2010 - Sri Lanka - 500 Rupee note
Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka
(CBSL) issued, for circulation,
a new series of currency notes on the theme "Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers"
on 2011 February 4th, dated 2010-01-01.
| 
|
Front: Landscape
An artist's impression of World Trade Centre and Bank of Ceylon
Headquarters in the city of Colombo and a view of the ancient Buddhist
temple Lankathilaka Viharaya at Kandy to upper right. Illustrated are
the Sri Lanka bird Emerald Collared Parakeet (Layard's
Parakeet) to the right, and the butterfly, Ceylon Indigo
Royal to the lower left.
Back: Portrait
A drawing of a Thelme dancer
and a Yak Bera drummer. A Padmanidhi guard stone
is on the upper right on a vertical Band with a stylized floral motif,
Dvithva Liya Vela. A map of Sri Lanka appears in the background
centered to the left of this band.
|
The security thread is a Starchrome with 2 mm width, which changes
colour from red to green with the letters CBSL RS500
The notes carry the facsimile signatures of the
Hon. Minister of Finance, HE President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the
Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabraal.
| Predominant Color | : Purple | |
| Size | : 143 x 67 mm
|
| Serial Prefix | : T | |
| Replacement Prefix | : Z/5
|
| Floresent Fiber | : Yellow | |
| Braile | : Four Dots
|
World Trade Center
World Trade Center, Colombo is an international business complex
complementing and supporting the existing services of private and
government agencies. It accounts for being the tallest completed
building in Sri Lanka. The building consists of two identical 40-
storeyed towers connected by a 4 storey retail block.
Lankathilaka Viharaya
Lankatilaka Viharaya is a Buddhist temple first built by King
Prakramabahu I, and later restored by King Vijayabahu IV. It was once
a five-storeyed high temple and decorated with flowers, creepers,
animals, birds and statues of deities. It has a peculiar architectural
design. The exterior walls are ornamented with delicate sculpture,
which depict various building of the Polonnaruwa era.
Sri Lanka Emerald Collared Parakeet (Layard's Parakeet) - Psittacula calthropae
Sri Lanka Alu Girava (Sinhala)
Ilangai Naattu Kili (Thamil)
Layard's Parakeet is an endemic resident ot Sri Lanka. This bird is
renamed as Sri Lanka Emerald-collared Parakeet since 2008. It is
common in forests, gardens, mainly in high country and forested humid
areas of low country. It is a green parakeet 30 cm long including the
tail up to 13 cm, with a bluish-grey head and back, separated by a
green collar.
The Ceylon Indigo Royal - Tajuria arida
Hela Neela Paramaya (Sinhala)
The Ceylon Indigo Royal is endemic to Sri Lanka and is found in the
low country wet zone. Wings of the male are dull frosted greyish blue
in colour. This species is categorized as critically endangered by the
IUCN.
Padmanidhi Guard Stone
The dwarf figures known as yaksas or bahirawas were used
in place of the Pot of Plenty. These figures represent two
yaksas vested with the responsibility of protecting the wealth
of god Kuvera that is said to be stored in the ocean. The
headdresses of the yaksa figures of some guard stones had been
designed in the shape of Sankha (conch) or Padma
(lotus). These sculptures were used with the belief that they provide
protection to the building. The best examples of Padma guard
stone are at Abhayagiri stupa at Anuradhapura and at the entrance to
the palace of Vijayabahu I.
Dvithva Liya vela
Traditional Sinhalese art has a floral motifs depicted with two
similar creepers called Dvithva liya vela. These flower bands are
combined or run parallel to each other in a regular pattern.
Thelme Netuma
Thelme Netuma (Thelme Dance) belongs to the ritual of Devol
Maduwa, which is performed to propitiate a deity known as
Devol. The Theirne Netuma is a pure rhythmical and
classical dance form of Sri Lanka Low Country dances. The main drum
used is the Yak Beraya.
Yak Beraya
Yak Beraya (Ruhunu Beraya, Devol Beraya
or Pahatharata Beraya) is the traditional drum which accompanies Sri
Lanka Low Country dances. This instrument is a long cylindrical drum
and is played with both hands.
Text edited from Press Releases of the CBSL. Images as in full page
colour advertisements published in local newspapers.