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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Exploring Buddha in Shrilanka

About Sri Lanka 

 




Sri Lanka officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island Surrounded by the Indian Ocean . It is a part of South asia.It is located in th parth of major sea routes and in ancient time too. It was an important stop on the ' Silk Route.
Sri Lanka has been the center of Buddhist religion and Culture from ancient times. The sinhalese community forms the majority f the population and Tamils the largest ethnic minority. Other community include Muslims, Burghers, Malays and theaboririginal Adi vasi (Veddah) people. Sri lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by a Presidential system.
The country is famous for Tea, Rubber and coconut. Sri Lanka tea is acclaimed the world's best. Coffee, Cinnamon, Cardamoms and Cloves also are produced as export crops. Rich in mineral resources, Sri Lanka is a major exporter of precious and semi-precious stones.
The country has one of the longest and colorful histories of over 3000 thousand years, in the world. The rich culture can be attributed to it is ethnic diversity.
Within the boundaries of this one small island you find more than 1000 miles of sunny, palm fringed beaches, breathtaking scenery up in the hills covered with lush tea plantation, cascading water falls, wonderful architecture of the ancient past, brooding jungles and wild life and the fascinating art and culture.
Sri Lanka is a founding member of SAARC and a member of the United Nation, Commonwealth of Nations, G77 and Non Alignment Movement.

Introduction of Buddhism

According to traditional Sri Lankan chronicles (such as the Dipavamsa), Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE by Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiya Tissa. During this time, a sapling of the Bodhi Tree was brought to Sri Lanka and the first monasteries and Buddhist monuments were established. Among these, the Isurumuni-vihaara and the Vessagiri-vihaara remain important centers of worship. He is also credited with the construction of the Pathamaka-cetiya, the Jambukola-vihaara and the Hatthaalhaka-vihaara, and the refectory. The Pali Canon, having previously been preserved as an oral tradition, was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka around 30 BCE.

The Stuga


According to the Sri Lankan chronicles, the Mahavamsa, one of Ashoka's sons, the monk Mahinda, supervised construction of monastic buildings nearAnuradhapura. Simultaneously, he sent to India for relics. These, say the histories, included the Buddha's alms bowl andhis right collarbone. Later a hair relic, and in the 4th century AD, the Buddha's tooth would be taken to Sri Lanka. The tooth is still preserved in Kandy where daily rituals venerate the Buddha's tooth relic in Temple of the Tooth Relic, Kandy 16th Century.
To house the relics, stupas were built. Standing at 300 feet, Ruwanweliseya, or the "Great Stupa" is regarded as one of the most important stupas at Anuradhapura in north-central Sri Lanka: Much restored, the great dome, circled with old columns, is still to be seen in Anuradhapura, now a great park. During major festivals it is crowded with hundreds of thousands of devotees in family groups, who picnic happily among the ruins and offer puja at the Bodhi tree. There are other important monuments nearby at Mihintale, the site of Mahinda's first sermon to King Devanampiya-Tissa. The ruins of the later capital at Polonnaruwa (9th century AD onwards), showing Hindu and Mahayana cultic influence, are yet more elaborate.
The stupa in Sri Lanka is a circular drum on a square base with a long succession of compressed umbrellas forming a conical top over a box-shaped harmika, of which the Ruwanweliseya stupa, (above right) at Anuradhapura (3rd century BC) is a fine example.

 

The Dambulla cave Temple

 
This temple complex dates back to the 1st century BC. It has five caves under a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. In 1938 the architecture was embellished with arched colonnades and gabled entrances. Inside the caves, the ceilings are painted with intricate patterns of religious images following the contours of the rock. There are images of the Lord Buddha and bodhisattvas, as well as various gods and goddesses.

