issue 7
Aspirational. Inspirational. Sri Lankan.
The 50 hottest things to do in Sri Lanka
The ultimate guide to the essential Sri Lankan experiences
Amrith de Soysa Driven to succeed
The Galle Literary Festival The latest news from down south
Helga’s Folly
Alice in Wonderland meets the Marquis de Sade
ISSN 1749-6144 (print) ISSN 1749-6152 (online)
204 Kings Street, London W6 0RA
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contents 10 Villa’s in Paradise Villa Living! 14 Kothu The latest Sri Lankan buzz from around the world 16 A Thousand Words Black and White imagery by Sebastian Posingis 18 The Wild Wild West Partying in the name of charity
20 Galle Literary Festival Your guide to the Festival’s day to day events 24 Hip Hotels: Helga’s Folly James Fennel and Turtle Bunbury guide you through Kandy’s most eccentric house 30 Fricky Khan: A Sri Lankan Hero From racing motorbikes to bar brawls; the stuff of legends
36 Discovering Galle The sights and sounds of the Southern City 38 Driven: Amrith de Soysa Serendipity catches up with the young star 44
The 50 Hottest Things to do in Sri Lanka The ultimate guide to the country’s essential experiences
52 A Home From Home The latest literature from George Alagiah
editor’s letter Welcome to Serendipity’s First Anniversary Issue! We can’t believe its been a year, six issues, since we first set this magazine up after a (rather serendipitious) conversation in a pub, a sense of adventure, and a sympathetic bank manager with an overdraft. What still drives us today is what drove us to set this magazine up twelve months ago. A passionate belief that Sri Lanka is no longer just an island – but rather a network of warm, successful and inspiring communities and individuals around the world from the US and the UK to Canada, Australia, Berlin, Singapore and many other places too numerous to mention.
Serendipity online www.serendipitymag.net
And if you want to get to know some of them, why not check out our new page on www.myspace.com/serendipitymag (where you can download all the past issues you’ve missed). We’re not going to stop in our mission to showcase the brightest and the best, those people who are really trying to make a difference. Whether it’s new bloods like our cover star, golf prodigy Amrith, or veteran journalist and newscaster George Alagiah from whose book ‘ A Home from Home’ we are proud to print a moving. We raise a glass and salute you all. I’d like to specially thank all the talented, funny and dedicated people who have contributed to the magazine from around the world – giving us their words, images and most of all their time and dedication in keeping this going. We couldn’t have done it without you. And to our audience - thanks for all your support. Keep the faith, spread the word and remember – if you don’t know where you came from, how do you know where you’re going?
From our family to yours, much love
Afdhel, Tony & the Serendipity Team feedback@serendipitymag.net
www.serendipitymag.net
Published by Diasporic Media Ltd.
Art Director: Geoff Cowan
Mailing address: Flat 1, 36 Craven Hill Gardens London W23EA
Picture Editor: Alefiya Akbarally
Email: letters@serendipitymag.net
Writers: Soharni Tennekoon, Nafisa Asgerally, Navin Ratnayake, Ravini Thenabadu
Publisher: Tony Thirulinganathan
Editor-At-Large: Nihal Arthanayake
Editor: Afdhel Aziz
Digital Marketing Manager: Ravin Fernando
Deputy Editor: Suranga Rajapakse Sales Director: Gaddafi Ismail
party people
Aspirational. Inspirational. Sri Lankan.
If you would like to get Serendipity delivered straight to your home, then send a cheque made out to ‘Diasporic Media Ltd’ for £15 for 6 issues to: Serendipity Magazine Flat 1, 36 Craven Hill Gardens, London W2 3EA Please include your name and full address. Offer applies to UK only.
Party 31 Colombo’s getting ready for the party of the year. The question is, are you? Party 31-07 is the brainchild of colombonightlife. com, and the great minds behind the much-loved Glow, Tantra, and Onyx. Definitely not newcomers to teaming up, it was this collective that first collaborated to bring Colombo’s rabid party-animals Party 31 last year at Paradise Beach, Mt Lavinia, which played host to 2500 guests.
