Adam's Peak

Adam’s Peak (Mountain of Butterflies)  The only mountains in the world where four major religions get together and worship. To the Buddhist, the imprint found on the summit of the mountain is the hallowed footprint of the Lord Buddha hence the Name “SriPada”. To the Hindus, the footprint is that of God Shiva. To the Christians, it is the footprint of St. Thomas, and to the Islam, it’s the foot print of Adam, hence the title “Adam’s peak”. Another name given by Sinhalese is “Samanala Kanda” meaning Butterfly Mountain due to the fleet of butterflies fling around with the start of the season. It is 2243m in height above the sea level and about 27km (16 miles) from bottom to the top by foot or 14.4km(9 miles) by vehicle and 12km (7 miles) by foot to the top of the pointed peak. History of Adam's Peak(Sri pada) Since the 11th century the mountain has been a place of pilgrims. King Vijayabahu the 1 and King Nissankamalla of Polonnaruwa both recorded their pilgrimage here. Pilgrimage season begins from the full moon Poya day of December and continues until the Wesak festival in May. At other times the mountain is wet and rains make the trail dangeruose. Thosands of people makes the journey every year. Most of them climb in the night. The trail is illuminated by lamps. Pilgrims rests and the refreshment stalls make the climb easier. Those who reach the summit by dawn witness a glorious view of sun rising. Sri pada pilgrims follow a number of traditions procedures. It’s customary for first time climbers to bathe at the stream call “Seetha Gangula” and to pile white cloth on their heads. At “indikatu pana” (place of the needle). The devotees stop and hang a threaded needle in to a shrub by path’s side, marking a spot where the Buddha is said to have stopped to mend a tear in his road. It is bad form, by the way, to ask how far is it to the top...? Instead just exchange the greetings “karunawai”: “peace”. Some sing folk songs. The huge bell at the summit is strucked by every pilgrim once for each time they visited. Present visit is not counted, as it’s not completed until they return home. Wearing a sweater is a must as it could be very cold at the summit. Major Skinner, the well known engineer of fame during the British rule over Ceylon (Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon), in his celebrated book, “fifty years in Ceylon”(1891) has described how he has seen the marvelous shadow of the summit which can be seen with sun rising when he had camped out there in 1840. “I used to see the most wonderful effects when camping out. On one occasion, my sojourn on Adam’s peak lasted for a fortnight on the top of the cone, where I waited for clear weather, which I did not get. To admit of my completing of my observations. One morning as the sun was rising, the shadow of the mountain was thrown across the whole land and sea and to the horizon, and for a few minutes the apex was doubled, and so clearly marked that the little shed over the impression of Buddha’s foot was perfectly distinct in the shadow. Another most curios effect was when the mist has lain deep in the valley bellow, between the great peak range of Rakwana, it was an exact representation of the sea: the clouds rolling against the base of the mountain resembling the surf beating against the cliffs which seemed to project in to the sea, the point of the hills peeping through the mist, appeared like beautiful islands.” Pilgrims The oldest route was the Ratnapura path, via Gilimale, Eratna, Kuruwita, Malwala and Palabaddala, to Seetagangula (parent stream of the Kaluganga). Even today, pilgrims consider this route as the difficult path, and highly infested with leeches due to dampness of the climate. Pilgrims have to toil up and down narrow passes up to Palabaddala, the last inhabited station en route. In most places the path is narrow, rugged and rocky and densely wooded. This route came into prominence during the Polonnaruwa period and the first king who went on pilgrimage was Vijayabahu I (1058-1114). He built rest camps for pilgrims along the path. The Ambagamuwa rock edict and the Panakaduwa copper plate bear testimony to his munificence. However, it was King Kirti Nissankamalla (1187-1196) who went on pilgrimage with his fourfold army. Seetagangula (the torrent of icy water) is an important landmark en route to the summit. It rushes from the woody height down a stream obstructed by masses of rock formation. Here, the pilgrims, after performing their ablutions, make a frugal repast, some rest for awhile chewing betel, and after observing 'pansil' and making obeisance to God Saman, and after trying 'panduru' (a coin wrapped in a clean white cloth as an offering for protection) they begin to ascend the mountain to reach the summit, with a break at the place called 'Indikatupahana', a popular rest camp. From this point, a long line of concrete steps leads to the summit. In the old days, pilgrims ascended the mountain by stepping upon bare rock surface and clinging on to chains fitted to iron posts drilled into the rocky floor. John Still, in his book Jungle Tide, says how once a batch of pilgrims, fell into the precipice below when the railing they were holding on to broke loose, probably due to weight. The most dangerous part of the climb was the point known as 'Mahagiridambe' where the pilgrims exposed to heavy wind were at risk of being carried away. Pilgrims try to reach the summit before dawn to view the grand phenomenon known as the 'ira-sevaya' (the effulgence of the rising sun) puncturing the eastern horizon, like a ball of fire, casting a shadow of the mountain to fall on to the valley in the opposite direction, like a cone. The 'ira sevaya' is considered to mean the worship of the foot by the sun-god. There is a huge brass lamp atop the mountain that keeps burning day and night, during the open semester, and it was an offering made by king Wickremabahu III (1360-1375). The oil from this lamp is taken away by pilgrims for medicinal purposes.                                                                   God Sumana Saman Butterfly migration In the crisp air and sunshine, legions of brave yellow and white and jewel coloured butterflies are in their final flight to the summit as if these lovely ephemeral creatures, a sublime creation of nature were in the company with the pilgrims. At the end of their ascent, they die there in waves, providing another phenomenon, hence is called Samanala Kanda meaning Butterfly Mountain.  Merciless black death takes over all of those lovely butterflies as all of us would be taken over. Only the death is definite. All else is indefinite & impermanent. Be kind to all. Don't murder. May all murderers swiftly recover from their maladies! It kills me to see you killing my race: human.