Sri lanka
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A man stops for a picture on his way to wash at a near by river. It is common for locals to use the train tracks as walking paths between villages. The trains are so noisy and slow that they pose a minimum threat.
Sri Lanka, 2014.mantunneltrain tracksri lankaPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
A tea plucker returns home after a hard days work on the plantation. The afternoon train from Kandy to Ella can be seen in the background.
Ella, Sri Lanka, 2014.womanteaplantationpluckerellatrainsri lankaPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Peacock perched on a tree at sunset in Yala national park.
Sri Lanka, 2014peacocktreeyalasunsetsri lankaPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Girl playing by a tree.
Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka, 2014.girltreeriversri lankatissamaharama.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Fishermen on Tissamaharama Lake.
Sri Lanka, 2014.lakefishermenfishingnetsflowerstissamaharama.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Street dogs are everywhere in Sri Lanka. Although most of them are passive and pose no threat, many of them can be seen suffering from malnutrition and bearing diseases. Some however, are cute and serve as tour guides to remote places, like this particular dog who didn't hesitate to show me the way to Little Adams Peak early in the morning.
Little Adams Peak, Ella, Sri Lanka, 2014.dogellaella gapsunrisemountainslittle adams peaksri lankadog.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
An old lady sits and prays in the Gadaladeniya, Hindu temple grounds.
Sri lanka, 2014.old ladyprayingtemplehindusri lankahinduismGadaladeniya.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Trading at the fish market.
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, 2014.moneyrupeesfishmarketunawatunasri lankatrading.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Early morning trading at the Unawatuna fish market.
Unawatuna,Sri Lanka, 2014fishmarketboatsunawatunasri lankatradingPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
The monk as Dharma teacher must find the appropriate occasion to give the profound and insightful teachings of the Buddha to those who wish to hear it. It would not be appropriate to teach without invitation, nor in a situation where the teachings cannot be reflected upon adequately. This is a significant point, as the Buddha's teachings are meant to be a vehicle, which one should contemplate silently and then apply. The value of Dharma is greatly reduced if it is just received as chit-chat or speculations for debate.
Ravana cave temple, Ella, Sri Lanka, 2014buddhistmonkbudhatempleellasri lankaravana cave templePhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Tuna is the main catch of the day at the Unawatuna fish market.
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, 2014.weighing scalefishmarketfish marketunawatunasri lankafishermenPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
A bride walking past one of the many historical buildings in Galle Fort.
Sri Lanka, 2014.weddingbridegalle fortsri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Education in Sri Lanka has a long history which dates back two millennia.The Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for education as a fundamental right. Sri Lanka's population has a literacy rate of 92%, higher than that expected for a third world country; it has the highest literacy rate in South Asia and overall, one of the highest literacy rates in Asia.
Education plays a major part in the life and culture of the country and dates back to 543 BC. Sri Lanka's modern educational system was brought about by its integration into the British Empire in the 19th century. Education currently falls under the control of both the Central Government and the Provincial Councils, with some responsibilities lying with the Central Government and the Provincial Council having autonomy for others.
Boys being boys in a small mountain village close to the town of Nuwara Eliya.
Sri Lanka, 2014.boyssri lankafriendsnuwara eliya. education.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Pilgrims stop to wash before entering the holy city of Kataragama.
Sri Lanka, 2014.pilgrimsriversri lankawashingPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Stilt fishermen at sunset.
Weligama, Sri Lanka, 2014.stilt fishermenbeachweligamasri lankasunset.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Youths at Negombo beach playing music and dancing on Christmas day.
Negombo, sri Lanka, 2014youthsboysbeachnegombosri lankamusicfestivalcelebrationsdance.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Experienced fisherman checks the net after the early morning catch at the Unawatuna harbour.
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, 2014.netfishing netfishermanunawatunasri lankaharbour.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Man selling fish on a beach near Galle.
Sri Lanka, 2014.fishermanbeachfishsellingboatgallesri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Stilt fisherman coming out of the water with his catch.
Weligama, Sri Lanka, 2014.srilankaPhotito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.comweligamastiltstilt fisherman.
Namal is a three year old baby elephant who lost part of his leg in a snare trap. He is one of 28 orphans being raised at a sanctuary in Udawalawe national park, but unlike the others, it’s unlikely he’ll ever be strong enough to be returned to the wild.
For now, he’s small enough for his keeper, twenty six year old Salinda to be able to attach a prosthetic leg to help him get around, but sadly he faces a very lonely future.
Udawalawe, Sri Lanka, 2014.elephantudawalawetransit homesalindanamalsri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
A dog grabs a bite to eat at the Unawatuna fish market.
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, 2014.marketfishdogfishermenunawatunasri lankaPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Teacher marking the students' homework in class during the school break.
Sri Lanka, 2014.teacherclass roomsri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
This is 57 year old Ranjan. He lives in Galle with his wife and two daughters. Everyday for the past ten years Ranjan makes his way into the Galle Fort early in the morning. He then opens his betting shop where local men place bets on horse racing in England. A legacy from the past.
bettingofficenewspapersgallesrilanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Tea pickers live in housing known as "lines", a number of linearly attached houses with just one or two rooms. This housing system and the environmental sanitation conditions are generally poor for labourers in the plantation sector. There are typically 6 to 12 or 24 line rooms in one line barrack. The rooms lodge as many as six to eleven family members, and are often without windows.
