President Mahinda Rajapakse kneels on disembarking from his aircraft at the Colombo International airport on May 17, 2009 and walks into a hero's welcome on his return from Jordan. The president declared that the island's separatist Tamil Tiger rebels have been "defeated militarily" after decades of bitter ethnic bloodshed. AFP
Hasthipabbatha - Our Homeland
Situated in Kegalle in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri lanka. Kegalle is one of the two main cities in the Sabaragamuwa province. It is also one of the most rapidly developing cities in Sri Lanka where a variety of communities live peacefully. Situated 48 Miles (78 Km) from Colombo the capital of Sri Lanka and 24 Miles (40 Km) from Kandy, the hill capitol of Sri Lanka, Kegalle is the capitol city of the Kegalle district, located close to the center of Sri Lanka the town is located at the bottom of a steep rock face. The Kegalle District shares the Sabragamuwa Province with the Ratnapura District, Kegalle has a population as per censor statististics of 2001 of 86,581. Kegalle is the lengthiest town in Sri Lanka and is home to the first elephant orphanage in the world, named the "Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage" this is a must see for all who visit our little pearl of the indian ocean. Kegalle has an agriculture based economy where the main cultivation is Rubber and Rice and the surrounding areas also produces percious stones and graphite. The ideal climate and unique ecological attributed out District has to offer has encouraged the setting up of a zoological garden near the existing elephant orphanage in Pinnawala, this is aimed at not only increasing both local and foreign visitors to out district but also to showcase the pure and abundant beauty that is the Kegalle District.