The Dambulla cave monastery is still functional and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka. This complex dates from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, when it was already established as one of the largest and most important monasteries. King Valagambahu is traditionally thought to have converted the caves into a temple in the 1st century BC. Exiled from Anuradhapura, he sought refuge here from South Indian usurpers for 15 years. After reclaiming his capital, the King built a temple in thankful worship. Many other kings added to it later and by the 11th century, the caves had become a major religious centre and still are. King Nissanka Malla gilded the caves and added about 70 Buddha statues in 1190. During the 18th century, the caves were restored and painted by the Kandyan Kings.

This Temple composed of Five Caves....

 Photos of Caves Temple

 

 

Uzbekistan (Tashkent) tourisms



 Uzbekistan Country


Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Before 1991, it was part of the Soviet Union
Capital: Tashkent
·         Currency: Uzbekistani som  
·         Official language: Uzbek language

   Introducing Uzbekistan
No country in Central Asia seems to have it so good, yet at the same time have it so bad, as Uzbekistan. The region’s cradle of culture for more than two millennia, it is the proud home to a spellbinding arsenal of architecture and artefacts, all deeply infused with the raw, fascinating history of the country.  
      Concentrating on the good, if there was a Hall of Fame for Central Asian cities, Uzbekistan would own the  top-three entries: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva
            

        The Tourist Destinations Cities in Uzbekistan :

           BUKHARA                                                         


  
Bukhara is the city, which has been growing      constantly at one and the same place beginning from the 4th century BC. Bukhara preserves treasures of architecture of the pre-Mongol period. The total number of monuments is above 400. Bukhara is regarded the largest open-air museum in Central Asia.  Bukhara has been one of the main centres of World Civilization   from its early days in 6th century BCE. Narshaki wrote "The History of Bukhara" in the 10th century. It gave rise to a legend, which names Siavush to be the founder of Bukhara. Siavush, a son of a Persian Shah murdered by Afrosiab, a king of Turan, was worshipped in antiquity as a god.

FERGHANA VALLEY
                                                                       


The heartland of Uzbekistan, as the valley of Ferghana is known, is the densely populated part of the country with a majority of ethnic Uzbeks. Ferghana is the most fertile part of Uzbekistan, with large agricultural output. The Chatkal range of the Tian Shan in the north surrounds the valley, with the Pamir-Alai in the south from where the Syr Darya River starts flowing through the valley. So the region looks like a huge bowl. Ferghana valley is considered to be a big blossoming oasis of Central Asia. That's why Ferghana Valley is called "The Golden Valley". 
 
KHIVA

In the north-western part of Uzbekistan, on the left bank of the Amu-Darya River, in the transition zone between the sultry deserts of Karakum and Kyzylkum lie the lands of ancient Khorezm oasis.
Khiva is an ancient city in the lower reaches of the Amu-Darya River. Khorezm's agriculture and settlements go back to four, perhaps six, millennia. So, Khiva may be very old. The legend holds that it was founded when biblical Shem, the son of Noah, discovered a well here; the people called it Kheivak, from which the name Khiva is said to have originated.

Culture of Uzbekistan

  Culture of Uzbekistan is one of the brightest and original cultures of East. It is inimitable national music, dances and painting, unique national kitchen and clothes. The Uzbek national music is characterized as variety of subjects and genres. The songs and tool plays according to their functions and forms of usage can be divided into two groups: performed in the certain time and under the certain circumstances and performed at any time. The songs connected with customs and traditions, labor processes, various ceremonies, dramatized entertainment representations and games belong to the first group.

                                                                                   
National and professional poems of the poets of East are used as the texts for the songs. The special place in the Uzbek musical heritage occupy "dastans" (epic legends with lyric-heroic content). Also "Makoms"- are the basic classical fund of professional music of oral tradition.
The dances of uzbeks distinguish softness, smoothness and expressiveness of movements, easy sliding step, original movements on a place and on a circle.




Food of Uzbekistan

Uzbek "Pilaf" is a very solemn food. It can be considered as an everyday dish as well as a dish for solemn and great events like weddings, parties and holidays. Rice is the most important ingredient of pilaf and special spices, raisins, or peas will be added to give it extra flavour. However, locals believe that the best pilaf is always prepared by a man! Salads are also served with  bread.



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