Adam's peak

Adam's Peak (also known as Sri Pada) is a 2,243 m (7,359 ft) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the sacred footprint, a 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva and in Islamic and Christian tradition that of Adam, or that of Saint Thomas.

Geography

Adam's Peak is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands, in the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province, Sri Lanka. The mountain is located 40 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura and 32 km southwest of the city of Hatton. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby. The region along the mountain is a wildlife reserve, housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic species.

Climbing Routes

There are six possible routes to reach the sacred footprint at the summit. The most frequented are those via Ratnapura and Hatton. The Hatton route is the most attractive and the least difficult, while the Ratnapura route is the longest and the most adventurous.

Religious Significance

Adam's Peak is an important pilgrimage site, especially for Buddhists. Pilgrims walk up the mountain, following a variety of difficult routes up thousands of steps. The journey takes several hours at least. The peak pilgrimage season is in April, and the goal is to be on top of the mountain at sunrise, when the distinctive shape of the mountain casts a triangular shadow on the surrounding plain and can be seen to move quickly downward as the sun rises.

See Also

• Sacred Footprint
• Buddhism in Sri Lanka
• Hinduism in Sri Lanka
• Islam in Sri Lanka
• Christianity in Sri Lanka

This Sri Lanka-related article is a stub.