mahasen of Anuradhapura, the last king of the Mahavamsa, Sri Lanka’s great historical chronicle. Shot on assignment for Serendib, the inflight magazine of Sri Lankan Airlines. My photo story, ‘The First Kingdom of Lanka‘, ran in the February 2017 issue.

Crumbling Guardian

The Forgotten Temple, Sri Lanka #51 by Son of the Morning Light on 500px.com
A carved Nagaraja guards the steps to the ruined stupa of the 9th century Dakkinagiri Viharaya, in the Kaludiya Pokuna Forest, east of Dambulla. Shot on assignment for Serendib, the inflight magazine of Sri Lankan Airlines. My photo story, “A Mountain Monastery Forgotten by Time, was the cover feature of the March 2018 issue.
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Medirigiriya Vatadage, Sri Lanka #8

The Medirigiriya Vatadage, Sri Lanka #8 by Son of the Morning Light on 500px.com
Built by King Aggabhodhi IV of Anuradhapura, in the 7th century, the Medirigiriya Vatadage is probably the oldest example of a circular relic house in Sri Lanka. Shot for my photo story, “Circles within Circles”, which was the cover feature of the May 2018 issue of Serendib magazine.
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Atop the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka #14

Atop the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka #14 by Son of the Morning Light on 500px.com
The view to the southwest from the highest point of Sigiriya’s palace ruins. In the distance is the Araula Mountain Range, the northern extremity of the Central Highlands, with the Kayanwala Wewa before it. Photographed in December 2017.
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The Vaharala Inscription

The Vaharala Inscription, Pidurangala by Son of the Morning Light on 500px.com
Inscribed across the threshold of the 5th century Pidurangala Monastery’s image house (below), the Vaharala Inscription includes a mention of the freeing of slaves in exchange for land and money. Shot for my photo story on “Sigiriya & Pidurangala” which ran in the April 2018 issue of Serendib magazine.
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