Astronomical onbservation campaign in FAS

Faculty of Applied Sciences in South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, I do not have a chance to speak about it recently. Because of works and studies. Now here is a program conducted by me for the faculty. this is only a try to show stars to the Sciences Students. Astronomy is a vast subject than we thought. in that case i have decided to conduct a astronomical observation campaign. As a one undergraduate I cant do it alone. because our universities need verification for the programs. So I have decided to work with Students Union in Faculty of Applied Sciences.

I hope there will be hundreds of people but unfortunately there are nearly 80 people only. For astronomical observation we cant choose a date. we have to get a date that we have clear sky. So thinking about that point we choose 18th of July, 2013 at 4.30pm as our program date and time. I expect to invite Astronomer Dayasiri Perera as chief guest and conduct a lecture about Astronomy. But unfortunately he is unable to come here because of he was busy.

But Me and my crew who is in Astronomical Association was came here and conduct the program and we were listen to the questions they had. After the observation they ask questions about the things they have ever wanted to ask. and we try to answer all the questions as much as possible according to our knowledge. We are lucky to observe Moon and Saturn. But Venus was gone in that time because of the trees. Without any economical profit we conduct this because of the faculty was the my studying place. Here some Astronomical photographs I have taken from my sony W-570 camera.

I like to thank for the ameture astronomer Anura Bandara. And also thank to the Mr. Senevirathna, Mr Darshana Tharanga and Mr. Chaminda k. Ganegedara. This program is conducted to give some knowledge about the things we can not see on our naked eye. I wanted to tell you that there are things beyond us. try to observe them.








Here some photographs I have captured.


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Tour Article Number Forty Five - Athamala Ella Falls

This waterfall was  feet in height. There was an amazing story behind this name. Once upon a time this path across the river was an elephant path. So and so on one day one giant elephant was fallen down from the falls and came death. so since that day this falls is called "Athamala Ella". It means tha falls caused death to the elephant.

To visit this place we can use two subways. one is Pitabaddara - Siyambalagoda road and other one is Nilella Estate road. But those two ways join before 3km to the falls. This waterfalls creating by giant water stream in the Nilwalla river. and also creating vapory environment near the falls and big pond also. from through the small hole we can come closer to the falls. but I must say climbing waterfall is too dangerous.

Top of the falls is another way around. we can use another way to come to the top. there was old power house. but that was cast aside and now there is only ruins. First villagers create the power house to take electricity to the village. but then the responsibility goes to the provincial council. then they did it for few years. after that villagers got electricity my other ways. then powerhouse was cast aside.

anyways this area was amazing place to visit. Sound of birds and falling water creates amazing natural music to our naked ear and it will charm our minds.

Photos i have taken....

Tour Article Number Two - Tour to Katharagama

This tour was arranged just for joy of our life. We try to travel from Ambalangoda to Katharagama by motor bikes. We hope to attend to the oblation at 12 p.m. on the Kataragama Dewala premises. We started our journey by tribute to the Sinigama Dewalaya on the way and then from the Dewndara. This tribute was a tradition and for aspiration for good luck for the journey. As we expected we have a long journey ahead. and we spend our time in few places because of tiredness. Then here we are in Katharagama and as we expected we were lucky to attend to the oblation at 12 p.m. in Maha Dewalaya.

After the oblation we wish to have a bath on Thissa wewa. But we heard that was dangerous on the wewa at those days. So we choose the channel from the wewa to have a bath. And after that we have our lunch from nerby boutique. That was a awesome experience in the water and we were tired enough to have a big plate for lunch. :D

 

Than after we went to find a cheap and good lodge to have some sleep. Because we wish to watch and feeling aesthetic of the Katharagama Perahara at that night. then we go here and there for a lodge and finally we found a place to rest. Nearly at 7 p.m. we found a place to have the ultimate experience of watching the katharagama Dewala Perahara. We have lot of fun from the perahara and that was awesome. nearly 2 a.m the perahara was ended from our sights and we walk to the lodge to have some sleep and we discussed about returning home.

And next day morning at 9 a.m. we went to Sella Katharagama and do our praying (not me :P) and then we turn to way home. An always at the police barriers my university identity card was helped me to get there work done quickly and on the way we went to the Hummanaya which is located on the Kudawella area on Mathara district. Hummanaya was a blow hole near the sea. In nearby there was a Kudawella habour also. At 9 p.m. we were again in Ambalangoda and we devided to our homes by keeping happy feelings about our successful journey.

Here some more Photographs when we have our fun.......

Tour Article Number One - Nawagiyawa Lake

This article was about tour to the Nawagiyawa lake which is located in Ampara Gonagolla area. This was a place I visited a long time ago. From  Ampara Mahaoya road turn left from the Gonagolla junction then road ahead to the Nawagiriyawa lake. On that Days Lake was drying. So we are able to ride our motorcycles on the lake. It was a fantastic journey. When lakes were drying, some people dig the lake and try to make bricks from that soil. But these poor people think we are from the government so they were scared. But one of my friends knows them and told that we aren’t from the government. Then problem solved.

