Situated at the bank of the river Malwathu Oya in the North Central Province and …205 Km from Colombo to North. It was declared as a world heritage site in the year 1982 By UNESCO. The kingdom was ruled by 126 kings and lasted for 1500 years from the 4th century BC to 11 century AD ( 543BC – 1029 AD ). One of the most stable and versatile centers of political power and urban life in Asia at that time.

According to Fa-Hsien the Buddhist monk from China, records that (Buddhist kingdoms by Fa-Hsien) 4th Century. This was a wealthy city with a unique culture and a great civilization. Anuradhapura is sacred to the Buddhist world. Even today numerous Buddhist monasteries and the world's oldest living tree with a documented history can be seen.

Bo-tree (Ficus Religiosa) which is very scared to the Buddhist around the world, which was planted in the 3rd century AD by king Devanampiyatissa It is a religious symbol in Buddhism due to its prominence in the story of the Buddha’s discovery of enlightenment. Buddha reached enlightenment after meditating beneath the sacred Bo-tree for 49 days without moving from his seat.

Lush forests, sprawling mountain ranges, the meandering Kandy Lake, known as the Sea of Milk, and an array of distinguished colonial buildings and magnificent Kandyan inspired architecture, the last stronghold of the Sinhala kings was finally ceded to the British in 1815.. This beautiful, laidback capital is only 72 miles (115 km) from Colombo, yet boasts exceptional cultural and historical attractions, set amidst forested hills. Known as a pilgrimage destination for the Temple of the Tooth Relic (a sacred tooth of the Buddha), a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Kandy is a sacred city, due to the importance and spiritual significance of this temple.

It is also known for the vibrantly festive Kandy Esala Perahera, also known as the Festival of the Tooth, an important 10-day religious celebration each August.

Lying at an altitude of 1 640 feet (500 meters) above sea level and surrounded by the Knuckles and Hunnasgiriya Mountain Ranges, the temperatures around Kandy are slightly cooler and conditions more pleasant than in the lowlands. An important and established Buddhist site, Kandy was formerly known as the city of Senkadagalapura. It served as the last capital of the Sinhalese kingdom before falling to the British in 1815.

Jaffna is a city on the northern tip of Sri Lanka. Nallur Kandaswamy is a huge Hindu temple with golden arches and an ornate gopuram tower. By the coast, the star-shaped Jaffna Fort was built by the Portuguese in the 17th century and later occupied by the Dutch and British.

Jaffna peninsula owns seven fascinating islands. They are delft Punkudautivu, Nainativu, Analativu, Karaitivu, Eluvarithui and Mandativu. The ancient name of the Jaffna peninsula mentioned in our chronicles was Naka-Tivu .In Tamil it was “Naka-Nadu '' meaning Naka Island

Archeological excavations revealed (Kantharodai). Northern part of Sri Lanka was a flourishing settlement even before the arrival of Prince Vijaya 6th Century BC. And practice Hinduism although there are some Christians in the area.

Marvel at Nallur. Kandaswamy Kovil, which dates back to 1734 but has since been established with many dramatic architectural flourishes, cycles through Jaffna town and sees clashes of old and new from the colonial period churches to vibrant modern market. Learn to make Jaffna crab curry, a mouthwatering dish which is renowned throughout the Island.

Angampora is a form of unorthodox martial art that originated in Sri Lanka. The name ‘Angampora’ is derived from the two words ‘anga’ and the ‘pora’ which technically means body and wrestling receptively, which translate to unarmed combat.

Angampora is divided into three main categories “Angam’ (unarmed combat) ‘Ilangam’ (Armed combat) which was based on mastering twenty-one indigenous weapons. (which is believed to be impossible to properly master in a lifetime and finally ‘Maya Angam’ use of spells which is now lost with time. The key feature of Angampora is attack on pressure points of the human body to inflict serious pain or paralyze permanently which sometimes even results in death if intended. It is a known fact that Angampora was centered around Buddhist philosophy as the martial art focuses on disarming the assailant.

Angampora was passed down from generations of kings, warriors and ordinary citizens with the intentions of repelling foreign invaders.

History

Origin of Angampora might date back to 3300 years. The first written document of Angampora is about 2500 years old. Other sources state that Angampora was founded by the ancient Yaksha tribe that inhabited Sri Lanka 3000 years ago, while Folklore believes that Rana Ravana was the most feared Angam warrior to walk the earth 5000 years ago. Apparently multiple contradictory sources obscure the time period of its true origin

Global Recognition

Between the years the news of this formidable martial art was not contained and the West was drawn into Angampora, Chistopher Hoffman from Germany explored the globe studying several martial art disciplines for five years when he heard about Angampora. He noted that he wanted something ‘Pristine’ compared to other martial arts he had studied. Therefore, he decided to come to Sri Lanka.

He added that unlike many other martial arts Angampora needs spiritual balance as much as physical balance. For an avid martial art enthusiast, he admits that gripping and throwing techniques are more effective in Angampora than any other martial art he knows.

A traditional blessing ceremony prior to the commencement of a secret annual combat ritual of the Korathota Angam lineage.

The pen is mightier than the sword. The British decree (pictured) to ban Angampora came in the wake of the Uva-Wellassa freedom fight in 1818. The freedom fight was headed by noblemen such as Monaravila Keppetipola and other noblemen who were distinguished Angampora warriors. The order by Governor Robert Brownrigg was executed by John D'Oyly, effectively cracking down on the Sudaliya and Maruwaliya Angam lineages who were responsible for training the King's armies. This decree signaled the rapid decline of Angampora over the following decades. This document is presently held at the National Archives in Kew, London.