This year, Colombo’s biggest night goes back to its roots; back to where it all started; back to the Galle Face Hotel.Expect to walk the white carpet, get showered in white, red & yellow roses, dance the night away, and welcome 2007 with a sip of champagne and a touch of class. For more info visit www.party31.lk
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places
Pix: Richard Powers
It is early December. The rains of last month were the most ferocious I can remember. Sheets of rainfall cascaded from the heavens as though it were falling down the hills of Nuwara Eliya discovering leaks in all but the sturdiest of roof tiles. But right on cue and as much anticipated, last week’s Poya Day heralded their abrupt end and the onset of gorgeous blue skies. Where last week, lightening had forked its way across the darkened sky, a golden sun now shines brightly. The chilled sea of grey petulant froth has turned into a luxuriously warm sea of diamonds, glistening and rejoicing in the renewed energy. The waves begin to roll as eager surfers wait patiently for the perfect one. 10
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I am in Galle. Home to Sri Lanka’s latest offering to the luxury seeking traveller – Per Aquum’s Fortress Hotel – that joins a stable of five star boutique hotels that easily grace the top echelons of recommended global hot spots to stay. Resting comfortably beside these bastions of style and pampering that include The Amangalla, are villas to die for. It is all very well staying in a wonderful hotel where all your wishes are attended to but you just cannot escape one annoying fact; you have to share it with others. There is always someone else in the pool; massaging in sun oil; sitting in the restaurant; drinking on the veranda; everywhere. serendipity
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places If you, like me, are one of those for whom the luxury of fluffy towels and polished floors slip away unless it is enhanced by the luxury of privacy, no hotel can compete with staying in your own villa. Sri Lanka, and particularly the environs of Galle, now boast several architecturally stunning private villas available for short term holiday letting. Along the coast about 10km south of Galle rests the magnificent IF, A home that stands out in the style of ‘one and only’. Sitting on 1 ½ acres the five sleeping quarters are accessed from an inner courtyard with timber columns circling a pond, festooned with fish and lilies. All five bedrooms have attached bathrooms with twin sinks. Three of the bathrooms have showers open to the sky. Almost as if it is a bit sinful, there is something truly magical about showering outside under the sun or stars. Walking through the courtyard the view of the ocean draws me closer. The shimmering sea stretches as far as I can see. Passing the incredibly high ceiling sitting room, I carry on towards the sun terrace. Another pond, this one circular and with no fish, as they would probably boil in the midday sun, enjoys centre position of the terrace. Coconut palms – everyone has a theory as to why they seem to fall towards the ocean but on this occasion I ignore the very thought of them. They are just there. Majestic and tall. To my right lies the lawn. It is big enough for a game of cricket – indeed someone has already set up the stumps. At the other side of this ‘hallowed turf’ sits an open sided building – I notice the dining table overlooking the pool. When renting IF you are rewarded with a staff of five. After all when on holiday, we all want to be able to sit back and have others do the running around – even if at home. The head of the team is the chef, Lionel. I have heard stories of the feasting that takes place here. and as my attention returns to the sea. I look forward to my first lunch. But right now, it is the sea. A small pagoda, facing west, is to the left of the sun terrace and is somewhere I will take breakfast and afternoon tea. As the week draws on, I 12
