Adam's Peak
Adam's Peak is a 2,243 m (7,359 ft) tall conical sacred mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the Sri Pada (Śrī Pāda; Sinhala: ශ්රී පාද, 'sacred footprint'), a 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) rock formation near the summit whose name is also used for the mountain itself. In Buddhist tradition, the print is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Sri Lankan Hindu tradition that of Hanuman or Shiva (its Tamil name, சிவனொளிபாதமலை, Sivanolipaathamalai, means 'Mountain of Shiva's Light'), and in some Islamic and Christian traditions that of Adam or St. Thomas.
The mountain is also known as Mount Malaya in Buddhist sources, particularly the Mahayana Lankavatara Sutra, which states that the Buddha preached this sutra on top of the mountain. According to this sutra, the mountain was the abode of Rāvanā, overlord of the Rakshasas and ruler of Laṅkā. Other names in Sanskrit sources include Mount Lanka, Ratnagiri (Mountain of Gems), Malayagiri (Mount Malaya), or Mount Rohana.
The mountain is also seen as the abode of the deity Saman and also goes by various names associated with this, including Sumanakūta ("Sumana's Mountain") and Samanalakanda ("Mountain of Saman" or "Mountain of the Butterflies")
Geography
The mountain is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands in the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya District of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province—lying about 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Ratnapura and 32 km (20 mi) southwest of Hatton. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby. The region along the mountain is a wildlife reserve, housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic species.
Adam's Peak is important as a watershed. The districts to the south and the east of Adam's Peak yield precious stones—emeralds, rubies, and sapphires, for which the island has been famous, and which earned it the ancient name of Ratnadvipa
Adam's Peak is the source of three major rivers in Sri Lanka: the Kelani River, the Walawe River, and the Kalu Ganga (river)
Trails
Access to the mountain is possible by 6 trails: Ratnapura–Palabaddala, Hatton–Nallathanni, Kuruwita–Erathna, Murraywatte, Mookuwatte and Malimboda. The Nallathanni and Palabaddala routes are most favored by those undertaking the climb, while the Kuruwita–Erathna trail is used less often. These trails are linked to major cities or towns by bus, accounting for their popular use. The Murraywatte, Mookuwatte, and Malimboda routes are seldom used but do intersect with the Palabaddala road midway through the ascent. The usual route taken by most pilgrims is ascent via Hatton and descent via Ratnapura. Although the Hatton trail is the steepest, it is also shorter than any of the other trails by approximately five kilometers.
Once one of the starting 'nodes' of Palabadalla, Nallathanni, or Erathna is reached, the rest of the ascent is done on foot through the forested mountainside on the steps built into it. The greater part of the track leading from the base to the summit consists of thousands of steps built in cement or rough stones. The trails are illuminated with electric light during the six-month period considered in-season, making night-time ascent possible and safe to do even when accompanied by children. Rest stops and wayside shops along the trails serve refreshments and supplies during the same period.
Whilst there are many ancient monuments on the mountain, there is an important Peace Pagoda located halfway up, built by Nipponzan Myohoji in 1978.
History
Sri Pada is mentioned in the 5th-century chronicle Mahawamsa, where it is stated that the Buddha visited the mountain peak. The chronicle Rajavaliya states that King Valagamba (1st century BCE) had taken refuge in the forests of Adam's Peak against invaders from India, and later returned to Anuradhapura. The famous Chinese pilgrim and Buddhist traveler Fa Hien stayed in Sri Lanka in 411–12 CE and mentions Sri Pada although it is not made clear whether he actually visited it. The Mahawamsa again mentions the visit of King Vijayabahu I (1058–1114) to the mountain. King Vijayabahu I's Ambagamuwa rock inscription records that the king himself ascended the mountain and worshipped the Buddha's footprint on the mountain.
The Italian merchant Marco Polo in his Travels of 1298 CE noted that Adam's Peak was an important place of pilgrimage but did not mention a footprint in the rock. The Arab traveler Ibn Battuta climbed to the summit of the mountain which he called Sarandīb in 1344 CE. In his description, he mentions a stairway and iron stanchions with chains to help the pilgrims. The first ascent of the peak by an Englishman was made by Lieutenant William Malcolm of the 1st Ceylon Regiment on 26 April 1815, from the Ratnapura side; his account of the ascent was published in the Government Gazette on 10 May 1815. John Davy, brother of the noted chemist Sir Humphry Davy, visited the peak in 1817. He recorded observing an oversized footprint carved in stone and ornamented with a single margin of brass and studded with gems
No comments:
Post a Comment