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UNESCO world heritage sites |
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<ul>Sri Lanka has eight UNESCO world heritage sites. Six of them have been nominated as Cultural world heritage sites. They are the sacred city of Anuradhapura (in 1982), the ancient city of Polonnaruwa (in 1982), the ancient city of Sigiriya (in 1982), the old town of Galle and its fortifications (in 1988), the sacred city of Kandy (in 1988), and the Golden Temple of Dambulla (in 1991).<br>
<br>Sri Lanka boasts of two natural world heritage sites. They are the Sigharaja forest reserve nominated in 1988 and Central Highlands of Sri Lanka nominated in 2010.<br>
<br><b>Sinharaja Forest Reserve</b><br>
<br>Sinharaja forest reserve is the only available primary tropical rainforest in Sri Lanka and one of the few in the world. The narrow strip of swelling terrain situated close to Rathnapura, between the villages of Rakwana, Deniyaya, and Matugama. Sinharaja forest is covered 9800 hectares. It is a treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, flowers, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and silent streamlets. Thirteen floral genera out of 25 endemic genera are only found in Sinharaja Forest. Twelve endemic bird species out of 48 bird species in foraging flocks are creating the most spectacular scenery in Sinharaja forest.<br>
<br>The links between the Sinharaja Forest and the Sinhala people of Sri Lanka are lost in the mists of legend and folklore. According to legend, the race is the result of the union between a king's daughter and a mighty lion who lived in the forest called Sinharaja Adaviya. Sinharaja forest, therefore, lies embedded in the national consciousness of the Sri Lankan people and occupies a special position of importance.<br>
<br><b>Central Highlands of Sri Lanka</b><br>
<br>Peak wilderness nature reserve, Horton plains national park and the Knuckles conservation forest formed the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. It is the remaining area of the Montane and Submontane rain forest in Sri Lanka. It contains half of Sri Lanka’s endemic vertebrates and flowering plants and 34% of its endemic trees, shrubs, and herbs.<br>
<br>Knuckles Conservation Forest spreads across the Matale and Kandy districts and can be accessed via Teldeniya, Rattota, and Wattegama areas. The highest mountain in the range is recorded at a height of 1,862 m. The entire area is characterized by its striking landscapes often robed in thick layers of cloud resulting in breath-taking sceneries. Knuckles Conservation Forest is ideal for trekking and hiking, birding, and scenic photography.<br>
<br>Peak Wilderness Nature Reserve is mainly with Adam’s Peak and its surroundings. Adam’s Peak or Sri Pada is the 4th highest mountain in the country with a height of 2,243 m.
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2/3/19, 11:07 AM |
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Vedda, Sri Lankan aboriginal |
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<ul><b><i>"I was born in the forest. My ancestors come from there. We are forest beings, and I want to live and die here. And even if I were reborn just as a fly or an ant, I would still be happy so long as I knew I would come back to live in the forest."</i></b><br>
<br><b>-Late Uru Warige Tissahamy, Chief of the Vaddas Clan-</b><br>
<br>Veddas, or as they call themselves as the Wanniya-laeto, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka are descendants of Sri Lanka’s Neolithic community. They have self-identified themselves as native communities such as Bintenne Veddas mainly in Dambana, Anuradhapura Veddas mainly in Anuradhapura, and Coastal Veddas mainly in Vakarai.<br>
<br>The lifestyle of Veddas is intertwined with forest ecology because they are Forest Dwellers. They used bows and arrows for hunting. They ate wild plants, yams, honey, fruit, and nuts with a meat-rich diet and they did chena cultivation. The Coastal Vaddas is an expert fisherman and they used harpoons and toxic plants for fishing.<br>
<br>The original language use by Vaddas is called Vadda language but today it is used merely especially during hunting and religious activities. They follow a mix of animism and Buddhism and practice a cult of the dead and worshipped their relatives called “Nae Yakku”. “Kiri Koraha” the traditional dance of Veddha is performing to obtain the blessings of their gods. They used to wear traditional clothing until recent times. Men wore loincloths and women wore a piece of cloth that extended from the navel to the knees.<br>
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2/3/19, 11:15 AM |
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