Sigiriya Before and Beyond Kasyapa By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Sigiriya, the mysterious Lion’s Rock is no doubt the crown jewel of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage. Considering its uniqueness and its ‘Outstanding Universal Values,’ Sigiriya was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. Its archaeological, historical, cultural, and environmental value is not limited … Continue reading Sigiriya Before and Beyond Kasyapa →

Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 4 Witty Man and Silly Devil – By Ama H.Vanniarachchy “Why do mythological heroes of past civilizations have a thousand faces? Is it because each one of us takes a heroic journey of self-discovery?”  Kilroy J. Oldster A glimpse into Sri Lankan folk tales was a journey we … Continue reading Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 4 Witty Man and Silly Devil →

Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 4 The flying wax horse – By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “Storytelling is the art of weaving ordinary words into extraordinary worlds.” – Jack Dublin, The Lost and Found Journal of a Miner 49er: Vol. 2 The tale we shall present to you today is about a flying wax … Continue reading Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 4 The flying wax horse →

Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 3 Tragic Tale of Giri Devi – By Ama H.Vanniarachchy “Everyone creates realities based on their own personal beliefs. These beliefs are so powerful that they can create [expansive or entrapping] realities over and over.” – Hope Bradford, Beneficial Law of Attraction: The Manifestation Teachings Folk tales are … Continue reading Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 3 Tragic Tale of Giri Devi →

Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 2 Wise Daughter of Gamarala By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “If you take myth and folklore, and these things that speak in symbols, they can be interpreted in so many ways that although the actual image is clear enough, the interpretation is infinitely blurred, a sort of enormous rainbow of … Continue reading Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 2 Wise Daughter of Gamarala →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “Folklore used to be passed by word of mouth,  from one generation to the next; that’s what makes it folklore, as opposed to, say, history, which is written down and stored in an archive.” – Jill Lepore Folktales are not new to any one of us. Many of us grew up … Continue reading Folk tales of Sri Lanka – Part 1 Gamarala of Lore →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy We are blessed with the legacy of a diverse intangible heritage as well as a vast tangible one scattered all over the island. Since the ‘culture’ that once gave birth to this heritage is still very much alive and the descendants of the creators of this heritage still inhabit the island, … Continue reading Giving Life to Cultural Heritage →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “Let’s make sure women and girls can shape the policies, services and infrastructure that impact all our lives. And let’s support women and girls who are breaking down barriers to create a better world for everyone.” —António Guterres, UN Secretary General Archaeology was a discipline that was predominantly male-centric. At first … Continue reading The Real Lara Crofts; Women in Archaeology →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy A country’s heritage is always associated with concepts of inheritance of land and national identity and this is why a country’s heritage is targeted by certain groups for negative purposes. Some of these attacks are physical vandalism of archaeological sites. Once archaeological heritage is damaged it is not possible to restore … Continue reading Distortion of History →

Temple of the Sacred tooth relic, Kandy is one of the most religious places of Sri Lankan Buddhists. It is situated adjacent to the royal palace complex of the historical kingdom of Kandy. With its artistic, architectural, cultural, and spiritual values, the Temple of Tooth Relic houses the left canine tooth of Lord Buddha.   It […]

Sigiriya – Photo Credit: Anuja Manchanayake Located in the Matale District of Central Province, Sigiriya Rock Fortress owns a striking geological profile and famous as an astonishing feat of ancient technology and town planning. It is rock plateau rises to a height of about 200 meters above the surrounding plain or 360 meters above the […]

Introduction to Galle Fort – Sri Lanka In the southwest coastal area of the island, there lies the famous bay of Galle shaded from the picturesque surrounding. Its history extends back to 545 AC, as one of the most ancient ports recorded in the Cosmography of Cosmas Indicopleustes. It was the main port of the […]