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Degaldoruwa Cave Temple – finest examples of Kandyan era paintings By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Pilikuttuwa – ancient forest monastery in Western Province By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Is Australia, a middle power? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Sri Lanka’s significant role in the Indian Ocean Region – By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple – finest examples of Kandyan era paintings By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple – finest examples of Kandyan era paintings

Pilikuttuwa – ancient forest monastery in Western Province By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Pilikuttuwa – ancient forest monastery in Western Province By Arundathie

Is Australia, a middle power? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Is Australia, a middle power? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe “I

Sri Lanka’s significant role in the Indian Ocean Region – By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Sri Lanka’s significant role in the Indian Ocean Region –

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple – finest examples of Kandyan era paintings By Arundathie Abeysinghe Constructed in 1771 AD by King Rajadi Rajasinha (1782–1798) as a Cave Temple with *Kandyan era architecture and paintings and situated in Amunugama in Kandy, the Temple is situated at a place where two rocks have linked with each other from above as well as below, almost similar to one single rock. The rock mass has a height of approximately 40 feet (about 12 meters). The Shrine Room of the Temple has been constructed by breaking the rocks. Construction of the Temple had commenced during the reign of King Rajadi Rajasinha’s elder brother King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1782 AD). King Kirthi Sri Rajasingha was well-known as a great restorer of the Buddhist Order, as he revitalized numerous abandoned historical monasteries, resettling them with monks and adorning the places of worship with resplendent paintings. Majority of finest examples ...

Aug 9, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Amunugama Kandy, ancient Sri Lankan art, Bo tree significance, Buddhist architecture Sri Lanka, Buddhist Enlightenment, Buddhist temples Sri Lanka, Degaldoruwa Cave Temple, Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Viharaya, Jataka Stories murals, Kandy tourist attractions, Kandyan era paintings, Kandyan frescoes, King Rajadi Rajasinha, Makara Thorana, Sigiriya frescoes, Sri Lanka cultural heritage, Sri Lanka hidden treasures, Sri Lanka historical temples, Sri Lankan temple art, stupa architecture, tempera painting technique

Pilikuttuwa – ancient forest monastery in Western Province By Arundathie Abeysinghe Situated off the beaten track, yet, located approximately 3.5 kilometers from Colomb-Kandy Road, Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Cave Temple situated in Pilikuththuwa, located in *Gampaha – Wathurugama Road. “Pilikuttuwa”, often spelt “Pilikuththuwa” or “Pilikuttuva” is the most picturesque rock temple in Gampaha District and situated approximately 35 kilometers from commercial capital Colombo and Colombo International Airport. Although, not a popular tourist destination, Pilikuttuwa is an enchanting place. The forest monastery known as “Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Viharaya” or “Pilikuttuwa Rajamaha Vihara” is situated amidst a large forest in close proximity to Maligathenna Temple, the highest hill in Gampaha District. The forest monastery is one of the temples with the highest number of ancient monastic rock caves in Sri Lanka. There are 99 monastic caves with ancient drip ledges (“kataram” in Sinhala), cut above the opening of the ...

Aug 3, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Brahmi inscriptions Sri Lanka, eLanka Newsletter subscription, Gampaha District rock temples, Kandyan era cave temples, King Walagamba monasteries, Pilikuththuwa Cave Temple Gampaha, Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Vihara, Pilikuttuwa ancient forest monastery, Pilikuttuwa Buddhist temple, Sri Lankan ancient monastic caves

Is Australia, a middle power? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe “I think in the 21st century, the world order will be shaped not by the great powers or major powers but by the proliferation of middle powers.” – Dino Patti Djalal, Founder, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI)) The United Nations Council, the premier global body for maintaining international peace and security has five permanent members, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia, collectively known as the P5. Any member can veto a resolution and has privileged status. P5 has its roots in the United Nations’ founding in the aftermath of the World War II. These countries with a permanent seat in the UN Security Council are considered as great powers and they exert political, economic and military dominance, globally. Middle powers play a vital and growing role in international relations. These states are considered as those which ...

Jul 26, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Arundathie Abeysinghe, Global North countries, middle powers, United Nations Council

Sri Lanka’s significant role in the Indian Ocean Region – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Image Source : britannica “Whoever controls the Indian Ocean will dominate Asia. This ocean is the key to the seven seas. In the 21st century, the destiny of the world will be decided on its waters”. – American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan Since time immemorial, the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has been a significant location, the world’s third-largest body of water, a theatre of strategic competition and power politics, a tangled web of power struggles of great powers, mainly due to its economic impact in the east-west maritime trade as the Ocean provides a link between the East and the West, in the form of vital sea lines of communication (SLOCs) nurturing the world’s economy. Extending from the Strait of Malacca and western coast of Australia in the East to the Mozambique Channel in the West, the ...

Jul 18, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Arundathie Abeysinghe, Indian Ocean Region, IOR, Sri Lanka’s significant role

Is Indo-Lanka land connectivity a significant step? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Currently, feasibility studies to establish land connectivity with India is in its final stages. As revealed by Indian High Commissioner Santos Jha recently in Colombo, India-Sri Lanka Land Connectivity Corridor is the most impactful in terms of potential, a “gamechanger” for Sri Lanka. Present status of India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations and the future direction of correlations between the two nations, especially, economic partnership is a commitment to greater connectivity, including the indication of a land bridge across the Palk Strait, a 23-km long route, an over-the-sea bridge connecting Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka by land are favorable indications of a robust bilateral relationship. This route is planned to be constructed over the Palk Strait from Talaimannar (located on the northwestern coast of Mannar Island) to Rameswaram (southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu) and with suggestions to construct a railway ...