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appreciate that whilst there is a dining pavilion, it is up to us to decide where to eat. Breakfast is usually in the pagoda after the first of the morning swims, lunch is taken once or twice in the same pagoda. Twice we have picnics on the beach and one time a BBQ on the lawn. This emphasises one of the joys of a villa holiday - you can eat what you want, when you want, where you want. I am now standing on the edge of the sun terrace looking into crystal clear waters of the lagoon. Waves crash against the distant reef leaving the lagoon calm and inviting. I step onto the sand and take five short steps to the waters edge. The sea licking against my feet is deliciously warm. This is what beach holidays are about. The lagoon is perfection. It starts with a sandy bottom that gradually turns to reef about 15 yards out and remains shallow enough so that, with a deep breath, I can swim down and touch the bottom. Living coral - a rare sight anywhere these days – with its magnificent colouring plays host to all sorts of sea life. Mostly beautiful fish but the odd really ugly sea slugs ensure that snorkelling is never boring. After floating around I sit in the shallow water lapping the beach. The sea and sky are warm and I day dream into other worlds. Bliss. Lionel lives up to his reputation and our days seems to be spent going from one fabulous feast to another. The staff is courteous and friendly, nothing is impossible and everything is done with a smile. Looking through the guest book the comments reflect this; One guest said they were “overwhelmed by the standard of food and service… IF offers the standards one expects in a hotel but in the privacy of your own home.” As always time moves at a frightening pace and all too soon we are packing our bags. I glance through the guest book again and see an entry which sums up my feelings – “…we arrived strangers and depart as friends’….” IF can be rented through Eden Villas on www.edenvillasinsrilanka.com serendipity
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kothu
kothu Pix: Ben Waran, Imperial Light
SERENDIPITY ON MYSPACE
The best of Sri Lankan arts, culture and beyond…
The magazine recently entered the hyper-active world of MySpace and is steadily expanding its worldwide readership! The site has had an amazing response from a diverse online audience and everybody from regular readers to newcomers, musicians to writers and fans to friends have been piling up to leave their comments on the site. The site provides an online meeting place for readers to interact, with each other and with the magazine, and is evolving into a melting pot of ideas and opinions from everybody; be they readers, contributors or featured personalities. Fans of the magazine can also access all the back issues of Serendipity via the site, so make sure to visit if you want to view an issue you’ve missed. Serendipity will continue to update the site with the latest news, features and offers, so stay tuned! In the mean time, stop over at www.myspace.com/serendipitymag, and say hi!
LANKAN LOUNGE Serendipity was proud to support the Lankan Lounge, held one crisp evening in November at The Worship in Finsbury Square, London. Party-goers will remember the launch of Lankan Lounge which was held on the 15th of July at the trendy Bar 38 in Aldgate and featured the talented vibes of Ranidu Lankage and Krishan Maheson, not to forget music from Sri Ram, Sarjun, Mike & Iraj and BBC Radio1’s DJ Nihal. The November event was packed out with a fresh, good-looking crew of partygoers who were rocking out to the vibes coming from DJ’s Chippie, Sterling & Haribo, dropping some choice Rnb and Hip Hop cuts. Featured live performances on the night came from the talented Dushyanth, Nalika G and the hip hop stylings of Leano, backed up by Captain Crunch (whose blonde afro was the best hairstyle of the night!). Keeping everything in good spirits, all proceeds from the night were donated to Help Lanka (www. helplanka.co.uk), a charity raising funds to build a mobile library in Sri Lanka. Looking forward to the next one! For pix, check out www.sl2uk.com. 14
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SCENES OF A SEXUAL NATURE The feature film Scenes of a Sexual Nature, starring Ewan McGregor and Catherine Tate is set for its nationwide release on the 3rd of November. Opening in over 35 cinemas across the country, this romantic comedy is the biggest ever self distributed British film and was nominated for Best UK Feature Film, at Raindance 2006. With Executive Producer Suran Goonatilake at the helm, the film has already bagged positive feedback from the press; ‘The best British romantic comedy about sexual politics this year’ – Cosmopolitan; ‘Subverting normal film industry practise’ - Screen International. For more information regarding the film log on to its website - www. tinpanfilms.com and for up-to-date information on the how the film is progressing, make sure you stop over at its MySpace site, www.myspace. com/scenesofasexualnature. Check if the film is showing at a cinema near you, by logging onto www.tinpanfilms.com/media/cinemas for a full listing. We’ll see you at the opening!
