Pilgrimage to Adam's Peak, the mountain of the Holy Footprint in Sri Lanka

12 midnight. The sky was thick and moonless. After a heavy rain, the weather suddenly turned cold. Our group put on warm clothes, personal backpacks, raincoats and hats, and left the rest stop to go to the foot of Adam's Peak - the sacred pilgrimage peak of the people of this country.

Although the winter weather in Sri Lanka is only about 20 degrees Celsius, after the heavy rain, it was much colder. One would think that with this kind of wind and rain, there would be few pilgrims climbing the mountain, but at 2am, there were already dozens of people preparing for their trip. A few torches were lit, flashlights were shining, and the lighting system on the steps was still bright, making the road ahead go deep after many turns. The shops were closed and quiet, only the sound of rain pattering on the thatched roofs, the steady footsteps and the soft prayers of the pilgrims could be heard. We also joined the crowd, taking the first steps on the steps.

For most visitors, the trip usually starts from Dalhousie, a small village located on the north side of the mountain. From Dalhousie, you have to climb about 7 km and take an average of 3-4 hours. After a few flat sections and passing small temples, the road gradually slopes down and the steps become endless. Tired, we stopped to rest right there, drink water and eat some sweets to replenish our energy. The steps continued higher and higher. The cold had given way to sweat on my cheeks and tired legs. But I did not dare to take off my jacket because I was afraid that the night dew and cold air could easily make the climber catch a cold. The groups in front also stopped to rest right there. In the flickering light of flashlights and candles, the pilgrims with us today included both adults and children, both hunched-backed old men with white hair and strong young men. A foreign couple went ahead of us, passing us by quite a distance. We met them again the next morning, watching the glorious sunrise over Adam's Peak.

It is believed that the first person to discover the footprint of the Saint was King Valagambahu (104 – 76 BC), during his exile in the wild mountains. Until now, the identity of the Saint’s footprint is still debated. Churches still believe that it is a special footprint of the saints in their beliefs. Legend has it that on the top of Adam Peak there is also a footprint of the Buddha. In the 8th year after his enlightenment, the Buddha visited Kelaniya at the request of the Naga king Maniakkika. The Buddha went with 500 monks. After staying in Kelaniya, the Buddha also visited other places such as Digavaapi. And at this Sri Pada peak, the Buddha left the mark of his left foot on the granite floor before leaving. Meanwhile, some Christians believe that the “footprint” in the rock on the top of the mountain is the first footprint of Adam on earth when he was expelled from the Garden of Eden. Some Christians believe that it is the footprint of Saint Thomas, who brought Christianity to South India in the 1st century AD, while Hindus believe that it is the footprint of Lord Shiva – the Destroyer (hence the mountain is also called Sivan Adipadham or Sivanolipatha Malai), while some Sri Lankan Muslims believe that it is the footprint of Al-Rohun (Soul).

One thing you can see, Adam's Peak has been a pilgrimage site to pay homage to the sages for over 1000 years, attracting thousands of Sri Lankan pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. Every year in the spring, Buddhists and other religions line up in orderly lines, climbing 5,200 steps at night under the flickering light of a fire to reach the highest peak before sunrise. Pilgrims with brightly lit torches snake along the winding path up the mountain, creating a long, winding streak of light from the foot to the top of the mountain. That bright path has become a symbol of pilgrimage climbing in Sri Lanka. Visitors from all over the world come here with their own beliefs, bringing their wishes and aspirations, climbing the high mountain with the local people. No matter what faith you follow, whether it is Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism, the pilgrimage path will lead you to the “land of light of Faith and Hope”.

The locals were singing softly beside us and happily sitting on the steps. Although we spoke different languages ​​and could not understand each other, I could still see a burning faith in their eyes. There were old ladies with hunched backs holding fragrant white jasmine bouquets in their arms. They kept holding the flowers until they reached the top and carefully placed them in the sacred place. Although my pilgrimage was mainly for the purpose of enjoying the scenery and exploring tourism, I still couldn’t help but give myself a little faith because I was surrounded by prayers for peace, health, happiness and joy.

