University of Peradeniya

Overview

The University of Peradeniya is the heir to the oldest university tradition in Sri Lanka as the successor to the University of Ceylon, the first institution of its kind in the country. Its founding on July 1, 1942 as an autonomous corporation was the fulfillment of hopes and expectations of many who had been campaigning for a university in this country. The It is located on a site of great natural beauty, Central Province of Sri Lanka, in Peradeniya, about 6 km from the historic capital of last independent kingdom of Sri Lanka, Kandy and in close proximity of the Botanical Garden of Peradeniya. It is the largest university in the island in terms of area, the premises covering about 7 square kilometres. It is known for its natural beauty. The Mahaweli river flows across the campus in a northerly direction. The site also touches the lower slopes of the Hantana range which results in a mild climate, with the temperature usually fluctuating between 18 and 30 degrees Celsius. It is the country’s only residential university and offers a wide variety of facilities and resources. The university consists of seven academic faculties. About 1800 undergraduates enter the university annually, to make up an undergraduate student population of 6600, and the total number of postgraduate students registered is over 1200. Out of the total undergraduate student population, about 5100 are provided accommodation on and around campus. The University celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1992

History

University of Peradeniya is the heir to a sixty-year-old university tradition, which commenced with the inception of the University of Ceylon, the first institution of its kind established in Colombo on 1st July 1942 and shifted to the present site of great natural beauty at Peradeniya on 6th October 1952. In 1967, it was made a separate university with the name ” University of Ceylon - Peradeniya” and it became the independent “University of Peradeniya” in 1979. Today, the university stands as a prominent educational institution in the country, catering to the needs of students from a variety of academic streams, ethnic groups and religions.

However, the history of the establishment of the University of Ceylon goes much beyond 1942. A few distinguished academics, administrators, politicians and public-spirited citizens of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), as well as some other eminent foreign academics and administrators with a genuine interest in the advancement of higher education in this country, had had to strive hard for well over half a century, to achieve the cherished goal of establishing the first university in the country. Therefore, the history of the University of Peradeniya would be incomplete if no mention is made of the pioneering efforts of the abovementioned persons in establishing this seat of higher learning.

Sri Vikrama Rajasinha 1798-1815

Son of a sister of King Rajadhi Raja Singha’s Queen Upendramma. The new king who ascended the throne was Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the former kings’ nephew, barely 18 years old. He would also be the last king of the Kandy Nayakar dynasty and the last of Sri Lanka.During his time the British colony was fully established on other parts of Sri Lanka.

There was a rival claimant to succeed King Rajadhi Raja Singha, the brother of Queen Upendramma, who had a stronger claim. However, Pilimatalawe, the first Adigar (prime Minister) choose the South Indian Prince to the Kandyan Throne, with reportedly deep seated plans to usurp the throne to set a new dynasty of his own. The young king, upon ascending the throne had to face lot of conspiracies.

 Internal Conflict

During his time, the British who had succeeded the Dutch in the Maritime Provinces had not interfered in the politics of the Kandy. But Pilimatalava, the first Adigar of the king started covert operations with the British, to provoke the King into acts of aggression, which would give the British an excuse to seize the Kingdom. Later the King had to execute Pilimatalawe for attempting to murder him, after two previous pardons on treachery.

The new First Adigar Ehalepola, Pilimatalawe nephew was no better as the British quickly won his support. A rebellion instigated by him Ehalepola was suppressed and Ehalepola fled to Colombo and joined the British. After failing to surrender (after 3 weeks of notice), the exasperated king ordered the execution of his family. A propogandised account of the execution was widely circulated by sympathisers, however the veracity of these accounts are questionable.

Exiled

Now the British marched into Kandy, after gaining people support, who were eager to dispose the king. The King was taken as a royal prisoner to Vellore Fort, near Madras along with his family members.

He was living on a small allowance given to him and his two queens by the British Government. It is claimed that this allowance was paid to his next-of-kin for next 156 years and stopped only when Sri Lanka regained its sovereignty in 1948

Sigiriya

History

Sigiriya may have been inhabited through prehistoric times. It was used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 5th century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the Buddhist Sangha. The garden and palace were built by Kashyapa. Following Kasyapa’s death, it was again a monastery complex up to about the 14th century, after which it was abandoned. The ruins were discovered in 1907 by British explorer John Still. The Sigiri inscriptions were deciphered by the archeologist Paranavithana who published a renowned two volume work, published by Oxford, known as “Sigiri Graffiti”. He also wrote the popular book “Story of Sigiriya”.

