Siri Pada, Sri Lanka's holy mountain

Siri Pada seen from Sri Lanka's highlands

Siri Pada is Sri Lanka’s iconic mountain. It was known by Arab seafarers, because its conic shape can be seen from the ocean, clear sight provided. Muslims settling down in Sri Lanka regarded the Holy Mountain of Buddhists and Hindus as sacred, too, giving the footprint („Siri Pada“ means „Sacred Foot“) at the top a new meaning: According to Muslims,the giant footprint was left by Adam, the first human being, when he had to leave paradise. This means, the top of Siri Pada is believed to be the place where Adam first touched the surface of the earth, the spot on our planet that is closest to paradise. This is why the mountain got ist Western name „Adam’s Peak“, later on also used by European colonialists, though Christians from India had a different explanation: The footprint was left by St. Thomas, their apostle.

Besides being a place of pilgrimage for four major religions, Siri Pada is definitely Sri Lanka’s best vantage point, offering an unforgettable 360 degree panorama. There are two flights of steps leasing to the top. The shorter though also exhausting one is from the highland side, the older and longer one starts in the lowlands in the Ratnapura region.

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sunset seen from the summit of Siri Pada

Sinharaja Range seen from the top of Siri Pada