Religious & Cultural - Driving in Sri Lanka https://drivinginsrilanka.com/what-to-see/religious-cultural/ Find out everything you need to know about driving in Sri Lanka from getting your permit to where to rent a car and tips & tricks for Sri Lankan roads. Wed, 27 Mar 2024 23:38:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://drivinginsrilanka.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/cropped-driving-sri-lanka-favicon-32x32.png Religious & Cultural - Driving in Sri Lanka https://drivinginsrilanka.com/what-to-see/religious-cultural/ 32 32 Yoga in Sri Lanka https://drivinginsrilanka.com/what-to-do/spirituality/yoga-in-sri-lanka/ Mon, 26 Jul 2021 04:36:00 +0000 https://drivinginsrilanka.com/?p=439 Sri Lanka has been gaining popularity for Yoga tourism in recent years, although the practice of Yoga itself has been entrenched in Sri Lankan culture for many centuries. Yoga in Sri Lanka can be a healing and rewarding experience for travellers who wish to escape into the calm even for a short period. Home to some of the best Yoga retreats and instructors, Sri Lanka presents a holistic offering of Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and overall wellness.

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]]> Sri Lanka has been gaining popularity for Yoga tourism in recent years, although the practice of Yoga itself has been entrenched in Sri Lankan culture for many centuries. Yoga in Sri Lanka can be a healing and rewarding experience for travellers who wish to escape into the calm even for a short period. Home to some of the best Yoga retreats and instructors, Sri Lanka presents a holistic offering of Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and overall wellness.

What Can You Expect?

True to local culture, most Sri Lankan Yoga retreats maintain a relaxed atmosphere and offer plenty of flexibility in terms of intensity and duration. Most instructors will be happy to work with each individual to create a plan that works for all levels of expertise, from beginners to more advanced experiences. All types of yoga are available in Sri Lanka, from Vinyasa to Pranayama, Hatha Yoga to Yin Yoga, Kundalini to Kriya. These sessions are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.

Combined Experiences

The beauty of most Sri Lankan Yoga retreats is that they combine yoga with other local activities depending on the area. Locations in Southern Sri Lanka will often offer surfing lessons along with Yoga lessons. Ayurvedic therapy, meal guidance, cooking lessons and meditation are some valuable experiences commonly offered alongside Yoga in Sri Lanka.

Where to go

If you are looking for a Yoga experience that also brings you closer to the ocean, we recommend choosing a retreat in the South of Sri Lanka. The Talalla Retreat is a popular choice offering luxury accommodation and a premium Yoga and fitness experience.

The Salty Pelican Yoga & Surf Retreat in Hiriketiya provides a stunning location for Yoga and surfing on one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka.

The Polwaththa Retreat in Kandy is a location hidden away in the mountains and offers a jungle Yoga experience along with activities such as reforestation and cooking classes.

The Prana Lounge in Colombo is equally popular if you are looking for a Yoga experience closer to the city. They offer Yoga sessions with highly qualified instructors as well as other wellness experiences and even teacher training for those with aspirations of becoming instructors themselves.

If you are interested in Yoga, regardless of your level of practise, Yoga in Sri Lanka will provide you with many opportunities to learn and expand your skill.

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]]> Temples in Sri Lanka https://drivinginsrilanka.com/what-to-see/religious-cultural/temples-in-sri-lanka/ Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:48:13 +0000 https://drivinginsrilanka.com/?p=118 With the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC, the island nation is replete with many temples that were built over the years and influenced by the architecture and culture of the time. Lifestyles, language and culture of the people have been built upon the basic tenets of Buddhism. In turn, Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka have always been an integral part of the communal culture.

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]]> With the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC, the island nation is replete with many temples that were built over the years and influenced by the architecture and culture of the time. Lifestyles, language and culture of the people have been built upon the basic tenets of Buddhism. In turn, Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka have always been an integral part of the communal culture. Key activities and traditions in a village revolved around a temple as it was a place of worship and devotion.

Anuradhapura

The oldest of temples in Sri Lanka, Thooparamaya was built by King Devanampiyatissa upon being introduced to Theravada Buddhism by Mahinda Thera, an envoy sent by King Ashoka. Situated in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, Thooparamaya is meticulously built in the shape of a heap of paddy and in it was enshrined the collarbone of the Buddha.

Considered an architectural wonder and sacred to many Buddhist devotees the world over, the Ruwanweliseya Sri Lanka was built by King Dutugemunu in 140 BC. The Ruwanweliseya Sri Lanka is one of the tallest monuments in the world and is 300 ft with a circumference of 950 ft.

The largest of temples in Sri Lanka and among the most significant is the Jethawanaramaya, built by King Mahasena in the 3rd Century AD. A sash tied by the Buddha is believed to be enshrined in this phenomenal structure which was one of the tallest structures in the ancient world with a height of about 400 ft. It is believed that approximately 93.3 million baked bricks had been used in the construction of this masterpiece which speaks volumes to the architectural ingenuity of the times.

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa too boasts some of the significant temples in Sri Lanka , the most prominent of which is Gal Viharaya built by King Parakramabahu I. the Gal Viharaya is a cave complex with intricately carved sculptures on the rock of four shrines. Though a monument of Theravada Buddhism, the architecture demonstrates the influence of Mahayana doctrines. By the banks of the Mahaweli River and some 20km north-east of Polonnaruwa is the Somawathi Chayththya which was believed to house a sacred right tooth relic of the Buddha. In adoration and appreciation of the Buddha, Queen Somawathi decided to construct the Somawathi Chayththya with the consent of Arahath Mahinda.

Some of the other significant Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka are the Abhayagiri temple, Pothgul Viharaya, Kiri Vehera, Lankathilaka Viharaya, Gadaladeniya Raja Maha Viharaya and the Dalada Maligawa. There are also some important Hindu temples in Sri Lanka including the Koneswaram temple, Aluvihara Hindu temple and Munneswaram temple.

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