In the housing system for plantation workers in Sri Lanka, women and girls have no privacy from the male workers, which places them at a high risk for sexual harassment. In June 2007, a study conducted in the Nuwara Eliya tea growing area revealed that the serious lack of privacy has led several women to commit suicide, especially newly wedded women.
According to studies by Christian Aid, the female Indian Tamil plantation workers are particularly at risk from discrimination and victimization. Some concern towards women's rights have been made in regards to the female plantation workers in Sri Lanka, resulting in some 85 neighbourhood women's groups being formed across the country, educating them in gender, leadership and preventing violence against women.
Tea plucker out in a tea plantation.
Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, 2014.tea pluckernuwara eliyasri lankabasketmountainstea plantationtamil.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Young Students at Saturday religious school.
Srl Lanka, 2014.saturday schoolsri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Man praying at a Temple in the jungle.
Sri Lanka, 2014.buddhisttempleprayersri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Vardena (67, left) and Gautebaggse (61, right) are life long friends who have grown up together in the fishing town of Unawatuna. Fishing together everyday for the last thirty years, they only stopped in 2004 when the devastating tsunami destroyed their boat. The boat was not the only thing they lost to nature. They both lost their homes, friends and relatives, but Vardena was to suffer even more. He also lost his wife and son. In time, an aid organisation provided the men with another boat which they have lovingly named Corinthe.
The once small fishing village of Unawatuna has now been transformed into a tourist destination, but the two friends continue to be a regular sight at the beach every afternoon. Here, unconcerned sun worshippers indulge on their sun beds oblivious to the inspiring and heart warming real life story unfolding just metres away. As the sun sets behind the emerald sea, the two friends push their wooden boat into the water. They raise the sail and set off on yet another twelve hour long shift, many kilometres away from the small flickering lights of the hotels in the distance. Most of the night is spent sitting on a thin, wooden stick that serves as a seat in the meter wide fishing boat. A gas lamp intending to attract squid provides just enough light to be able to see each other, but also enhancing the darkness in the distance as the light falls away from the boat. Sharks almost as long as the boat sometimes appear, attracted by the light.
Gautebaggse, the most talkative of the two, explains how he thanks God that the sharks in these waters are not aggressive, or else they could break the boat in half with one bite. As the first rays of sun envelop the boat, the two friends head back to the deserted beach. No tourist in sight yet. And as they head home with a modest catch in plastic bags they give thanks to the Ocean which they have now forgiven, for they understand that what nature gives, nature can also take away.
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, 2014.fishermenboatunawatunafriendssri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Muslims gather for prayer in one of the many mosques inside Galle fort.
Sri Lanka, 2014.muslimsprayermosquegalle fortsri lankaPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Seascape near Weligama.
Sri Lanka, 2014.coastseascaperockssri lankaweligama.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Due to the variety of ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, many schools teach only in either Sinhala or in Tamil and unfortunately not in English. The elite colleges in major cities such as Colombo and Kandy, teach in all three mediums.
Teacher at Saturday school,Sri Lanka, 2014.teacherschoolsri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa; a monument to inspire peace, and designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds. It is meant to help unite them in their search for world peace. Most (though not all) peace pagodas built since World War II have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885–1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order. Fujii was greatly inspired by his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931, and decided to devote his life to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing Peace Pagodas as shrines to World peace.
The Unawatuna Peace Pagoda built by Nipponzan Myohoji monks, is on the headland between Unawatuna and Galle.
Sri Lanka, 2014.pagodabuddhagolddogsri lankaunawatuna.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Fisherman on stilts over a reef near Weligama.
Sri Lanka, 2014.stiltfishermanweligamabeachfishingsrilankarocks.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
This is Pasant, a tea factory worker in Glenloch tea factory.
Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, 2014.teafactoryworkersri lankaPhotito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Traditional fishing boats on a beach close to Galle.
Sri Lanka, 2014fishingboatsbeachgallesri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Lady selling colourful fabrics at the beach in Unawatuna.
Sri Lanka, 2014.beachcolorpedlerunawatunasrilanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Fishermen at a beach near Galle.
Sri Lanka, 2014.fishermenboatbeachfriendssri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Namal is a three year old baby elephant who lost part of his leg in a snare trap. He is one of 28 orphans being raised at a sanctuary in Udawalawe national park, but unlike the others, it’s unlikely he’ll ever be strong enough to be returned to the wild.
For now, he’s small enough for his keeper, twenty six year old Salinda to be able to attach a prosthetic leg to help him get around, but sadly he faces a very lonely future.
Udawalawe, Sri Lanka, 2014.elephantmissinglegcaretakersrilankaudawalawePhotito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Two Buddhist monks walking along the defensive walls at Galle fort.
Galle fort, Sri Lanka, 2014.monksbuddhistwalkinggalle fortsri lanka.Photito travelphotitosri lankaasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
Workers at the fish market in Tangalle.
Sri Lanka, 2014.fishfish markettangalesri lankaboats.Photito travelphotitoasiatraveltravel photographydocumentary photographyspencerphotographyculturewww.photito.com
