The sacred city of Anuradhapura is an ancient capital in Sri Lanka and one of the country’s precious UNESCO Heritage Sites. This city is a living site in the sense that the ruins of Anuradhapura remain a pilgrimage destination for devout Buddhists in Sri Lanka and around the world: it was established around what people believe to be a branch of the Bodhi tree where Buddha attained enlightenment.

farm house hostel

it was first established in 900bc and has a new and old town area, you can get to it by bike/tuk tuk or car, we organised a tour for convenience. there is a free and paid area, the paid area is valid for a day and is 25USD some other areas for can pay a small fee to enter.

we got dropped of near the city centre after a 4 hours driver, then got a tuktuk to the hostel, it was a big old farm house on it own land. there was some cute cats dandering around, we checked in and left in our stuff, we were on the ground floor not to far from the kitchen, unfortunately not only due to the heat but also becuase of the gardens, there were alot of bugs and mosquittos, we therefore has a mosquito net bed over the bed, though there was a hole in it and if not covering the edges properly they could get in. it was quite a big room and had a noce bathroom with shower. you could get breakfast lucn or dinner made if you wanted, you couldnt go into the kitchen but they could store things in the fridge for you if you wanted.

it was quiet. currently off peak season there was one other guests, an older lady, British. we chatted to the owner who could also arrange trips, she helped us booking a private afternoon tour of the ancient city (the free section)and a safari tour of Wilpattu park. not cheap, and they prefer for you to pay in dollars, if theres more people they it becomes less for each, and for the safari breakfast is included as its a very early start as theres only 2 time slots available per day. you cant do it yourself, you can only organise a tour because its so big.

some of the artwork can be a little...odd, I'm not too sure what this one is telling us...are the hugging? giving the monkey a kiss? attacking it? trying to force him to play the tambourine? who really knows

I guess you could describe it as a farmhouse maybe? high ceilings and lots of rooms set in its on grounds, you entered into a sort of foyer/side room with wicker resining chairs, cool in the heat with the windows open (problem was mosquitos could get in this way, hellish at night! and to the left was a small sort of office were we booked everything, the was an upstairs, an at the back of the house was a kitchen, we had arranged tour to go see the free areas f the ancient and famous sights, we were collected In a private car by a local. I soon learnt he was a bit of the traditional local Sri Lankan hindu type of the older generation as he would often not really speak to me/answer my questions and he kept saying that my skirt open to just below my neckline wasn't acceptable to temples, when in reality as long as you are covered to your knees and elbows its fine.... I. really doubt that open air temples and ones that we went entering inside were that strict...but sure...

https://www.holidify.com/collections/temples-in-anuradhapura

after this we headed to the ancient temple and palace ruins

ROYAL PALACE AND GARDENS (Ranmasu Uyana)

The Royal Palace (Vijayabahu Maligaya)

King Vijayabahu I ascended to throne in 1055 in the Rohana and 18 years after that and 3 years after defeating the Colas from India he celebrated his consecration in Anuradhapura. But he selected to rule from Pollonnaruwa and shifted the capital there.

there's a lake behind it that flowed to make waterfall fountains, which he loved for parties/celebrations.

it was here that the guide started insisting on coverup tough no one was around really. I asked some questions and he sort of ignored me but answered Andrews, I don't know if he was choosing not to answer me and ignoring me or not understanding? though I spoke clearly and neutrally.

ancient carvings

we then headed to a sort of rock shrine that monks often pilgrim to, good bit of climbing, again quiet and apart a couple monks, it was just us, we even spotted a flying fox.

Isurumuniya Temple or elephant temple

is a Buddhist temple, there are four carvings of special interest in this Vihara . They are the Isurumuniya lovers, Elephant pond and The Royal Family. with the help of the guide we go to see the different elephant references. it was all quite well preserved.

Isurumuniya lovers:

6th Century Gupta style carving. The woman, seated on the man's lap, lifts a warning finger, probably as a manifestation of her coyness; but the man carries on regardless. The figures may represent Dutugemunu's son Saliya and the low caste (Sadol Kula) maiden Asokamala whom he loved. It's known that he gave up the throne for her. Around that time, It is illegimate to betroth or engage with a woman who is from the inferior rank(Sadol Kula was the lowest).

