Cities  Ancient  and  Holy

One of the tremendous stone carved statues in Anuradhapura.

Buddhism has become the most important religion since long time ago. At present it is seen that the Buddhism has spread all over the world and in most Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Nepal, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Tibet including Sri-Lanka.

Long time ago, before the birth of Jesus Christ, Prince the 'Siddharta' was born to a Royal family in India.  Many Soothsayers said that the Prince would definitely become either a King to the whole world or attain enlightenment (the status of Lord Buddha).

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A saffron-clad monk on a pilgrimage to the ancient city....

Celebrating Wesak occurs at the time of the May of Fullmoon where devout pilgrims light lamps and offer sweet-scented flowers.

                                                            Dalada Maligawa in Kanday

"He was the potential savior of millions of people all around the world."..........................."He was the potential savior of millions of people all around the world."..........................................................."He was the potential savior of millions of people all around the world."......."He was the flame of life too........"

Out of the Soothsayers, one wise but the youngest called 'Kondanja' expressed that the Prince would definitely attain enlightenment and become Lord Buddha. The Prince grew up gradually and when he was old enough to understand the reality of life, in an unanticipated moment, on his way to the Royal Garden on four separate days he came across with an old man, a feeble person, a coffin and a priest (at a time when the Buddhism was not prevalent).  He wanted to give up his Kingdom, everything that belonged to him such as his four Palaces suitable for the four seasons, his parents, loved ones, his wife and also his just born son.  He wanted to realize 'nibbana' the liberation.

So, he left his Palace and proceeded to woods with the aim of attaining monism and keeping the morale in his mind to spend a deliberate life.  Meditation became the main activity of his life; he paid more attention to neither his clothes nor his foods; he used old torn clothes and whatever the fruits he found from the suburbs.  At a stretch he meditated for six years, at the end  his health became very poor, started suffering from giddiness; he did this on his own will; once in a morning he was fainted and laid on the rusty land near the place he was meditating.  Meanwhile, a passerby saw him and gave some fresh milk. That was the end of his spending an extremity life.

He gave a new meaning to his life and started a new era paying attention on his food and with the aim of gaining enlightenment conclusively.  This was the Middle Path he followed and later on a Wesak Day (Day categorizing system of Buddhism), he defeated all the evil and invisible powers of life and invented spirituality and the greatest position  a human being could enfold called the enlightenment. "He was the potential savior of millions of people all around the world.".