Adam’s Peak

Adam’s Peak is 2243 meters high and is well known for Sri Pada “Sacred Footprint”, a 1.8 m rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the foot print of the Buddha. In Hindu tradition that of Hanuman or Shiva “ mountain of Shiva’s light” and in some Islamic and Christian traditions that of “Adam” or that of St. Thomas.

The mountain is located in the Southern reads of the Central Highlands in the Rathnapura district and Nuwra Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and the Central Province. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby. Adam’s Peak is important as a water shed, the district to the south and the east of Adam’s Peak yield precious stones, emeralds, rubies and sapphires and which earned for it the ancient name of Rathnadepa. The often used Sri Pada as derived from Sanskrit by the Sinhalese people in a religious context, as the “Sacred foot”. It refers to the foot print shaped mark at the summit, which is believed by Buddhists to be that of the Buddha. Christian and Islamic tradition assert that it is the foot print of Adam, left when first setting foot on Earth after having been cast out of paradise giving it the name “Adam’s Peak”

Hindu tradition refers to the foot print as that of the Hindu deity Shiva and thus names the mountain Shiva Padam in Tamil. It is revered as a holy site by Buddhists, Hindus, some Muslims and Christians. It has specific qualities that cause it to stand out and be noticed including its dominant and outstanding profile.

For a long period Sri Pada was supposed to be the highest mountain in Ceylon, but actual survey marks it only 7353 ft above sea level. This elevation is chiefly remarkable as the resort of pilgrims from all parts of Sri Lanka. The hollow in the lofty rock that crowns the summit is said by the Buddhists of Buddha, by the Hindus to be the foot step of Shiva, by some Muslims of Adam whilst the Portuguese Christians were divided between the conflicting claims of St Thomas and the eunuch of Candace queen of Ethiopia.

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 mountain is most after scaled from December to May, during other months it is hard to climb he mountain due to very heavy rain, extreme wind and thick mist. The peak pilgrimage season is in April. And the goal is to be on top of the mountain at sunrise. For the Buddhists, the footprint mark is the left foot of the Buddha ,left behind when he visited Sri Lanka as a symbol of worship at the invitation of Buddhist god Saman.

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