Travel photography feature - Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi

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Photograph - Priyantha Bandara

Whenever I set my foot out having photographs in mind I plan my travelling up to the last possible moment. It helps me to achieve what I want to achieve and being a landscape photographer time of the day is my most important factor. But there are incidences where every plan doesn’t work out as its expected. But because of that sometimes unexpected opportunities occur. Below photo stream is from my recent visit to Anuradhapura. My initial plan was to photograph Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in broad day light or early as possible in the morning but due to some dozens of reasons I had to reach there an hour before the gates close at night.

Apparently I realized that it’s a good opportunity to shoot away some night scenes of the holy place which could end up being an uncommon set of photos. As I though the photos came out well. However taking the shots was a challenge. One was the lighting conditions and the other was to keep the places original nature intact while achieving it. As you may see in the night shots my main interest and focus is on the well lit areas and structures rather than the Bo tree itself. I had to come again the next day morning to capture the tree and the surrounding ritualistic behaviors which would look better and detailed with day light.

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Stone wall"

 Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Lighting lamps"

 Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Sri Maha Bodhi Entrance"

Below is a short description about Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi extracted from its official website

The Sacred Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura is reckoned as the oldest surviving historical tree in the world. It was brought to Sri Lanka by the Theri Sangamitta, daughter of Emperor Asoka and was planted in the Mahameghavana Park in Anuradhapura in 249 BC by King Devanampiyatissa. It is said to be the southern branch of the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya in India under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment.

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Guardian stone carving"

  Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Cheewara puja"

The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of the Sinhalese provides an elaborate account of the establishment of the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi in the island. Bodhi means wisdom that understands the four Noble Truths. Thus the tree which assisted Lord Buddha to achieve wisdom or enlightenment is called Bodhi.

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Panduru" (Offerings)

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Worship"

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Worship"

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Sri Maha Bodhi entrance"

Photograph - Priyantha Bandara "Sri Maha Bodhi and golden fence"

LIVING AFRICA

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AFRICA – where the oldest human being walked the planet yet suffers from the worst kind of hardships which other continents have overcomes 100s of years ago. It’s really distressing to see such graceful place filled with so many natural wonders have to undergo this much pain and suffering in recent time. poverty ,plagues, , war and hunger have become the key words which signify this massive wonder of mother earth in recent times.

However my intention today is not to write about the state which Africa is in at the moment. But to share some wonderful images which describes the alien (for many) lifestyle in Africa. I don’t know by whom these pics have being taken. Maybe they belongs to several travel photographers. Regardless of who took them the pure magic of travel and journalistic photography is what amazes me.

And this is my personnel favorite. Is that a Hyena?? Yes it is

Photograph have being publish without the consent of photographer as photographers are unknown. If any violation kindly let me know.

On the wall

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Every now and then I come across an image in my image library which let me ponder for a while. I have visited quite a lot of places and captured maybe over 100,000 shots out of which only few I’m proud to display without guilt in mind. That’s how it works with most of the photographers. More you get mature and experience in something more you expect thing to be better. Some say I’m a perfectionist when it comes to photography but I don’t think I will be that extreme. I just give some though and be flexible at the time and after shooting something. Sometimes post process will give birth to entirely different product than to which I had in mind initially. That’s the digital age we live in.


This piece (which looks direct and simple) is a combination of 3 shots. So actually it’s a panorama. And it was captured at the Mahiyanganaya center for aborigines. A wall painting which portray the expressions of age old culture and history. You can find more info on the Sri Lankan aborigines well known as “Weddas” right here. http://vedda.org/