Kandy & surroundings
Kandy (Sinhala: මහ නුවර Maha Nuvara; Tamil: கண்டி) is located at the center of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka and the home of The Temple of the Tooth Relic
Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa, ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව)
Sri Dalada Maligawa (Sinhala: ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව) or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings.
Royal Botanical Gardens, Sri Lanka
The origins of the Botanic Gardens date as far back as 1371 when King Wickramabahu III ascended the throne and kept court at Peradeniya near Mahaweli river.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village. Pinnawalla is notable for having the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. In 2011, there were 88 elephants, including 37 males and 51 females from 3 generations, living in Pinnawala.
The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to many of the orphaned unweaned wild elephants found wandering in and near the forests of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Most of the elephants at Pinnawala are healthy and once attaining adulthood, will be sold or donated or retained for breeding.
The Orphanage was the subject of a 2010 report by the Born Free Foundation which calls into question the animal welfare at the orphanage.
Quality of care of elephants who are donated or sold away from Pinnawala has been a big public issue. In 2012 The Sri Lanka Environment Trust spoke out against authorities who continue to ‘donate’ tamed elephants to people who had ‘poor’ past records of taking care of animals. “There are enough cases to show that the authorities are releasing elephants from Pinnawala to the same group of people who don’t take care of the animals.” Though officials boast that the animals are under close surveillance, they don’t do any monitoring once an elephant is released to a private owner.
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Asian Street Food 