Elephant pond carving:

There are four elephants in this carving. It shows them bathing. The elephant figures here are very similar to the elephant figures in "Mamallapuram" In India.

The Royal Family:

The Royal Family carving is carved on a Granite plate. There are five human figures carved on this plate. The human figure in the center is King Dutugamunu, who has a tall crown on his head and a "puna noola" around his chest. At his left are another two human figures. They are fanning him with a "Wijinipath"

We then headed to The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Sacred Tree & Temples

The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is one of the most ancient trees which are living today situated in Mahamewna Gardens in Anuradhapura. The tree is believed to have sprouted from a cutting brought from Bodh Gaya in India, where Gautama Buddha had attained enlightenment. The tree is an authentic and living link to Gautama Buddha and is often respected as the oldest tree in history which has a recorded date of the plantation and has been guarded for over 2000 years. show must be checked in outside at a counter (for a small few) and no photos are allowed inside the walled garden were it stands.

RUWANWELISAYA

the first temple was full of orange robed monks praying and chanting on the ground around it.

those who were visiting were mainly dressed it white showing piety and devotion, particularly the women.

Ruwanwelisaya: is the oldest and most voluminous stupa at Anuradhapura,made in 140BC has been fully restored, painted white, and is currently a centre of worship. its free to visit

outside their was a parade that lead to it with flags, music and dancing, incredible to watch.

we headed back soon after that and later on visited the small town for some basics. we needed an early night as we were to get up before dawn for the safari park tour.

Wilpattu National Park Tourism

https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/sri-lanka-wildlife/travel-guide/wilpattu-national-park

Wilpattu National Park is situated on the western coast of Sri Lanka, approximately an hour away from the ancient city of Anuradhapura. it's the oldest and the largest national park in the country.

The park has earned its name from the numerous 'villus' (natural lakes in Sinhalese) that spread across the area. Wilpattu is known for its large population of leopards, among the highest in Sri Lanka.

Apart from the leopards, one can spot a multitude of other mammals and reptiles, such as the Sri Lankan elephant, sloth bear, spotted deer, Indian python and monitor lizards. The bird species at the national park includes Sri Lankan junglefowl, whistling teal and painted storks. Interestingly, the national park also has a specific historical significance.

Ancient ruins such as stone pillars have been discovered in the national park, near a 'villu' called Kali. It is widely believed that these are the remains of the palace of Queen Kuweni, wife of Sri Lanka's first ruler, King Vijaya.
we unfortunately didn't spot any leopards but our guide did help us find some other animals such as egret, hawk eagle, stilt, green bee eater, peacock, chickens and some monkeys.

(Samadhi Buddha statue)

it was pitch black outside when we woke up. had some coffee and grabbed our packed lunch which was included. an older British woman was joining us. she was telling me about previous NGO work she had done. we moved from the car onto a jeep buggy with a different driver. we stopped at the entrance and the guide got out and organised our tickets. there was maybe only 1 or 2 other cars. we had a quick toilet break and set off, the sun having already risen. we had organised the tour through our homestay bt there's some online for 3 hours from 23USD. we choose the 6am tour, the afternoon tour is at 3. we had hoped we would see more animals this way, but it seems they were having a lazy day after a light rain the night before. the park is huge, 130,000 hectares. lakes forests.

there are 2 time slots, 6-10am or 3-6p, we choose morning going more animals would be active in the cooler weather, unfortunately we were wrong, or just that the route we choose wasn't so lucky. it would be impossible to even think about doing a tour yourself, the place is huge, there are some dangerous animals and its a maze, you would easily get lost and not find your way back for days maybe, even with Sat Nav I reckon. the best times to visit are February to October. it was around mid February when we visited but unfortunately luck wasn't on our side that day. there are many beautiful lakes, flat grasslands and dry plains amongst the forest. the driver would stop andpoint out animals he had spotted for us, they have amazing eyesight for sure!

https://www.wilpattunationalpark.com/visiting_wilpattu_national_park.php?lId=02

Wilpattu National Park

falcon or hawk? hawk I think?

https://birdwatchingbuzz.com/hawk-vs-falcons/

we saw mugger crocodiles, deer, wolverines, water buffalo, and a mongoose at the very end. no leopards (my favourite) or even elephants. lots and lots of chickens randomly? and some peacocks.