KELANIYA.................and Pink Ice Fruit
A visit to Kelaniya was entirely Upali's idea. Our Sinhalese tour escort swept aside all our meek protestations of " oh no, not another buddha temple !" with a firm, almost dictatorial , remark : " You come to Colombo and not see Kelaniya Mahavihara ? We are going. " Mercifully, it was only 8 kms. outside Colombo. And i was glad we visited. ...(And Upali was glad that i was glad) The magnificent vihara complex, with a typical " heaped paddy" type of stupa ( called the Dhaanyakkara pattern ) , is spread over 1o acres of brilliant green grassland , the main shrines standing atop a mound -accessed by a flight of steps ending in archways that faintly resemble portugese architecture. The Shrine is built of sandstone which, in broad daylight looks creamy and smooth. The outer walls are encrusted with friezes showing frolicking Ganas ( dwarves), swans , elephants and the Devalas,( deities like Ganesha, Vishnu, Ganga, Katragama ( General Skanda), Vib