Samanala Mountain
Sri Pada Mountain
The view of Sri Pada from a distance
Elevation	2,243 m (7,359 ft)
Location
Location	Sabaragamuwa (Sri Lanka)
Range	Samanala
Coordinates	6°48′41″N 80°29′59″E / 6.81139°N 80.49972°E / 6.81139; 80.49972

Sri Pada (also Adam's peak; Sinhalese Samanalakanda - සමනළ කන්ද "butterfly mountain", Tamil Sivanolipatha Malai - சிவனொளி பாதமலை), is a 2,243 metres (7,359 ft) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the Sri Pada "sacred footprint", a 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) rock formation near the summit, in Buddhist tradition it is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva and in Muslim and Christian tradition that of Adam.^[1]

Geography[link]

The mountain is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands, in the Ratnapura district of the Sabaragamuwa Province - lying about 40 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby. The region along the mountain is a wildlife reserve housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic species.

Trails[link]

Access to the mountain is possible by 6 trails (Ratnapura-Palabaddala, Hatton-Nallathanni, Kuruwita-Erathna, Murraywatte, Mookuwatte & Malimboda). Out of these the Nallathanni & Palabaddala routes are the most popular. Kuruwita-Erathna road is somewhat popular as well. The other 3 roads are almost obscure. It joins the Palabaddala road midway through the ascent. Buses connect the final nodes of Nallanthanni to Hatton, Palabaddala to Ratnapura & Erathna to Kuruwita. Thereafter it's a difficult journey through the forest on foot. Most of the pilgrims use Hatton route as the journey on foot can be reduced by more than five kilometers even though the slope of this route is much greater than other routes.

Nomenclature[link]

Sunrise on Adam's Peak

Mahagiri Dambaya

Due to its historical significance to the various people that inhabit in 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 ("Peak of Saman"), Svargarohanam ("the climb to heaven"), Mount Rohana and other variations on the root Rohana.

The Sacred Mountain[link]

The village of Nallathanniya at the feet of the mountain, where the stairs begin

It is revered as a holy site by Buddhists, Hindus, 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. As the 1910, Encyclopædia Britannica notes^[2]

For a long period Sri Pada was supposed to be the highest mountain in Ceylon, but actual survey makes it only 7353 ft. above sea-level. This elevation is chiefly remarkable as the resort of pilgrims from all parts of the East. The hollow in the lofty rock that crowns the summit is said by the Brahmans to be the footstep of Siva, by the Buddhists of Buddha, by the Muslims of Adam, whilst the Portuguese Christians were divided between the conflicting claims of St Thomas and the eunuch of Candace, queen of Ethiopia. The footstep is covered by a handsome roof, and is guarded by the priests of a rich monastery half-way up the mountain, who maintain a shrine on the summit of the peak.

It is an important pilgrimage site, especially for Buddhists. Pilgrims walk up the mountain, following a variety of difficult 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.

Legends[link]

A view of Adam's peak from Maskeliya town

The mountain is most often scaled from December to May. During other months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, extreme wind, and thick mist.

For Buddhists, the footprint mark is the left foot of the Buddha, left behind when Buddha visited Sri Lanka, as a symbol for worship at the invitation of Buddhist God Saman.

Tamil Hindus consider it as the footprint of Lord Shiva. It is also fabled that the mountain is the legendary mount Trikuta the capital of Ravana during the Ramayana times from where he ruled Lanka.

Muslims and Christians in Sri Lanka ascribe it to where Adam, the first Ancestor, set foot as he was exiled from the Garden of Eden. The legends of Adam are connected to the idea that Sri Lanka was the original Eden.

A shrine to Saman, a Buddhist "deity" (People who have spent spiritual life during their life on earth and done pacificism service to regions are deified by Sri Lankan Buddhists) charged with protecting the mountain top, can be found near the footprint.

See also[link]

• Petrosomatoglyph
• Trikuta

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sri Pada

• The Legend of Adam's Peak, Sri Lanka
• Sri Pada or Adam's Peak web site
• Sri pada: Buddhism's most sacred mountain
• Adam's Peak - Sri Pada

Coordinates: 6°48′41″N 80°29′59″E / 6.81139°N 80.49972°E / 6.81139; 80.49972

Sripada Pinakapaani
Born	(1913-08-13) August 13, 1913 (age 98)
Origin	Srikakulam, India
Genres	Indian Classical Music
Occupations	Classical Vocalist
Years active	1930 - present

Professor Sripada Pinakapaani shortly S. Pinakapani (Telugu: శ్రీపాద పినాకపాణి) (born August 3, 1913) is a medical doctor, administrator, professor in medicine, and carnatic musician.

Early life[link]

Pinkapani was born at Priya Agraharam of Srikakulam district and, as of 2010, lives in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. He spent three months in violin maestro Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu's school. He joined M.B.B.S. in 1932 and passed out in April 1938 from Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam. He completed M.D. in general medicine in December 1945 also from AMC, Visakhapatnam.^[1]

Career[link]

Pinakapani worked as Assistant Professor at Madras Medical College from 1944 to 1949 and later at Andhra Medical College. He opted for Andhra Services and resigned to rejoin in the same post in 1951. He held the position of Professor of Medicine on 17 May 1954 and later transferred to Kurnool Medical College on 26 January 1957 and retired in the same position on 2 August 1968.

Performing career[link]

Pinkapani had a successful career performing at major festivals and concerts. He is considered a Teachers Teacher.^{[citation needed]} His disciples include carnatic vocalists, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana Malladi Suri Babu, Malladi Brothers and many others. He wrote several books on carnatic music and Gaanakalasarvasvamu ran multiple volumes which had every minute detail of krithis.

^[2]

Awards[link]

• He got the title of Sangeetha Kalanidhi (Treasure for the art of music).
• He has been honoured with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award^[3] in 1977.
• He was awarded Padma Bhushan by Government of India.
• Andhra University honored him with Kala Prapoorna in 1978.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Briefly: Award for music exponent, The Hindu, April 1, 2004
• Music greats fete Pinakapani, The Hindu, November 28, 2005
• For him, music is worship, The Hindu, November 3, 2006
• [1]

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