Statues - Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Dambulla on a quiet day is great experience. These statues were in the second cave (from memory) and I was fortunate to be able to take my time photographing them as there weren't too many other people around. A tripod is essential and flash photography is not allowed. The main statues are lit but the paintings on the walls are in relative darkness.

Raja Maha Viharaya - Dambulla, Sri Lanka

 

The cave temples in Dambulla are on almost every tourist route within Sri Lanka and they deserve to be. The artwork and statues are stunning and are a welcome reward after the climb up to the caves.  I visited the temple early one morning with the aim of photographing it without other visitors walking across my frame. I got to the temple and found that my lens was broken and wouldn't zoom out more than 70mm.  Fortunately I had taken a few photographs the previous day.

Buduruwagala - Wellawaya, Sri Lanka

 

We stopped at Buduruwagala on our way to Arugam Bay a few weeks ago. I hadn't been there in a number of years and was a bit disappointed to see that the area had changed. I guess it was inevitable given the increasing number of visitors to the area. The statues though are still stunning and well worth a visit. 

Perahera Dancers - Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

I went to Kelaniya for the annual perahera last year and was able to take a few shots of the traditional dancers. Due to the security situation in the country at the time, the perahera was restricted to the temple complex and didn't make its way through the streets as it usually does. This worked in my favour as I was able to position myself and watch as the procession passed my 3 times. It would have been a lot harder to find a good vantage point on the streets.

Hindagala Raja Maha Viharaya - Hindagala, Kandy

The Hindagala Rajamaha Viharaya, located close to the university of Peradeniya, has been dated back to the 7th Century AD. The temple is known for its paintings that can be seen on the outer facade of the temple. However, the oldest paintings are within the cave itself. 

Kadurugoda Viharaya - Kandarodai, Sri Lanka

Kadurugoda Viharaya is an ancient archeological site dating back to the Anuradhapura period. Although about 20 stupas are currently visible at the site, remnants of 56 are said to have been found in the area. The stupas have been made with coral stone and do not have the square section found on top of the domes of other temples.

The Temple of the Tooth - Kandy, Sri Lanka

I thought I'd get to the temple early in the morning and photograph it's exterior before pilgrims and tourists started arriving. I was surprised when I had issues finding parking after a 5.00am start! It was impossible to compose a shot of the building without including people so I had no choice but to come up with a composition that included pilgrims. 

Vatadage - Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

The Vatadage at Polonnaruwa is said to date back to the rule of King Parakramabahu in the 12th Century. It is one of 10 Vatadages that can be found in the country. This photograph was taken on an overcast morning and shows one of 4 entrances to the inner section of the building.

Jama Masjid - New Delhi, India

The Jama Masjid, built by Shah Jenhand between 1650 and 1656, is one of the largest mosques in India. The mosque can accommodate around 25,000 worshippers and is still in use today. We visited on a rainy morning and I'm sure that reduced the number of tourists at the site making it a bit easier to photograph. The bazars of Old Delhi are to the left of this frame and definitely worth exploring.

Lankatilaka Temple - Hiyarapitiya, Sri Lanka

The Lankatilaka temple is said to have been constructed by King Bhuvenekabahu IV in 1344. It is relatively close to the Embekke and Gadaladeniya temples. Its probably best to visit the temple early in the morning or late in the afternoon as it is built on a rock which heats up during the day. 

Abhayagiriya Complex - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

A section of the Abhayagiriya monastery which once housed over 5000 monks. The monastery complex has a number of interesting sites including the "buth oruwa", the Elephant's pond, a moonstone and the Samadhi Buddha statue. It is spread out over a large extent of land and quite often, you have the place to yourself. 

Vatadage - Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

The Vatadage in the city of Polonnaruwa is supposed to be one of the best preserved Vatadage structures in the Country. This photograph was taken from the first platform of the structure and shows the north facing entrance to the second platform on which the stupa was built. As shown in the photograph, a Buddha statue is positioned facing each of the 4 entrances to the second platform.

Resvehera - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The statues and paintings inside the image house at Resvehera were amazing. The temple is said to have been built by King Devanampiyatissa in around 300 BC. The temple is still in use and If i'm not mistaken, there are monks still meditating in the caves around the temple complex.

Dragon Bridge - Ubud, Indonesia

The dragon bridge that leads to the bathing temple within the monkey forest sanctuary in ubud, Bali.  The bridge is quite narrow and seems to cut through a banyan tree at the further end. Details on the age of the bridge are hard to find but the general consensus indicates that it is around 700 years old. Photographing it without people is easier said than done.

Ras Vehera - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The reclining buddha statue at the Ras Vehera complex in Anuradhapura. This was another ancient temple that we were fortunate to be able to explore on our own. It was about an hours drive from Anuradhapura and we found our way there thanks to GPS coordinates that I found in a book. It was well worth the drive!

Kaludiya Pokuna - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Most travellers tend to go up to the main Mihintale temple but don't bother visiting the other ruins in the complex. The Kaludiya pokuna is definitely worth a visit as it contains a small stupa and the ruins of an ancient monastery. Pictured above is a cave dwelling near the pond. Monks still meditate in the jungles surrounding this area.

Kandyan Dancer - Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

A Kandyan dancer photographed at the annual perahera in Kelaniya. This years perahera was relatively low key affair, due to the "constitutional coup" and was limited to the "uda maluwa" of the temple.