The Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura is a direct cutting from the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, planted here in 288 BC and continuously tended since. It is the oldest documented living tree on earth. The atmosphere at the tree on a Poya full moon day, when pilgrims arrive from across the island in white, is unlike anything in the standard heritage circuit.
Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada)
A mountain simultaneously sacred to four religions - the pre-dawn climb is the thing
Adam’s Peak is sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, each tradition with its own name for the footprint at the summit and its own understanding of what it records. The pre-dawn climb, with lanterns on the stone steps and thousands of people from all four traditions ascending together in the dark, is an experience with very few equivalents. The triangular shadow cast westward at dawn is the payoff.