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a thousand words
A Thousand Words This section aims to showcase the work of exciting new photographers from around the world. Whatever the subject matter we’re looking for a single image that is worth – you guessed it – a thousand words. If you’re interested in seeing your work here, please email our Picture Editor Alefiya, at alefiya@serendipitymag.net
This picture: Glen Terry during his farewell concert at the Barefoot café.
The photographer Sebastian Posingis Growing up in Iran, India and Sri Lanka, Posingis developed his interest in photography at an early age. His work has been exhibited behind a notorious hole in-thewall bar in Colombo, only once, and only for three and half hours. He works for whatever pays. His real passion lies in music and concert photography.
His influences David Alan Harvey, Alex Webb, Dominic Sansoni, Rukshan Jayewardene, Mike Yamashita, Cuban cigars, Single Malt Scotch and Buena Vista Social Club
His favourite Lankan things Staff curry at Barefoot, the DBU, Heenwewa Bungalow in Yala, Mixed Fruit SMAK.
His dream assignment “It would be to shoot BB King at a Barefoot concert.”
About his camera bag Four Kodak disposables, a Canon 1Ds MarkII, a few lenses and two packs of Benson & Hedges Special Filter. To find out more about Sebastian’s work visit:
http://sebastianposingis.blogspot.com/
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The Wild Wild West
Words: Nafisa Asgerally Pix: courtesy of the Rotaract Club of Colombo
The ranches are vacant. The horses, the stagecoaches, the buggies and the wagons are all headed towards Colombo. The guns are flaring. It’s the ‘Wild Wild West!’ ‘Wild Wild West’, a brainchild of the Rotaract Club of Colombo, is a theme party fundraiser to be held on the 21st of December 2006 at the Onyx, Taj Samudra Hotel. With the people in the metropolis of Colombo spending heavily on nightlife, this party is all set to attract the youth between the ages of 18-30. A theme party of this nature is the second of its kind, and promises to make its mark on Colombo’s nightlife calendar. Last year saw the Arabian Night, which grossed over 350,000 rupees and was utilized for its objective of developing English language skills. This year too, The Rotaract Club of Colombo has collaborated with the Human Brotherhood Foundation in quest of continuing these efforts of developing English language skills amoung the youth and children of the Kalpitiya and Amapara areas. With much of the country’s aid and attention diverted towards Tsunami victims, these villages have been neglected and overlooked. Their current 18
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incapacity in English language skills is part of a national indigence and an immediate need of the economically less fortunate. The Human Brotherhood Foundation, is a registered social service organisation that has achieved much in the areas of micro financing activities, child development, water and sanitation, education, health, and peace, to name a few. The Rotaract Club of Colombo, the pioneer Rotaract Club in the country, since its inception in 1969 has been synonymous with spearheading numerous sizeable qualitative charitable projects that have benefited the members of the Club and the community at large. It is registered under the banner of Rotary International, under the guardianship of the Rotary Club of Colombo. The project is being additionally supported by the generous sponsorship of Wild Elephant and Sri Lanka Telecom. The Media Sponsors for the event are Yes fm, Channel 1 MTV and Wijeya Newspapers. ‘Wild Wild West!’ is certain to attract hundreds of the enthusiastic partygoers between the ages of 18-30, all laden with their jackets and cowboy hats! The set-up, the atmosphere and the music, all guarantees to coin some magic and make it a spectacle not to be missed! For further info: Visit www.rotaractclubofcolombo.org Contact Rtr. Mufa on +94.777.772.950 serendipity
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the arts
The Galle Literary Festival WORDS: Suranga Rajapakse and Soharni Tennekoon
The Refreshingly Sri Lanka Literary Festival, held with great success in London is now coming to Sri Lanka! Serendipity is a proud supporter of The Galle Literary Festival, which takes place from the 10th to the 14th of January 2007. Picking up from our last update on the event, 2006 Man Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai has confirmed her participation and will be personally on hand to discuss her award winning book, The Inheritance of Loss. Internationally renowned author and historian William Dalrymple will also be there to unveil his latest book about India’s last Moghul emperor in The Last Moghul. Other confirmed authors include, ex BBC Correspondent and author Mark Tully, ABC Australia Foreign Correspondent Christopher Kremmer (author of three books, his latest being Inhaling the Mahatma), Distinguished biographer Victoria Glendinning (Leonard Woolf – a life) and 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist Suketu Mehta who will share his passion for the throbbing metropolis of Bombay with his book, Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found. Sir Arthur C Clarke and author, gastronomic and actress Madhur Jaffrey (Climbing the Mango Tree) are other names on this all-star guest list. 20
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Festival Director, Libby Southwell said “I am delighted to announce a line up of such internationally acclaimed authors for the first of many Galle Literary Festivals. The festival will provide local and international visitors with one of the most exciting and powerful programmes the South Asian region has seen – a truly world class event.”
