Sri Pada
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| Sri Pada | |
|---|---|
 The view of Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) from a distance |
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| Elevation | 2,243 metres (7,360 feet) |
| Location | Sabaragamuwa (Sri Lanka) |
| Range | Samanala |
| Coordinates | |
Sri Pada, also known as Adam's Peak or Adam's Mount, is a 2,243 metre (7,360 feet) tall, conical, mountain located in central Sri Lanka.
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[edit] Geography
The mountain itself, is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands, in the Ratnapura district of the Sabaragamuwa Province - lying about 20 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura. The surrounding region is largely comprised of forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby.
Both Ratnapura, and Ratnagiri (a historic term used to refer to the mountain), are derived from the Sinhala words rathna, meaning gem, and pura, meaning city - due to vast gem mines located in the region.
Access to the mountain is generally provided by a bus that travels between Siripada and the nearby town of Maskeliya, to the northeast. The summit of the mountain, however, may only be reached on foot. At the summit may be found a rough impression in the rock shaped like a footprint (about 1.8 metres long). It is from this footprint that its present name is derived (Sri, meaning sacred, and Pada, meaning footprint).
[edit] Nomenclature
Due to its historical significance to the various peoples that inhabit the region, the mountain, itself, is referred to by a variety of terms.
Sri Pada is the term, derived from Sanskrit, used by the Sinhalese people in a religious context. This name is also understood in Pāli, and may be translated roughly as "the sacred foot". It refers to the footprint-shaped mark at the summit, which is believed by Buddhists to be that of the Buddha. Other traditions assert that it is the footprint of Adam, left by his first entrance into the world.
Shivanolipatha Malai and Shiva padam are two Tamil names holding similar meanings, but both refer to the footprint as being that of the Hindu deity Shiva rather than that of the Buddha.
The Sinhala name of the mountain is Samanalakanda, which refers either to the deity Saman, who is said to live upon the mountain, or to the butterflies (samanalayā) that frequent the mountain during their annual migrations to the region.
Other local and historic names include Ratnagiri ("jewelled hill"), Samantakuta ("surrounded by peaks"), Svargarohanam ("the climb to heaven"), Mount Rohana and other variations on the root Rohana.
[edit] The Sacred Mountain
It is revered as a holy site by Buddhists, Hindus, and to a lesser extent by Jews, Muslims and Christians. It has specific qualities that cause it to stand out and be noticed; including its dominant and outstanding profile, and the boulder at the peak that contains an indentation resembling a footprint.
It is an important pilgrimage site, especially for Hindus and Buddhists. Pilgrims walk up the mountain, following a variety of routes up thousands of steps. The journey takes several hours at least. The peak pilgrimage season is in April, and the goal is to be on top of the mountain at sunrise, when the distinctive shape of the mountain casts a triangular shadow on the surrounding plain and can be seen to move quickly downward as the sun rises.
Climbing at night can be a remarkable experience, with the lights of the path leading up and into the stars overhead. There are rest stops along the way.
[edit] Legends
The mountain can only be scaled from December to May. During other months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, jet wind and thick mist. It is almost impossible to hike there through less known jungle tracks because of flooding rivers.
Buddhits say that the footprint mark is the left foot of the Buddha, left behind as he strode away, the right footprint being (depending on legend) in Amphoe Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi Province, located about 150 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. This place is called in Thai Phra Bat or Phra Phutthabat.
Tamil Hindus think it is the footprint of Shiva.
Some Muslims and Christians[Please name specific person or group] ascribe it to Adam where Adam, the first Ancestor, set foot as he was exiled from the Garden of Eden. Sometimes Christians ascribe it to Saint Thomas. The legends of Adam are connected to the idea that Sri Lanka was the original Eden. The legends of Saint Thomas are connected to his status as the Apostle of India, though these are usually placed in adjacent peninsular India.
Some Islamic traditions[Please name specific person or group] also hold that Adam and his companion were moved to Sri Lanka as the next best thing to Eden.
A shrine to Saman, a Buddhist "deity" (People who have done yeoman service to regions are deitified by Sri Lankans) charged with protecting the mountain top, can be found near the footprint.
[edit] Other information
This mountain played a role in Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction novel The Fountains of Paradise.
This mountain also produces a very high grade White Tea, known as Adams Peak White Tea. This white tea is especially rare and only 30 kilograms are made on a weekly basis because only the best fresh shoots are selected and then withered and sun dried.
This mountain is also the setting and title of the Pahan Silu song Siripada (2007).
