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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The holiest peak
Muslims believe that the footprint belongs to Prophet Mohammed. The mountain is also known as Adam's Peak as Adam is believed to have first set foot there after being cast out of heaven. Some believe the footprint to be that of St. Thomas, the early apostle of India while others believe it to be that of Lord Shiva. The mountain is also known as Samanala Kande (Butterfly Mountain) as hoards of yellow butterflies fly towards the mountain to die at a particular season of the year. The peak has been a pilgrimage scene for over 1,000 years. This is evident by the signs of ambalamas (resting places) up the mountains, believed to have been set up by King Parakramabahu I and King Nissanka Malla during the Polonnaruwa era. The latter is said to have covered the footprint with a stone slab for protection and engraved the footprint on this slab. King Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa also repaired and reconstructed the difficult path to the top during the 11th century, according to inscriptions. The season of pilgrimages start on the Poya Day of December after religious ceremonies and continues until the Vesak Poya in May. January and February are the favourite months for pilgrimages. During the season, strings of lights snaking up the mountain provide light to the stream of pilgrims and tourists making their way up the more than 5,200 steps. The statue of God Saman is also brought to the mountaintop from the Saman Devala in Ratnapura during the season. During the non-season, the peak is covered by clouds for most of the time. Pilgrims generally start the climb around midnight in order to reach the peak by dawn. The slope is gradual at first, slowly becoming steeper. The entrance starts at an arch, and halfway up, there is the Japan-Sri Lanka Friendship Dagoba, of which construction started in 1976. Shops and stalls offering refreshments can be found throughout the way to the very top. Climbing Sri Pada used to be a very dangerous and risky exercise at one time. So much so, that pilgrims set off from their homes even after writing their last wills. They set off in groups headed by a person who has many pilgrimage experiences under his belt. All group members heed his advice and do not behave indecently or shout loudly, for fear of angering God Saman. Hymns are sung by them throughout the journey. It is extremely cold at the top so pilgrims go prepared. The Sacred Footprint is not the only attraction atop the mountain. The first rays of the morning sun coming into the open behind the mountain is just as captivating a sight as the footprint; Colombo, which is 140 kilometres away, is also visible on a clear day. Pilgrims are also keen to light a lamp known as the 12-month lamp (Dolos Mahe Pahana), which is kept alight everyday of the year.
The sun-eating statue
The statue is 38 feet, 10 inches in height. The lotus plinth on which it stands is three feet, 10 inches tall. The total height is 42 feet. Aukana means sun-eating (avu + kana) and dawn, when the first rays of the sun light up the huge statue's finely carved features, is the best time to see it. According to tradition, the Aukana Buddha was sculpted during the reign of Dhatusena. According to renowned archaeologist Dr Senarath Paranavithana, the statue belongs to the fifth century, though some sources date it to the 12th or 13th century. Kala Wewa, one of the many gigantic tanks King Dhatusena constructed, is only a couple of kilometres from the statue, and the road to Aukana from Kekirawa runs along the tank bund for several kilometres. Although the statue is still narrowly joined at the back to the rock face it is cut from, the lotus plinth is a separate piece. The Buddha's gesture or pose denotes kindness, compassion and knowledge, while the burst of fire above his head represents the power of total enlightenment. It is said that the statue is so finely carved that a drop of water from its nose would fall directly between the Buddha's feet. The brick shelter over the statue is believed to have been built later by railway engineers and has mitigated (reduced) the effect of the statue to some extent. Images of four gods had been found from the statue's base. There is another similar 12 metre statue closeby at the site of an ancient cave monastery in the jungle of Sasseruwa. This is incomplete and of inferior craftwork. Legend says that both Buddha statues were carved around the same time by a master and student in competition with each other. The master's more detailed Aukana Buddha was completed first while the Sasseruwa statue also known as Resvehera Buddha was abandoned by the student. A replica of the Aukana Buddha can now be seen opposite the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). |
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The Sri Pada or Adam's Peak in the Ratnapura district (Sabaragamuwa
Province) is considered a sacred site by all four major religions in Sri
Lanka. It is known as Sri Pada (Sacred Footprint) as Buddhists believe
that the Buddha set His footprint on the 2243 metre (7860 feet)
mountain-top on the request of God Saman, the God of the area, during His
third visit to Sri Lanka (He visited Kelaniya).
The Aukana Buddha in Polonnaruwa is a magnificent 12-metre high
standing statue, which faces the Kala Wewa. It is one of the tallest
Buddha statues still around.
