Sri Pada / Adam's Peak, Sri Lanka
This is a beautiful mountain located at Rathnapura district, close to Nuwara Eliya surrounding beautiful nature, wildlife species and rivers. This place is famous among the pilgrims as well as the local and foreign travellers.
History
According to the history, Lord Buddha has visited this place once in his life time and kept his foot print on the top of the mountain hill. Even though, Buddhist believes run like this, Catholics believe that the foot print belongs to Adam. According to different religions and believes, people obtain different religious attitudes and believes relating to this place and foot print. But the importance of this mountain does not limit to the religious values, but also for protecting the natural watersheds, natural birds and wild life habitats, herbs, rare and typical flora.
Tradition
According to the tradition, people start to climb this mountain from December to June, which is the Pilgrimage season to visit this place. Normally, people do not climb this place out of Pilgrimage season due to heavy rains and other things. Most people believe that the path is difficult cross due to wild animals, heavy rains, covered foot path with wild bushes and isolation during the off-peak season. During this season, travellers start to climb the mountain at night around 8.00 p. m. having the idea of reaching to the top of the hill in the dawn to visit the sunrise. Sunrise and the beautiful scenery from the top of the mountain turned in to the second important things besides the religious values and religious customs. Sometimes, people climb up bit early and finish the religious activities. Then sleep in the hall on the top of the hill and waiting until sunrise.
This is a wonderful scenery to watch in the morning since the sky is covered with the white clouds and sun appear like fire ball from the darkest horizon with golden lines. Then you can visit lot more other beautiful natural sceneries from there.
Prohibitions
There are lot of old traditions and believes to follow while climbing the journey. At the first, people say not to say any inappropriate word which disgrace to the place, since that curse does not allow that person to finish this journey properly. So, I would like to recommend not to engage in any forbidden activity during your journey, since most of my friend had experienced this tragedy and could not climb up due to the bad thoughts they had before starting the journey. Besides that, you can have a bath in place, namely Seetha Gagula as a ritual. But it is not necessary to follow. Since, the water is so cold most of the people just wash their face to pay the respect for the ritual. If you like to enjoy the thrill of the journey then you can have a bath in this place. Exclusive of that, people tie a white thread in a place call Idikatu Phana. Even if, this is also a ritual to do, you can skip these parts during your journey. Most of the elder pilgrims sing some religious songs and poems call Bakthi Gee during their journey to wipe out the isolation and loneliness of the journey.
The path
I must say that, climbing up is not so easy since you should travel across the small bridges, foot paths and steps even though the path is safe. So, you should get ready with proper cloths and shoes for cold. Besides that, I recommend you arrange lights, some food and beverages even if, there are small stalls where you can buy these items.
Normally people travel as a bunch of group due to the night travelling and the obstacles which they have to face while travelling. Even though, you are travelling alone, no need to worry since other pilgrims always share their hands with strangers during this journey. Most of the time they share their meals and lot more things. So, the other special thing, which I see is the peace and the harmony, which is created among each other during this journey.
The journey can be stated either from Hatton or Rathnapura. Most of the time people prefer to start the journey from one path and go down using the other path. According to your preference you can select the route. So, if you go to Sri Lanka then do not miss to have this experience.
