Jutting sharply skyward from the lush jungles of southwestern Sri Lanka is the 7362 foot (2243 meter) peak of Sri Pada, the 'Holy Footprint'. Also called Adam's Peak, the mountain has the unique distinction of being sacred to the followers of four of the world's major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Long before the development of these religions, however, the mountain was worshipped by the aboriginal inhabitants of Sri Lanka, the Veddas. Their name for the peak was Samanala Kanda; Saman being one of the four guardian deities of the island. For Hindus, the name of the mountain is Sivan Adi Padham, because it was the world-creative dance of the god Shiva that left the giant footprint (5 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 6 inches). According to Buddhist traditions from as early as 300 BC, the real print is actually beneath this larger marking. Imprinted on a huge sapphire, it was left by the Buddha during the third and final of his legendary visits to Sri Lanka. When Portuguese Christians came to the island in the 16th century they claimed the impression to be the footprint of St. Thomas who, according to legend, first brought Christianity to Sri Lanka. And finally, the Arabs record it as being the solitary footprint of Adam where he stood for a thousand years of penance on one foot. An Arab tradition tells that when Adam was expelled from heaven, God put him on the peak to make the shock less terrible - Ceylon being that place on earth closest to and most like heaven.

The mountain is more easily seen from the sea than from land, and also more impressive. Early Arab seafarers fascinated with the pyramidal peak wrote of it as "the highest mountain in the world" (it is not even the highest in Sri Lanka), and "visible from three days sail". The ancient Sinhalese also believed it to be of great height and a native legend tells "from Seyllan to Paradise is forty miles, and the sound of the fountains of Paradise is heard here". Visited by many early world travelers, among them the Arab Ibn Batuta (1304-1368) and the Venetian Marco Polo (1254-1324), Adam's Peak attained a legendary status as a mystic pilgrimage destination. Today the pilgrimage season commences in December and continues until the beginning of the monsoon rains in April (from May to October the mountain is obscurred by clouds). Certain parts of the path leading up the mountain are extremely steep and the climbing chains secured in these sections are said to have been placed by Alexander the Great (365-323 BC), though there is no evidence that he made it this far south on his Asia travels. Atop the peak is an oblong platform (74 x 24 feet) where stands a small Buddhist temple and the shrine of Saman with the strange footprint. Votive offerings are made here, especially of a coil of silver as long as the donor is tall, for recovery from sickness; and rain-water taken from the footprint is known to have a wonderful healing power. Adam's Peak is also called Samanalakande or the 'butterfly mountain' because of the myriads of small butterflies that fly from all over the island to die upon the sacred mountain.


Visit this page for pictures: http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/sri_...dams_peak.html

cool
subhanAllah

Every year fom December to April Sri Lankan Buddhists climb Adam's Peak or "Sri Pada" (meaning sacred foot) on a pilgrimage to its peak.

My family and a few freinds went there a few years ago just for fun. We started off at the foot of the mountain from one of its 4 routes to the top at around 10 p.m. and reached the peak at around 8 a.m. the next morning. It was about 2 in the afternoon when we finally reached the bottom.

Pilgrims and caretakers have built steps to make the climb easier. And believe me its not an easy climb. At some points the steps are very steep.

There are wayside boutiques and small restaurants serving home-made meals and hot tea. There are also small huts built for people to rest.

We watched the sun rise when were about three quarters of our way up. It was beautiful. There is buddhist temple at the peak that shelters the "sacred foot" print. I really dont know who the foot print actually belongs to. Besides it doesn't look like a foot-print. Its kind of a shallow depression on the rock.

In Sri Lanka we have a saying that a person who doesn't climb the Sri Pada is fool and so is the one who climbs it for the second time!

Its really gruelling climb. Are feet numbed by the time we came back home. But I have met a devout Buddhist who has climbed the peak 7 times!

A nice thing about the Sri Pada is that there are no racial or religious differences there. Everyone is equal. On the way down my mother's feet were aching and she was finding it difficult. A Buddhist monk on his way up gave my mother his make-shift walking stick. He saw that she was a Muslim but he helped her all the same.

One more peice of trivia... there is a shallow body of water from Sri Lanka to India called "Adam's Bridge"

I'll find info pics and post here soon.

Originally Posted by manaal

One more peice of trivia... there is a shallow body of water from Sri Lanka to India called "Adam's Bridge"

I'll find info pics and post here soon.

good do it soon sister............:brother:

kool!

Thread Moved to Comparative Religion as requested.

Am confused, that jus looks like a little ditch

You mean to tell me Muslims do that foolishness too?

What foolishness?

great info :sister: ...look forward 2 them

shukran for sharing..its soo amazing..subanallah!!!

Been very busy and couldn;t get the pics and info yet. But I did found out that Adam's bridge ahs nothing to do with Adam (A.s.). It's also called "Rama's Bridge" and is connected to the Rama-Ravana story.

Originally Posted by manaal

Been very busy and couldn;t get the pics and info yet. But I did found out that Adam's bridge ahs nothing to do with Adam (A.s.). It's also called "Rama's Bridge" and is connected to the Rama-Ravana story.

It also has stories about Adam (pbuh) connected to it.