Sri Lanka Holidays

The Beautiful North

Road to vakarai is stretched out in the distance like a gray ribbon. Passing the Kayankerni New Bridge and Panichchankerny Bridge, which runs a length of 133m across the beautiful river paving the way to easily get through. There are palm fronds everywhere around the road which makes the road more colorful.  When the pooja times comes in the kovil in Verugal, there is a soothing sound which is played by the young boys in the kovil. If you come in the morning you will be able to enjoy a lovely meal of pol sambol and string hoppers from the kovil area before you proceed your journey.

Proceeding to Verugal Aru over the Verugal New Bridge into Trincomalee district from Batticaloa, you can see the gopuram of the large kovil. It’s an extremely sacred site where you have to take off your slippers at the edge of the kovil land. The Verugalpathy Sri Siththira Velayautha Swamy Devasathanam in Verugal, Mavadichenai is said to be a place where one of the three arrows of Lord Murugan had landed. The gopuram itself was still in its cement form. When you enter you will experience how simple is the temple is, also it’s extremely quiet, except for the sound of the morning pooja.

When you reach Trincomalee, one of the place that you need to visit is the Lanka Patuna Samudragiri Viharaya (The temple on the rock by the sea). This is the place where price Dantha and Princess Hemamala set foot in Sri Lanka, carrying the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Buddhist kingdoms in India were faced with great threats during that time., hence King Guhasive of Kalinga, sent the sacred tooth relic with his son and daughter-in-law to kind Siri Meghavanna of Sri Lanka for protection. The royal duo brought their sacred package amidst great difficulty and secrecy and landed in Lanka Patuna where they stayed the night before proceeding to Anuradhapura. The surrounding of the Lanka Patuna Samudragiri Viharaya is very quiet and tranquil. There is a golden statue of Lord Buddha standing serenely, overlooking the blue ocean. The view from this point is breathtaking…..

You can next visit Seruvila which also in the Tricomalee district. This place is considered to be one of the most revered sites as it is linked to Lord Buddha’s eighth visit to Sri Lanka. It is said that the relic of the three Buddhas prior to Gautama Buddha; Kukusada, Konagama and Kashyapa too had been enshrined in this region. Following the parinibbana or passing of Gautama Buddha, the Lalata Dathi or the forehead bone relic was enshrined in the stupa at Seruvilla, according to his wishes. The significance of Seruvila Raaja Maha Viharaya has not diminished with time. Even today there are lots of people coming from various part of the county to see this place.