Vesak festival in Sri Lanka

Vesak is considered as both a religious and cultural festival in Sri Lanka. Buddhists celebrate it all over the world on the day of the full moon in May.

Buddhists commemorate the three important events that took place in the life of Lord Buddha on this Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, Lord Buddha's birth as prince Siddhartha, supreme attainment as the Gauthama Buddha and Lord Buddha's death (Parnirvana)

Many temples are filled with Buddhists worship, offer flowers, light lamps and burn incense. Many of devout Buddhists spend the whole day in the temple and reaffirm their determination to follow the teachings of Buddha by observing Atasil.

AS a cultural festival, colourful lanterns called "Vesak koodu" bullied with bamboo sticks are hung along streets and homes. "Vesak Torana" (ectrically lit pandols) bullied in main locations in the city illustrates a past Life Stories of the Buddhas call Jathaka Katha. " Dansala" free food and drinks stalls for passerby’s pilgrims as almsgiving sign of sharing with joy and peace with people.

Peacocks @ Kaluwagahawatta

Map

Peacock Range

Fast Facts

Type:

Bird

Diet:

Omnivore

Average life span in the wild:

20 years

Size:

Body, 35 to 50 in (90 to 130 cm); Tail, 5 ft (1.5 m)

Weight:

8.75 to 13 lbs (4 to 6 kg)

Group name:

Party

Did you know?

A male peafowl is one of the largest flying birds when the combined length of its train and its large wingspan are considered.

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Peacocks are very beautiful and proud visitors who frequent "Kaluwagaha watta".

Peacocks are ground-feeders that eat insects, plants, and small creatures. There are two familiar peacock species. The blue peacock lives in India and Sri Lanka, while the green peacock is found in Java and Myanmar (Burma). A more distinct and little-known species, the Congo peacock, inhabits African rain forests.

The term "peacock" is commonly used to refer to birds of both sexes. Technically, only males are peacocks. Females are peahens, and together, they are called peafowl.

Suitable males may gather harems of several females, each of which will lay three to five eggs. In fact, wild peafowl often roost in forest trees and gather in groups called parties.

Peafowl such as the blue peacock have been admired by humans and kept as pets for thousands of years. Selective breeding has created some unusual color combinations, but wild birds are themselves bursting with vibrant hues.

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