The road up got colder and colder. I felt like I was climbing Yen Tu, but it felt different. The strong went first, the weaker went after, each person helped the other. There was no pushing, no jostling. There was only the flow of people moving in the magical light and the singing never stopped. The air was humid with rain and occasionally a few drops still fell from the trees. For us, the hooded jackets were really convenient. As for the locals, they wore scarves to cover their heads. I was surprised by the threads hooked along both sides of the railings of the path. A passerby explained in broken English about the threads connecting the past, present and future in each person's life.

There were still a few hundred steps to the top. We had stopped to rest quite a bit, used up a lot of water and had been walking for nearly three hours. The steps were divided into two by iron bars, one for going up and one for going down. The sky was getting lighter. From this height, we could see the whole view of Adam Peak below with its vast forests and a few spires of pointed-roofed pagodas rising up from the green forest.

A large number of Buddhist disciples were gathered on the sacred peak of the mountain. The sky had begun to brighten in the distance, a shimmering pink color. When the first rays of dawn light shine on the sacred mountain (2243m above sea level), on clear days, Sri Lankans believe that the light will reflect the image of the Saint's feet on the sky. This is a strange optical phenomenon that creates a magical and divine beauty for the sacred mountain.

After a dazzling dawn, we followed a group of Buddhists around the footprints of the Saint. An old monk blessed us with the Saint’s mark on our foreheads and a garland of flowers to take home. A little girl accompanied us to ask for a bell to pray for our ancestors.

We left the sacred peak when the sun was high in the sky. The stairs continued to take the pilgrims down to the foot of the mountain. Not as tired as when climbing up, we leisurely walked down and stopped for rest less. Two dogs from the top of the mountain kept following us until the first gate at the foot of the mountain. 5200 steps of pilgrimage with faith and hope for a better life.

BOX: No matter what faith you follow, from Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism, the pilgrimage path will lead you to the “light of Faith and Hope”.

More information:

Sri Lanka is not a country that is highly developed in tourism. Services are still limited, only 3 star hotels and above have hot and cold water and air conditioning.

Cultural tourists can explore the ruins - the heritage of an ancient culture. Sri Lanka has an area called the "Cultural Triangle" consisting of 3 ancient cities: Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Kandy. Polonnaruwa is the center of the "Cultural Triangle", 216km northwest of the capital Colombo.

Currency: Rupee (exchange rate 100 Rupees = 1 USD)

The best time of year to make a pilgrimage is in the spring, from December of the previous year to April of the following year.

Adam's Peak is also known as Sri Pada or Sivan Adipadham or Sivanolipatha Malai.

The best option for a group of travelers is to rent a private car to get to the popular tourist spots. When asking for directions, it is best to show a map with clear place names to avoid confusion.
The daily diet consists of rice, mango, and pittu (roasted rice mixed with fresh coconut water, then cooked in bamboo tubes). For those who have difficulty eating, you should bring instant noodles and dry foods such as pork floss, sesame seeds, and peanuts to eat with white rice. Remember to bring an extra spoon because Sri Lankans eat with their hands.

Sri Lankan people are quite gentle and friendly. Don't hesitate to ask them for directions if you need them.
Foreign women should not travel alone, especially on buses. The air conditioning on buses is often very cold, so remember to bring a warm jacket or scarf when traveling.

From Kitugala there is a bus to Adam's Peak, but from Horton Plain to go to Adam's Peak you have to return to Nuwara Eliya and then catch another bus.

Gifts to bring home: Don’t forget the boxes of premium tea as Sri Lanka is one of the largest tea producers in the world. Colorful folk masks are also a must-have in your bag.

Article and photos: Lam Linh

The Thanh