Last week I happened to browse through some of the naturistic pictures that I took while vacationing around Sri Lanka, and while being stuck at home during the height of the pandemic. While browsing through them I realized that looking at those pictures certainly helped to rejuvenate and awaken the nostalgic memories of some of the adventures and escapades that I had with my family during the past year.
In order to brush up on some of the photo editing and poster creating skills, I went and made a small collage using some of the pictures that I took on a poster and video editing website called Canva. Looking back at the old pictures had made me realize that Sri Lanka is a country that has a lot of aesthetic beauty that is peacefully lying there for adventurous explorers to discover. Some of these pictures are caputres of the fauna including trees such as balsam fir(known as the Christmas tree), and a four petalled red flower bush that was found in my garden. These are some of the pictures that I took of the fauna in my garden while I was stuck at home during the height of the pandemic.
The christaline and milky white stupa that can be seen in the image is the Ruwanweliseya stupa in Anuradhapura which was constructed by the famous king Dutugemunu of the Anuradhapura civilization Of Sri Lanka in 140 Bc.This is one of the “Solosmasthana” (the 16 places of veneration) and the “Atamasthana” (the 8 places of veneration). The stupa is one of the world’s tallest ancient monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft). The original stupa had been about 55 m (180 ft) in height and was renovated by many kings. The Mahavamsa, which is a book that has the written history of sri lanka, contains a detailed account on the construction and the opening ceremony of the stupa.
There is also a picture of the famous eighth world’s wonder known by many as Sigiriya or the Lion’s rock.
Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (Lion Rock Sinhala: සීගිරිය, Tamil: சிகிரியா/சிங்ககிரி, pronounced see-gi-ri-yə) is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock approximately 180 metres (590 ft) high.
According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this area was a large forest, then after storms and landslides it became a hill and was selected by King Kashyapa (477 – 495 AD) for his new capital. He built his palace on top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure — Sīnhāgiri, the Lion Rock (an etymology similar to Sinhapura, the Sanskrit name of Singapore, the Lion City).
The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king’s death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.
There is also a picture of the famous Dalada Maligawa.Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa; commonly known as the ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව (Glorious Tooth Temple) (Note – The word ‘Temple’ is an incorrect translation of the word Maligawa. The English word for ‘Maligawa’ is ‘Palace’.), is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The relic was historically held by Sinhalese kings. The temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple and the relic.
Source of information: Wikipedia
Plus there are also some pictures that I took at the heart of the tourist hotspot in Sri Lanka, and that is non other than the beautiful city of Ella.
Tucked away in the misty Sri Lankan high country, amongst idyllic green hills and gushing waterfalls, lies Ella: one of this tear-shaped island’s most appealing destinations.
From scaling the heady heights of Ella Rock, to laying eyes on the mystical Nine Arch Bridge for the very first time; standing on the edge of the roaring Diyaluma Falls (the second tallest in the country), and winding through the tea plantations and mountains passes on the famous Kandy to Ella train; many of our favourite Sri Lankan adventures can be found right here.
At its heart, Ella is a charming and laid back village perfect for relaxing, hiking and escaping the searing temperatures of the southern coast.
It’s a place where Sri Lanka’s colonial heritage coexists with its rich Sinhalese and Tamil culture, and where abundant natural experiences can be found alongside plentiful cultural ones.
The picture collage is attached as a link above:)
Learning outcomes:
6. Global engagement
Students are able to identify and demonstrate their understanding of global issues, make responsible decisions, and take appropriate action in response to the issue either locally, nationally or internationally. (for example, environmental concerns, caring for the elderly).
I believe that this was one of my learning outcomes because making this picture collage made me realize the importance of protecting the beauty that is preserved in nature for future generations to come.