Greek Aphabet

Sumo Wrestling

SUMO

Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It originated in ancient times as a performance to entertain theShinto gods. Many rituals with religious background are still followed today.

The basic rules of sumo are simple: the wrestler who first touches the ground with anything besides the soles of his feet, or who leaves the ring before his opponent, loses. Fights take place on an elevated ring, called a "dohyo", which is made of clay and covered in a layer of sand. The fights themselves usually last only a few seconds, or in rare cases, about a minute.

At the top of the sumo wrestlers' hierarchy stand the yokozuna (grand champion). At the moment, there are two yokozuna, Asashoryu and Hakuho, both from Mongolia. Once a wrestler reaches the rank of yokozuna, he cannot lose this status but he will be expected to retire when his results begin to worsen. Many former wrestlers remain active in the sumo world as members of the Japan Sumo Association.

Most elite wrestlers are highly trained athletes between 20 and 35 years old. They typically live together in residential and training complexes, called "stables", where all aspects of life, from sleeping and eating to training and free time, are strictly regimented by the coach, called the "stable master".

There are no weight restrictions or classes in sumo, meaning that wrestlers can easily find themselves matched off against someone many times their size. As a result, weight gain is an essential part of sumo training. The typical sumo dish, chanko nabe, is a hearty stew full of vegetables, meat and fish.

Six tournaments are held every year, each one lasting 15 days. Three of the tournaments are held inTokyo (January, May, September), and one each in Osaka (March),Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November).

Bogoda Wooden Bridge

World oldest wooden bridge

This striking wooden bridge was built in the 16th century and is said to be the oldest wooden bridge in the world. This wooden Bridge was built during the Dambadeni kingdom period.

The Bogoda wooden Bridge is an exclusive construction as it has an 8 feet tall tiled roof structure for its entire span of nearly 50 feet length with a 6 feet breadth.

The king found refuge in the rock from the marauding Dravidian invaders from South India as he did in Dambulla caves. Upon regaining his kingdom, he had the rock temple built in gratitude as he built the world renowned (A World heritage Site) Rangiri Dambulu Temple (Golden Dambulla Rock Temple). In one of famous literary works of Lanka named Sandesha Kavya (1612-1624) (Letter of Poems), travellers were encouraged to worship at this temple on their route from Badulla to Kandy. Behind the temple, down some steps is an entrance to a tunnel believed to run through the mountain to the nearby tea estate, Tudumale. It has been used by King Walagambahu during his 2 1/2 years of hiding at Bogoda. In the present era, no human has ventured through it.

Covered with a tiled roof in the Kandyan style, it is in a lovely, peaceful setting, on both sides of the shallow Gallanda Oya River, with a rock temple next to it, which dates from the 1st century BC. Bogoda was on an ancient route connecting Badulla with Kandy, and travelers stop here to worship at the temple

All this literary and archaeological facts reveals the existence of an indigenous bridge building technology in the island prior to the influence of industrialization.

It is thirteen kilometers south of Badulla, up a small road that branches off from the Hali Ela junction for 11km.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect the Chinese Empire from the Mongolians and other invaders. It was first built in the Seventh Century BC when China was still divided into many small states. The construction of the Great Wall never ceased during nearly all the Chinese fudal dynasties.

The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago, by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty (221 B.C - 206 B.C.). In Chinese the wall is called "Wan-Li Qang-Qeng" which means 10,000-Li Long Wall (10,000 Li = about 5,000 km).

After subjugating and uniting China from seven Warring States, the emperor connected and extended four old fortification walls along the north of China that originated about 700 B.C. (over 2500 years ago). Armies were stationed along the wall as a first line of defense against the invading nomadic Hsiung Nu tribes north of China (the Huns). Signal fires from the Wall provided early warning of an attack.

The Great Wall of China extends 4,000 miles (6,400 km) westward from the seaside town of Shanhaigun to Gansu Province.

The Great Wall is one of the largest building construction projects ever completed. It stretches across the mountains of northern China, winding north and northwest of Beijing. It is constructed of masonry, rocks and packed-earth. It was over 5,000 km (=10,000 Li) long. Its thickness ranged from about 4.5 to 9 meters (15 to 30 feet) and was up to 7.5 meters (25 feet) tall.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall was enlarged to 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles) and renovated over a 200 year period, with watch-towers and cannons added.

The Great Wall can be seen from Earth orbit, but, contrary to legend, is not visible from the moon, according to astronauts Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, and Jim Irwin.

Great Pyramid

PYRAMID

The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of many different shapes and sizes from before the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Middle Kingdom.There are about eighty pyramids known today from ancient Egypt. The three largest and best-preserved of these were built at Giza at the beginning of the Old Kingdom. The most well-known of these pyramids was built for the pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the 'Great Pyramid'.

Pharaoh

'Pharaoh' is the term we use today to describe the rulers of ancient Egypt.
'Pharaoh' is actually a Greek word that is based on an Egyptian word that meant 'great house'। When this word was first used, it referred to the palace and its greatness, not just to the ruler himself। However, later in Egyptian history the title 'pharaoh' meant ruler।
Old KingdomA period of ancient Egyptian history that lasted from about 2686 B।C. to 2181 B.C..
Middle Kingdom
A period of ancient Egyptian history that lasted from about 2055 B.C. to 1650 B.C..

Giza
A town located near Cairo in northern Egypt. The site of three large stone pyramids built during the fourth dynasty.

The pharaoh Khufu, like the pharaohs before him, began planning his 'house of eternity' as soon as he took the throne. A spot was chosen for building on the west bank of the Nile.Cemeteries were usually built on the west bank because the sun 'died' on the western horizon every night.

Khufu's architects were wise and experienced men. They knew the importance of building the pharaoh's final resting place so that its sides faced directly north, south, east and west.

They planned a large pyramid- the largest one ever built in ancient Egypt. The outlines of the pyramid were measured and marked in the desert sand.


Then the building began. Large blocks of stone were cut from quarries nearby. They were dragged by groups of men across the desert to the site of the pyramid and set in place. Most of the workers were farmers who worked on building the pyramid during the flood season when their fields were under water.

After the first level of blocks was in place, the workers built ramps of mudbrick, limestone chips and clay. The workers dragged the large stones up the ramps to build the next level of the pyramid.


For about 20 years, hundreds of men worked on building the pyramid. As they built each level, they also built up the ramps around the pyramid.


When the pyramid was almost finished, a special block covered in shining metal (either gold or electrum) was placed on the top of the pyramid.

Then, blocks of white limestone from quarries across the Nile were used to cover the pyramid. The blocks were trimmed to make the outside of the pyramid smooth.

Finally, the pyramid was finished.

Khufu's pyramid was only part of the complex built for him at Giza.

This complex had many different parts:

• Three pyramids for Khufu's queens.
• Several deep pits containing boats that had been buried.
• A mortuary temple where Khufu would be worshipped after he died.
• A causeway leading from the pyramid complex down to the valley temple.
• A valley temple where the pharaoh's funeral would begin.
• A small 'satellite' pyramid.
• The mastaba tombs of nobles.

• 

Outside the pyramid

The Great Pyramid was part of a complex that included a special walkway, two temples, other pyramids, boat pits and the mastabas of nobles.

Complex

1. A group of buildings that are connected in some way;

2. Complicated.

Mastaba

An Arabic word meaning 'bench' that is commonly used to describe an early ancient Egyptian tomb. Mastabas have an underground burial chamber and an above ground offering chapel.

These chapels look like the benches found outside some modern Egyptian homes, thus the word 'mastaba' is used to describe them.