 

After that we seek place to fishing. Sometimes we sink on mud with bikes. Then lift the bikes and takeout. It was too tired but by thinking of the journey ahead that was a nothing. So we go through the lake and fond some place. But fishing is not for us. We were catching two or three fish from the lake. After disappointed on the fishing we go to see the place that the lake was divided on the dry season. Unfortunately that was not succeeded because of the some rocks were ahead and we can’t go through. So we have to stop the journey today and one day I hope to visit this place.

 

And there were lot of tales about this lake I wont to seek but that was getting dark. So we end our journey and return to home. But that was amazing experience in my life on those days. But now that was nothing by comparing my journeys.

 

Tour Article Number Thirty Three - Morning Side

When we travel nearly 6 kilometers from the Suriyakanda to Deniyaya in Galle Rathnapura road we can see the direction notation to this area. This is uphill road which is very difficult to drive without motorcycle or four wheel drive vehicle. But we choose three wheeler to visit this place. But development projects were never seen this area. Sometimes we lift the wheels because of the mud. However we derived nearly half of the tour. Then we decide to walk to the top. 

Feel the environment and through the jungle we were in our journey without knowing the end of the road. Sometimes my crew was tried to drop it and turn around because of tiredness and the hungry. But for me it gets mo curiosity to seek what is the end of this road. But from the jungle guava found from the road side was release our hungriness and gave another life to travel ahead. We walked nearly 5 kilometers from the vehicle parked place. But the news found from the Morning Side research bungalow is “This is the Morning Side and you can see Morning Side tea estate 2kilometers ahead”. From that we tried to stop our journey but it was just 2 kilometers so we continued our journey to the estate.

However we decided to visit the estate also. So when we traveled through the jungle road, we heard water flows, birds. But Elephant faeces on the road were gave us fear. Morning Side estate was nearly 0.2 hectare and planted on 2008. Time was nearly 3.30pm so we turn to our rest places. But for the sound come from waterfall was changed the route again.

 

That was very beautiful waterfall nearly 15 or 20 meters with height. But it was enough to remove our tiredness from our bodies. After the cool rest we started speedily come to the home. Like they said it was morning at the all time we spend there. That was amazing climate in that area comparing Deniyaya, Suriyakanda areas which are located around the Morning Side area. But for the travelers I must say that the journey to the Morning side was difficult because of uphill roads.

Other Photographs...

Tour Article Number Thirty Two - Kiridi Ella falls

Always we can see this waterfall from the Rathnapura Pelmadulla Road. In Sri Lanka this is the seventh highest waterfall with 116 meters. This falls was started from the Kuttapitiya mountain which is height of 940 meters. Turn to the Kuttapitiya road from the Rathnapura Pelmadulla road and travel nearly 5 kilometers, there it is. In there we can see the board and turn from there and take the narrow steps to the bottom of the falls.

 

Steps begin from the top level of the waterfall. Take nearly 450 steps to the bottom. But we have to be careful with these steps because they are slippery, narrow and sometimes we have to go over the slippery rocks. But when we come to the end of the steps we feel this is not the time waste. Because this falls was very beautiful enough to flow away our tiredness. We went to the very bottom of the falls and because of the rainy period this is full with the water. But careful, because in this area there are lots of poisonous snakes and also we can see endemic fishes.

There was another thing we seen, that is dead dog comes from the top of the waterfall. After we feel the environment and return to home. But when we seen the road ahead we were bored but we were done it. When we seen the main road again we have independently happy feelings, because we done this adventures tour to the Kirindi ella falls.

Go and visit these things make our country’s uniqueness from the whole world. You have to visit your own to these places to get those feelings. But I must say do not destroy the environment with polythene and also do not take drugs or alcohol to this places. Protect the environment and feel it.

Another photographs....

Tour Article Number Thirty One - Buddhangala Monastery

Buddhangala Monastery lies in the thick jungle about 7 kilometers off Ampara. Monastery covers nearly 1200 acres. We can see remains of the ancient monastery covering 5 rocks. This area was belongs to Digamandulla Kingdom which was started by Dighayu in the 4^th century BC. According to Ven. Ellawala Medhananda thero, this monastery was older than the Digamadulla Kingdom.

This area was covered by thick jungle for thousands of years and in 1964 by a brave Bikku called kaluthara Dhammananda was cleared this area and again started the monastery. When the escalations goes on the original Stupa, they found the relics that believe that belongs to Saripuththa and Moggallana who is the chief disciples of Buddha. But here the real name was unknown.

 

When the terrorist era they were trying to destroy the monastery. And tamils and muslims try number of times to destroy the monastery and to build a tank called “Hijra”. Because of the rock looks like Buddha’s laying position the tamils and musslims used to called it as “Buddhankalei” and then Sinhalease also called it as “Buddhangala”. Inside the jungle there are lots of ruins. But in my travels I am unable to travel for these ruins. But I will give details later for you.

Here you can see some photographs which I have taken.