Jul 13, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Arundathie Abeysinghe, india & Sri Lanka, Indo-Lanka, Palk Strait, Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka

India strives for cobalt in contested ocean waters – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Image Source : asianews India is attempting to secure rights to explore a cobalt-rich underwater mountain in the middle of the Indian Ocean due to fears over China’s presence in the region. Sri Lanka is also planning to mine the region for precious minerals, adding to the competition. Cobalt is a critical mineral widely used in electric vehicles and batteries and seen as a vital element in the green energy transition. In January, India had contacted the Jamaica-based International Seabed Authority (ISA) seeking approval to explore the cobalt-rich Afanasy Nikitin Seamount (AN Seamount), situated in the central Indian Ocean, east of the Maldives, approximately 1,350 kilometers (850 miles) from the Indian coast. ISA is an autonomous world body set up under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Analysts are of the view that New Delhi ...

Jul 6, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged China, China India cobalt competition, Cobalt in electric vehicle batteries, Cobalt-rich underwater mountain, Critical minerals for electric vehicles, Deep Ocean Mission India, Green energy transition minerals, INDIA, India cobalt mining, Indian Ocean mineral exploration, International Seabed Authority cobalt, Renewable energy minerals India, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka cobalt mining

Foreign Policy significance of Dr. Jaishankar’s visit to Sri Lanka – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s first bilateral overseas visit to Sri Lanka on June 20, 2024 (in his second consecutive term in office since the formation of India’s new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has set the stage for a significant chapter in India-Sri Lanka relations. This was apparent during his standalone visit to the island nation after assuming duty, a robust outreach to Indian Ocean neighbors. During his visit, he engaged in high-level meetings with President Ranil Wickremasinghe, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, opposition MPs and set a positive trajectory for future engagements between the two countries while emphasizing continuity and proactive diplomacy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He discussed on wide-ranging issues from the power sector to maritime security and commissioned the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), (constructed with ...

Jun 29, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Arundathie Abeysinghe, Dr S. Jaishankar, Dr. Jaishankar’s visit to Sri Lanka, Foreign Policy

Does Sri Lanka have a balanced Foreign Policy with China? By Arundathie Abeysinghe Sri Lanka’s foreign policy challenges come to the forefront as it struggles with the complicated dynamics of maintaining neutrality whilst participating in economic cooperation with powerful states, especially China. Long-term lease of Hambantota Port, presence of Chinese submarines “Shi Yan-6” in October 2023 and ‘Yuan Wang-5’ in August 2022 including plans for a Chinese radar base are major issues which raise questions regarding the foreign policy of the island nation. Neighboring countries, including India is agonized that ports in Sri Lanka could become pit-stops for Chinese vessels to re-stock supplies and fuel. Is Sri Lanka caught up in a strategic port deal with China? After struggling for many years to repay the massive loan obtained by the Rajapakse regime, in 2017, Sirisena-Ranil government handed over the port to China on a 99-year lease. During the handing-over ceremony ...

Jun 8, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Arundathie Abeysinghe, China influence in Sri Lanka, China military presence Sri Lanka, China radar base Sri Lanka, China's blue-water navy, Chinese naval base Sri Lanka, Chinese submarines in Sri Lanka, Hambantota Port lease, Sri Lanka debt China, Sri Lanka economic challenges, Sri Lanka economic cooperation China, Sri Lanka foreign policy, Sri Lanka India relations, Sri Lanka neutrality policy, Sri Lanka port agreements, Sri Lanka strategic port deal, Sri Lanka-China military cooperation, Sri Lanka-China relations, Sri Lanka-US relations

Tensions in Gulf strain Ceylon Tea – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Image Source : publicfinance Industry experts caution that rising tensions in Gulf region could impact Ceylon Tea. Issues in the Red Sea have already impacted the industry with longer delivery time and higher freight costs. This situation can also drastically affect the prices and livelihoods of people in the plantation sector who depend on tea export. With over 50 percent of the island nation’s tea exports heading to the Middle East, the industry is especially vulnerable to any disruptions in the region. Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) has stated that official figures of the current situation have not been shared by those in the tea industry, although, the industry stakeholders have informed that the situation could adversely affect tea exports. Closure of airspace in the region could also adversely affect tea exports. According to senior industry experts “similar to the ...

Apr 26, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Ceylon Tea, Tensions in Gulf strain Ceylon Tea

Election enthusiasm grasps Sri Lanka – By Arundathie Abeysinghe In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way. Franklin D. Roosevelt In politics, nothing is impossible. There are discussions in political circles to scrap the Executive Presidency. Along with this move, there is fear among ordinary citizens, civic groups and trade union activists and opposition parties, if the government will attempt to postpone the Presidential Elections in the guise of enacting constitutional amendments to abolish the Executive Presidency. Yet, postponing elections, Presidential or Parliamentary is unlikely as public opinion is building against such a move. Sri Lanka is abuzz with election fever, although, the presidential election, constitutionally scheduled for this year, has not yet been officially declared. Major political parties are preparing for the Presidential and General Elections, the former due by end 2024. Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has kept his ...

Apr 5, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged election, Election enthusiasm, General Elections, Politics, Ranil Wickremesinghe, United National Party