Here’s a round up of the whirlwind four day event:
Wednesday 10th January The official opening of the premier Galle Literary Festival Where: Fort Galle Court Square What time: 6pm The festival will be opened by patrons and dignitaries, among whom will be Elmo Jayawardene (Gratiaen Prize Winner and author of Sam’s Story) giving tribute to one of Sri Lanka’s leading authors, the late Nihal De Silva. The winner of the Southern Province Adopt SriLanka children’s creative writing competition will also get the chance to present their winning work.
Thursday 11th January Where: Lunuganga, Bentota What time: 10am – 5pm The first day of the Literary Festival wastes no time in immersing you in the activities and
takes place at the grand abode of renowned architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa. Garden tours with Bawa expert Channa Daswatte, panel discussions with some of Asia’s leading architects (including David Robson & Channa Daswatte) and a literary lunch with international food connoisseur Christine Manfield (Stir, Spice, Paramount Cooking and Paramount Desserts) are on the list. A tour through Lunaganga is also on the cards with honorary tour guides Madhur Jaffrey and Christopher Kremmer. Yasmine Gooneratne will also be present to give insights into her life as an author having published over 16 books in her career, many of which are internationally commended such as The Pleasures of Conquest which was short listed for the 1996 Commonwealth Writers Prize.
her works. There’s also a guided historical tour of the great Dutch Forts courtesy of Fort expert Rajpal De Silva. Mark Tully talks East meets West and Romesh Gunsekera and Suketu Mehta join Kiran Desai in discussing what it takes to bring a book to life. First time, yet highly celebrated writers Ashok Ferrey author of the best seller Colpetty People, David Blacker (A Cause Untrue) and Manuka Wijesinghe (Monsoons & Potholes) will discuss the highs & lows of writing their first books and the featured event of the day is a 3 course lunch at the Sun House, presented by Janet De Neefe, owner of two of Bali’s most successful restaurants, Casa Luna & Indus and author of Fragrant Rice. Victoria Glendinning, will be at hand to bring to life the formidable publisher & author Leonard Woolf in her latest biography Leonard Woolf – a life.
The featured event for the day will be a literary dinner with Suketu Mehta; a 3 course meal presented by Sri Lankan born Peter Kuravitas, Saturday 13th January one of Australia’s leading chefs & owner of The main day of the festival brings you two Sydney’s award winning restaurant, Flying Fish. The free evening event is the showcasing of Asoka concurrent programmes: Handagama’s ‘Flying with One Wing’ at the Dicks OPTION 1 Bar in Galle. Where: The Halle de Galle, Fort Galle Friday 12th January What time: 9.30am – 6.15pm Where: Fort Galle For book enthusiasts there’s a literary feast in What time: 9.30am – 6.15pm store; Romesh Gunesekera tells of why playing Yasmine Gooneratne (patron of the Jane Austen the game of cricket is only half the story in society of Australia) discusses Jane Austen and serendipity
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the arts his latest book The Match, William Dalrymple unveils his passion for 18th century India and Kiran Desai reveals what influences her writing. You can also join writers who discuss their particular use of language in their writings: Pradeep Jaganathan (At the Waters Edge), Lal Medawattagedera and Madhubashini Ratnayake. The free event promises to be exciting with a live debate: Men are better writers than women! At The Ramparts Hotel.
