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by Andrew Scott

The Adam's Peak season is in full swing and it is quite interesting to delve into the history and legend of this holy mountain which has become a part and parcel of the religious and cultural life of Sri Lanka from time immemorial. Adam's Peak is in the middle of the central hills and four main rivers of Sri Lanka rise in the shade of its thick forests while the ancient gem bearing city of Ratnapura nestles sleepily at its foot. This cone shaped peak is visible from many parts of the island and its prominent landmark is distinctly visible from the Indian ocean.

Many foreign writers have written eloquently about this holy peak. "The peak must be one of the vastest and most revered cathedrals of the human race... The literature of 2,000 years in several languages would have to be searched if all references to it were to be assembled" wrote John Still and Harry Williams wrote: "Adam's Peak is the most sacred mountain in the world under whose spell anger is unknown and even the harlots, who have never known what it is to refuse themselves, do so once the holy fane has been sighted".

W. S. Senior, writing about Adam's Peak says: "It dominates the whole southern half of the island. It is clear from Colombo. From the harbour. From the shop-pavements of Chatham Street. From the lake-spill on the Galle Face. From the grand-stand of the racecourse, dramatic, soaring crown of a dream blue distant range, rising straight from the universal green of the vast intervening plane".

Adam's Peak had been of immense use to mariners from the earliest times and tradition has it that prince Vijaya and his followers were guided to these shores by this landmark.

To many people this holy mountain is known by many names. To the Sinhalese it is Sri Pada (The Holy foot-print) or Samanalakanda (the abode of God Saman). To the Hindus it is Swargarohanam (The ascent of heaven). the Mahavamsa refers to it as the Sumanakuta mountain and the early Chinese knew it as Mount Lanka. Soleyman refers to it as Al Rohan.

For many centuries both king and commoner held this mountain in great reverence and Buddhism links it with Buddha's visits to this country. Traditionally it is referred to as the place where Vijaya's banished children found sanctuary. In the 2nd century, during the reign of king Duttagamini, it had been an abode of monks and it had been an accustomed place of worship during the reign of Vijayabahu I.

Senerat Paranavitarna, in his monumental work, 'God of Adam's Peak' says: "No inscription referring to the worship of the Foot-print has been found earlier than the 11th century, on the mountain or its vicinity, or anywhere else in Sri Lanka. The first mention of the Foot-print comes in the reign, when Vijaya Bahu, having seen the difficulties undergone by pilgrims dedicated the village of Gilimalaya to their needs". Stone inscriptions bear ample evidence to these.

Parakrama Bahu II too dedicated much land to Adam's Peak and this king is believed to have fastened iron chains to make the ascent easier. Later a king of Kandy is said to have provided many stone steps for the convenience of pilgrims. Sitavaka Rajasinghe and King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe had placed specially appointed priests to carry out the religious ceremonies at Adam's Peak.

Early travellers to this island were greatly fascinated by the sacred Foot-print. A 7th century Chinese pilgrim who made the hazardous ascent of the peak says: "When at last I reached the foot of the mountain, I found the country wild, inhabited by wild beasts and extraordinarily rich in precious stones. After a long waiting I was able to climb to the summit and contemplate the impression of Buddha's foot".

Marco Polo, the well-known Venetian traveller wrote: "In this island of Zeilan (Ceylon) there is a very high mountain, so rocky and precipitious that the ascent to the top is impracticable, as it is said, excepting by the assistance of iron chains employed for that purpose. By means of these some people attain the summit, where the tomb of Adam, our first parent, is reported to be found".

In 1344 Ibn Batuta visited Sri Lanka with the main desire of worshipping the peak and Cambodian and Thai Bhikkus referred to Adam's Peak as 'the jewelled crown of the island of Lanka". Writers of more recent times - Knox, Tennent, Hennessey, Still and Williams have written much about Adam's Peak while Senerat Paranavitarne's scholarly monograph, The God of Adam's Peak, is undoubtedly the best.

There is a strong belief among the villagers that the more perilous climb from the Ratnapura side is more meritorious. Legend has it that Alexander the Great, after the conquest of Northern India, climbed Adam's Peak and fastened iron chains to assist the climbers. Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta who followed Alexander too have commented on these chains. John Still in his Jungle Tide (page 25) narrates how a whole group of pilgrims went spinning down to the tree tops far below when a chain they were hanging on to gave way.

It is interesting that Adam's Peak is held in the greatest veneration by all four major religions of the world. To the Buddhists the foot-print is that of Lord Buddha. To the Hindus it is Lord Sivas. To the Christians it is that of St. Thomas' and to the Muslims it is that of Adam.

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