Adam's Peak

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The most famous physical feature of Ceylon is Adam's Peak, which is situated in the Ratnapura district. It is on the edge of the central massif but its surrounding group of mountains called the Wilderness of the Peak, is so extensive in comparison to the bulk of the other mountain groups that it appears to form a nucleus of its own, separate from the others. It is about 7500 ft high and, though it is the second highest peak in the land, its position in relation to the topography is so dominant that it stands out above all others.

The physical features of a land are often spoken of first, by a foreign visitor. Physical descriptions compare it to a pearl and a teardrop. Lying at the southern point of India its pendant shape appears like a drop of water as it falls. South of it there is nothing but the Antarctic. It is on the major sea route between West and East Asia and therefore was a trading station for the Arabs and a trading station and a colony for the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. The Arabian Nights has possibly the first reference to it.

Adam's Peak is an ancient pilgrimage that is considered sacred by Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims. It is a conical mountain 2,243 meters high. It is believed that Lord Buddha during his third visit to Sri Lanka placed his footprint on the summit of this sacred mountain. So, the name Sripada-the sacred footprint. Muslims believe the footprint to be that of Adam (hence the name Adam's Peak); Christians, that of St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus; and Hindus, that of the god Siva.

This pilgrimage usually takes place about the month of April, which is the dry season just before the southeast monsoon breaks. Pilgrims try to reach the peak before dawn, as the view of sunrise from the peak is spectacular. There are several approaches to reach the peak. The main ones being through the Hatton town and Ratnapura District.

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Srilanka Tourism