ADAM’S PEAK

Dawn millenia of belief pilgrims have trekked up this holy hill that rises in splendidly verdant isolation from the island’s central massif to a height of 7360 feet. Variously it has been called Samanta-kuta, after its primeval

gluardian, God Saman, Siva Adipadang, for Siva, it is believed, dances upon it his cosmic dance, Sri Pada, for  the depression on its topmost boulder regarded as the footprint of the Buddha, lelt there on hid Third visit and Adam’s Peak, for it is upon this mountain top that Adam fell, whenhurled out of Paradise for his orignal transgression, and long stood there on one foot in painful expiation.

But what makes this hill holiest perhaps is that it is the watershed from which flows down the life-giving waters of the rivers Mahaweli, Kelani and Kalu ganga. The Peak is easiest reached via Hatton. The walk to its foot from there is only tour miles. And then it you have the resolution to climb, and are lucky, of an April dawn, you will glimpse the long shadow of its sacred cone falling upon the clouds and mists of its western approaches  a truly spectacular reward.