Nature and Others on camera by Asiri: VISITING AND WORSHIPING THE MIRACULOUS "SOMAWATHIYA"

Monday, May 4, 2015

VISITING AND WORSHIPING THE MIRACULOUS "SOMAWATHIYA"

I WAS VERY LUCKY TO VISIT SOMAWATHIYA WITH MY FAMILY IN THE 1ST WEEK OF MAY 2015. THOUGH WE PLANNED A TRIP TO WILPATTHU ORIGINALLY, DUE TO SOME LOGISTICAL ISSUES IT WAS CANCELLED AND THIS TRIP WAS PLANNED SUDDENLY. WHEN WE CAME TO OUR BASE IN POLONNARUWA IT WAS 3.30 IN THE AFTERNOON AND BY THE TIME WE REACHED SOMAWATHIYA IT WAS WELL PASSED 6 IN THE EVENING.

THE HEAD PRIEST GAVE US A LOT OF PROMINENCE DUE TO THE CONNECTIONS MY BILL HAS WITH THE PATTHINI DEVALAYA IN KANDY AND WE WERE ASKED TO LEAD THE PROCESSION TO OFFER " GILAN PASA " ,PIRIKARA ETC AMIDST A LARGE GATHERING . A SERMON WAS MADE BY THE HEAD PRIEST HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS MIRACULOUS TEMPLE AND IT WAS REVEALED THAT A LOT OF MIRACLES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED BY PILGRIMS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

BY THE TIME WE REACHED OUR BASE 45 K.M AWAY IN POLONNARUWA AFTER SEEN A WILD ELEPHANT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ALSO, IT WAS AROUND 10.30 IN THE NIGHT.

A FRIEND OF MY NEPHEW WAS CHECKING THE PHOTOS HE TOOK AT THE TEMPLE WHILE MY DAUGHTER AND SISTER IN LAW WERE TAKING " GILAN PASA
' TO " BUDU GE" AND THE MOST MIRACULOUS PHOTO WHICH WA CAPTURED ON CAMERA WAS SEEN BY US AND WE FELT BLESSED.

A COPY WAS SENT TO ME AND THE PHOTO IS SHOWN BELOW.

BUDU GE

FILLED WITH HIGH SPIRITS , WE DECIDED TO GO AND SEE SOME RUINS THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND STARTED BY VISITING THE MUSEUM. THOUGH WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PICTURES, IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND WAS UP TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS .

THIS ENDANGERED BARN OWL WAS FOUND INSIDE " THIWANKA IMAGE HOUSE".WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS OWL AND THE PARTNER IS THERE FOR OVER 16 YEARS LOOKING AFTER THEIR YOUNG CHICKS OVER AND OVER AND I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS ONE.

IN THE AFTERNOON WE LEFT FOR KANDY AND EN ROUTE WE WENT TO ECHO ELEPHANT PARK SITUATED IN HABARANA ALONG TRINCOMALEE ROAD. THOUGH THIS NATIONAL PARK SPREAD OVER 16,000 ACRES HAS BEEN IN OPERATION RUN BY THE FOREST DEPARTMENT FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS , WE ONLY GOT TO KNOW A FEW MONTHS BACK. FROM OCTOBER TO MAY MOST OF THE ELEPHANTS COULD BE SEEN IN THIS PARK BEFORE THEY MIGRATE TO MINNERIYA AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE MORE THAN 30 ELEPHANTS.