Sri Lanka > The temple of Buduruyagala

I leave Nuwara Eliya and continue southwards. Near Ella lies the Mini Adam’s Peak. The “real” Adam’s Peak is further west. You can climb the main peak in about four hours. To see the sunrise, you need to start in the middle of the night. That’s not necessary for the little brother. Mini Adam’s Peak can be climbed in about an hour and a half—round trip. The weather is nice today. The sun shines through the clouds. On the ridge across the valley, threatening clouds hang. I probably won’t stay completely dry today. The path to the top runs through the tea fields.

Sri Lanka - The smaller version of Adams Peak near Ella

At the foot of the mountain itself, I see a concrete staircase leading upwards. The hike isn’t very strenuous, and the view from the top is amazing. I look out over the valleys around Ella. A little further on, I pause at a hotel. From here, I have a view of the Ella Gap, a deep gorge between the mountains. Originally, Ajbriy suggested doing the Yala safari this afternoon. That would have meant leaving the hotel in Tissamaharama at half past two. I doubt we could have made it, and if I had, it would have been a very busy and rushed day. I decide to do the safari tomorrow afternoon, even though the weather forecast is slightly worse. This gives me more time today to make stops along the way. On the road from Ella to Tissamaharama lies the Ramana Waterfall, one of the tallest waterfalls in the area. I watch the water cascade over 70 meters down the rocks in several streams. Beautiful! I try to ignore the vendors selling stones and beads. Closer to Tissamaharama, or Tissa for short, is the Buduruvagala temple. This temple is unique in Sri Lanka because it is the only temple from the Buddhist Mahayana tradition.

Sri Lanka - The rockcut Buddha statues of Buduruvagala

The road there is rough. Ajbriy carefully drives the car along the sandy path. He explains that if it had rained, we wouldn’t have been able to drive here. Frequently, the bottom of the car scrapes the ground. When I arrive safely at the temple, I see numerous Sri Lankans dressed in white. They are pilgrims visiting the temple as a pilgrimage. Some have just stepped off a robust bus-truck. I am amazed at how many people can fit in one bus. I follow the pilgrims to the Buddha statue. At the rock face, I see a sixteen-meter-high Buddhist figure carved into the rocks. It isn’t Buddha himself, Ajbriy assures me—it’s his successor. On either side, smaller Buddha figures are depicted. The height of the statue combined with the numerous pilgrims gives Buduruvagala a special atmosphere. From the temple, it’s still over an hour’s drive to Tissamaharama. Just before three o’clock, I arrive at Hotel Kathala, a neat hotel with a stunning view. According to the travel guide, the hotel is within walking distance of the center. I follow the indicated directions but don’t encounter a center. I decide to walk to the Tissamaharama Stupa, which I can see in the distance, and then walk the two kilometers back. At a small restaurant near the hotel, I order soup, fries, and a beer. Although it’s already four o’clock, it’s a fine lunch. It feels a bit strange to go out again a few hours later for dinner. For my taste, I’ve barely finished lunch. At a neat roadside restaurant, I order Chicken Sweet and Sour. The English couple from the train trip and the tea plantation also arrive and join me. They are following roughly the same itinerary.