Anuradhapura
The Sacred City
Stepping off the bus in the Sri Lankan city of Anuradhapura, I spot young women in white dresses clutching ample bouquets of nearly–blooming lotus. But these flowers are not for me, they’re for someone far more important: the Buddha. I’ve arrived at Ruwanwelisaya, an ancient sacred structure, and one of eight places of worship in the city, which was founded in 380 BC and is itself a Unesco World Heritage Site. At the entrance, a sign in English, nestled among others in Sinhalese, reminds me of the passage of time: No selfie with the Buddha.