Legends of the site’s origins

The Mahavansa, the ancient historical record of Sri Lanka, describes King Kasyapa as the son of King Dhatusena. Kasyapa murdered his father by walling him alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana, Dhatusena’s son by the true queen. Mogallana fled to India to escape being assassinated by Kasyapa but vowed revenge. In India he raised an army with the intention of returning and retaking the throne of Sri Lanka which was rightfully his. Knowing the inevitable return of Mogallana, Kasyapa is said to have built his palace on the summit of Sigiriya as a fortress and pleasure palace. Mogallana finally arrived and declared war. During the battle Kasyapa’s armies abandoned him and he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Chronicles and lore say that the battle-elephant on which Kasyapa was mounted changed the course just to get to a better fighting position/place but the army misinterpreted it as the King fleeing. Thereafter the army abandoned the king altogether. Moggallana returned the capital to Anuradapura and turned Sigiriya into a monastery complex.

Alternative stories have the primary builder of Sigiriya as King Dhatusena, with Kasyapa finishing the work in honour of his father. Still other stories have Kasyapa as a playboy king, with Sigiriya a pleasure palace. Even Kasyapa’s eventual fate is mutable. In some versions he is assassinated by poison administered by a concubine. In others he cuts his own throat when isolated in his final battle.

Still further interpretations have the site as the work of a Buddhist community, with no military function at all. This site may have been important in the competition between the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist traditions in ancient Sri Lanka.^[2]

Location

The site located in Central Province, Matale District(N7 57 00)(E80 45 00) co-ordinates. ^[3]

Setting and archeological remains

Sigiriya rock is the hardened magma plug from an extinct and long-eroded volcano. It stands high above the surrounding plain, visible for miles in all directions. The rock rests on a steep mound that rises abruptly from the flat plain surrounding it. The rock itself rises 370m and is sheer on all sides, in many places overhanging the base. It is elliptical in plan and has a flat top that slopes gradually along the long axis of the ellipse.^[4]

Sigiriya consists of an ancient castle built by King Kasyapa during the 5th century AD. The Sigiriya site has the remains of an upper palace sited on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate and the mirror wall with its frescoes, the lower palace that clings to the slopes below the rock, and the moats, walls and gardens that extend for some hundreds of metres out from the base of the rock.

The site is both a palace and fortress. Sufficient remains to provide the visitor with a stunning insight into the ingenuity and creativity of its builders.

The upper palace on the top of the rock includes cisterns cut into the rock that still retain water. The moats and walls that surround the lower palace are still exquisitely beautiful.

Main features

Sigiriya is considered as one of the most important sites of urban planning of the first millennium, the site plan is considered very elaborate and imaginative. The planning had combined concepts of symmetry and asymmetry to intentionally interlock the geometrical plan and the natural form of the surroundings. The west side of the rock lies a park for the royals which is symmetrically planned, the park contains water retaining structures which includeds sophisticated sub/surface hydraulic systems of which some are working even today. The south contains a man made reservoir, these were extensively used from previous capital of the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Five gates were places as entrances the more elaborate western gate is thought to be reserved for the royals.^{[5] [6] [7]}

THE EMPORTANCE OF RAINFORESTS

       Tropical rainforests are located around the equator the temperature around this nigh. Hence the rate of water evaporation is high. As a result there is frequent rain in rainforests. They are found in south and Central America, Africa, in the Islands around Australia and Asia. The rain forests are important to human existence and the surrounding. Rainforests are rich source of medicinal plants, food and useful forest products. They maintain about 50% of the plant, animals, bird, reptile and insect species of the word. These forests help to maintain a regular rainfall. They also stand as a buffer against floods, droughts and erosion. These forests produce a significant amount of the word’s oxygen.

