The mountain of faith
Sri Pada-Adams Peak :
by Indeewara Thilakarathne
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An arial view of Sri Pada
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Sri Pada, also known as Adam's Peak or Adam's Mount, is 2,243 metre
(7,360 feet) tall, conical, mountain in the Sabaragamuwa province, is
considered the most sacred mountain in Sri Lanka.
People of all faith make annual pilgrimage to the mountain, often
chanting songs extolling the mountain and virtues of its guardian deity
God Saman.
Both Ratnapura, and Ratnagiri (a historic term used to refer to the
mountain), are derived from the Sinhala words rathna, meaning gem, and
pura, meaning city - the haven for gem minning.
Mainly there are two accessible roads to Sri Pada. One from the
Maskeliya town and the other from Ratnapura. According to the legend,
the steps carved on the rocky terrain and the iron railings have been
built by the Sinhalese kings.
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A group of pilgrims |
Buddhist believe that the footprint at the summit is one that is left
by the Buddha on one of his visits to Sri Lanka. The mountain is also
associated with host of legends and folk-lore.
The act of climbing is itself considered as religious and a group of
villagers is led by an experienced climber called Nade Gura (head of the
group) and on reaching the summit, the members of the group ring the
bell at the summit indicating how many times they climbed the sacred
mountain. Tamil Hindus think it is the footprint of Shiva.
Some Muslims and Christians ascribe it to Adam where Adam, the first
Ancestor, set foot as he was exiled from the Garden of Eden. Sometimes
Christians ascribe it to Saint Thomas.
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Maiden sun rays
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The legends of Adam are connected to the idea that Sri Lanka was the
original Eden. The legends of Saint Thomas are connected to his status
as the Apostle of India, though these are usually placed in adjacent
peninsular India.
Some Islamic traditions also hold that Adam and his companion were
moved to Sri Lanka as the next best thing to Eden.
Sunrise on Adam's Peak
A shrine to Saman, a Buddhist "deity" (People who have done yeoman
service to regions are deitified by Sri Lankans) charged with protecting
the mountain top, can be found near the footprint. Sri Pada is
remarkable in the sense it is being revered by people of all faiths and
is also a popular tourist destination.
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A group of pilgrims on their way to the peak |
Sri Pada is the term, derived from Sanskrit, used by the Sinhalese
people in a religious context. This name is also understood in Pali, and
may be translated roughly as "the sacred footprint".
It refers to the footprint-shaped mark at the summit, which is
believed by Buddhists to be that of the Buddha. The Christians believe
that it is the footprint of Adam, left by his entrance into the world.
Shivanolipatha Malai and Shiva padam are two Tamil names holding
similar meanings, but both refer to the footprint as being that of the
Hindu deity Shiva rather than that of the Buddha.
The Sinhala name of the mountain is Samanalakanda , which is said to
refer either to the deity Saman, who is said to live upon the mountain
or to the butterflies (samanalayo ) that frequent the mountain during
their annual migrations to the region.
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The Shrine at the Summit
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Other local and historic names include Ratnagiri ("jewelled hill"),
Samantakuta ("surrounded by peaks"), Svargarohanam ("the climb to
heaven"), Mount Rohana and other variations on the root Rohana. It is,
perhaps, the only religious site revered by people of all faiths;
Buddhists, Hindus, and to a lesser extent by Jews, Muslims and
Christians. It is an important pilgrimage site, especially for Hindus
and Buddhists.
Pilgrims walk up the mountain, climbing thousands of steps. The
journey takes several hours. The peak pilgrimage season is in April, and
the goal is to be on top of the mountain at sunrise, when the
distinctive shape of the mountain casts a triangular shadow on the
surrounding plain and can be seen to move quickly downward as the sun
rises.
Climbing at night can be a remarkable experience, with the lights of
the path leading up and into the stars overhead. There are rest stops
along the way.
Legends
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The foot print on the summit
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The mountain can only be scaled from December to May. During other
months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, jet wind
and thick mist.
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