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.
Adam's Peak is popularly known as Sri Pada Peak
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