Ratnapura The City of Gems

Ratnapura the city of Gems located 103 km from Colombo is the famous gem-mining town of Sri Lanka. This town is the best town I ever visited while in a Sri Lanka Tours. The name itself explains the nature of the city or Ratnapura means, the City of Gems. Sri Lanka has the greatest concentration of gems on earth and is ranked among the top five gem-bearing nations. One can find all types of gems in Ratnapura from familiar to exotic. These include: white sapphire, yellow sapphire, pink sapphire, orange sapphire, purple sapphire and blue star sapphires, ruby and star ruby, cat’s eye, topaz, amethyst, moonstone, aquamarine, tourmaline, garnet, zircon, spinel, alexandrite, citrine, etc., and the exotic ones such as patite, sinhalite, ekanite, enstatite, andalusite, kornerupine, etc., sought by the connoisseur.

Apart from the gems other places of tourist interests are:

Maha Saman Devale: A “devale” is a shrine dedicated to either a god of the Hindu pantheon or a local deity, which is usually situated within a Buddhist vihara or temple. This unique devale, only a short distance from Ratnapura, is dedicated to “Saman” the tutelary deity of Adam’s Peak. Annual Fair /

Perahara: There is an annual fair and Perahera in the month of July-August, which is among the largest to be held in the country. Its main feature is the Maha Baha a giant effigy who like the Roman Janus has two faces-one pink-cheeked and smiling, the other dour and black-visaged. It was amazing to Know these stuff while in Sri Lanka Tours.

Sinharaja: The highland forest of Singaraja, located near Ratnapura is a nature lover’s delight. It is the last remaining original tract of rain forest on the island. Ratnapura is also one of the base camps to the pilgrimage trek to Adam’s Peak. Visit these places if you are already in Sri Lanka Tours and Ratnapura.