Yala national park

1. In the Hambantota District.
2. 19 Kilometers of sea – coast covering unspoiled natural beaches.1360 sq. kilometers in extent.
3. Climate –usually hot and dry.
4. North East monsoon rain from November o January. Inter monsoon rains in March/April.
5. Menik Gamga provides water.
6. Tanks and natural water holes hold water.
7. Extensive grasslands surrounding the tanks and water holes.
8. Elephants, leopards, many species of deer, the sambur, the hog deer, grey monkeys   etc
9. Reptiles, crocodiles, beautiful tortoises.                                                                            
10. Wild, hard flowers.
11. Large numbers of tourists visit.

 

The Search Engines

      The Internet is a source of knowledge. It is of very recent origin. However the influence it has on society is immeasurable. The scope is very wide. It is known the world over. It is easily accessible to everyone.                                    
      Knowledge has got a new dimension with the introduction of the internet. An internet user has access to a lot of knowledge and information. A book for example is read serially one sentence after the other. Letters are written horizontally or vertically. If we want to read a book, and listen to music at the same time, we have to use two separate sources foe that. But the internet has brought the tow together for us. You must have seen people working at the computer listening to music               
      When producing a book, the weight and size play an important role. That is why dictionaries and encyclopedias come in volumes. We will not be able to lift one if they are produced as a single work. The internet has no ‘weight’ unlike a book which is heavy. And so with the network, there is no ‘bulk’. We can get what we want at a ‘click’.                                       
      The language that is most used on the internet is English. The internet   was first started as a research project of the Department of Defense of the USA.                                         
      The internet   provides an immense source of knowledge, through search sites such as Google, Wikipedia, and Yahoo etc.                                        
      However there are certain disadvantages in the internet. No one is responsible for the information or the quality of information. There is no source for this information. There is no authority or authorship responsible.
 

The Amazon rainforest

         The Amazon Rainforest in South America is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It is several millions of square kilo-matters in extent. It covers some parts of Brazil,Bolivia,Pery,Equador,Colombia,Venezuela,Guyana,Surinam and French Guyana.
 1.Annual rainfall 27 mm.
 2.Some trees reach a height of 40 meters.
 3.Smaller trees and shrubs grow under them.
 4.Ferns and exotic wild orchids.
 5.A wider variety of plants and animal life.
 6.E economically important plants.
 7.Brazil nuts, cocoa, pineapples, rubber.
 8.Over 250 species of trees.
 9.Over 1500 species of birds.
 10.3000 known species of fish.
 11.30 million different insect species.
      Threats: rapid population growth loggers cut down trees expansion of agricultural lands hunting13.10% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed.  

Click here Amazon rainforest video

Selected the dictionary for our presentation.

A dictionary is a book from which people can find out what words mean how they are spelt and pronounced. The words are arranged in alphabetical order. Thus abroad before absent, because  ‘r’ comes before ‘s’ and so on .The order of every letter is taken into consideration

                   The pronunciation is given in signs that stand for various sounds. These signs are explained in the introduction to the dictionary. Then an abbreviation or a short from will show the part of speech, e.g. (n) stands for noun. (adj.) stands for adjective and so on.        The dictionary improves people’s use of language you can select the right word to yes. If you are not sure of the meaning of the word, refer to the dictionary; you will learn whether to use it or to yes it in that place.                     Dr. Samuel Johnson is the father of the English Dictionary. He wrote it in 1755.  He was very concerned about the English Language. 

Sinharaja rainforest

The sinharaja forest is the only undisturbed rainforest left in Sri Lanka. It is about 9000 hectares in extent. Many of the plants are very rare. Over 60% of the tree species are found only in the lowland wet zone of sri lanka. It these species of trees species of trees are ollowed to get destroyed,

1. the world would lose then al together.
2. So it is important that much effort is made to conserve this rich,
3. valuable and fragile habitat.           

The sinharaja rainforest is the largest rainforest reserve in Sri Lanka. In 1840 sinharaja became a crown property. In 1988 the sinharaja was made a national wilderness area. In 1989 UNESCO included the sinharaja forest in the world heritage list, as the first national heritage of Sri Lanka.  The sinharaja forest is home to many rare animals, birds, butterflies, Insects, reptiles and trees. Ferns and mosses grow well as the climate is humid because of heavy rainfall the vegetation. Vegetation means trees, shrubs, herbs and woody climbers. The average height of trees in the sinharaja varies between 35 to 40 meters. Some trees are above 50 meters.