OPTION 2 Where: Samakanda, Galle What time: 10am - late Includes a tour around Samakanda with Rory Spowers (owner and founder of Samakanda and author of Three Men on a Bike - a bizarre tale of cycling through Africa) who introduces his new book and explores the vision behind Samakanda and the role it will play within The Web of Hope’s educational projects. Samakanda is a learning centre and eco-tourism destination being developed on the site of an abandoned 60-acre tea estate about 20kms north-east of Galle There’s also a children’s event in store, featuring an eco workshop and art workshop plus storytelling hour with best-selling author Timothy Senaviratne (The 3 Friends and the Big Wave). The featured event is the gourmet lunch at Samankanda, cooked up by Festival gastronomics, Rose Gray (River Café, London), Carina Cooper (The Nottinghill Cook Book) and Peter Kuravitas.
corners of the globe. In addition to the main festival, there is a concurrent Children’s Programme which will be held on the 13th and 14th. It features a selection of fun-filled and informative workshops, debates & essay writing competitions for kids aged from 3 to 12 years old. All the workshops are free and are to be held in English.
Saturday 13th January A creative writing workshop, sponsored by The British Council in support of Schools of The Southern Province. Children will also be treated to an action packed hour of story telling by Timothy Senaviratne. An Eco workshop and Drama Workshop at Samakanda and an art workshop with Sculptor & Potter, Tissa De Alwis are also planned.
Sunday 14th January A further two creative writing workshops are scheduled for this day. So whether you are a fan of English literature, architecture or simply good food, The Galle Literary Festival has something to offer everybody. Tickets are selling out fast with anticipation of this much awaited event reaching fever pitch, so if you plan on joining in on the experience, you better move fast!
The evening film is An Inconvenient Truth featuring Al Gore and directed by Davis Guggenheim and will be screened in the tea shed.
Sunday 14th January Where: The Light House Hotel, Galle What time: 9.30am – 3pm To wrap up the first Galle Literary Festival, the day will see a stimulating panel discussion on unity and peace. And for the grand finale, internationally renowned authors Arthur C Clarke, Mark Tully & William Dalrymple take the helm and compare notes on living in distant 22
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Serendipity is proud to support The Galle Literary Festival which takes place from the 10th to the 14th of January, 2007. For further information on how you can participate and support the festival, contact info@ galleliteraryfestival.com or refer to www.galleliteraryfestival.com
hip hotels Two household staff seated on an 18th century Portuguese sofa.
hip hotels:
Helga’s Folly Words: courtesy of Living in Sri Lanka by James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury Pix: James Fennel
Recently featured in the book Living in Sri Lanka by James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury, Helga’s Folly is a 1930s guest-house in Kandy. Redecorated by its owner, Helga de Silva Perera, this astonishing house tells the history of one of the country’s most illustrious families. Helga de Silva Perera Blow is an astonishing lady and proud of it. A daughter of one of Sri Lanka’s most prestigious political dynasties, she grew up in a world of colonial teapots, Hollywood gossip and Marxist revolutions. In 1993 she returned from England to live in her childhood home, a 1930s Art Deco chalet overlooking the ancient city of Kandy. Aided by two student artists, she converted the building into a sumptuous guest house that would serve as an exquisite location should Baz Luhrmann ever opt to film Moulin Rouge: Jungle Style. 24
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The house, named “Helga’s Folly” was blessed with an epic provenance from the outset. Walls are adorned with newspaper clippings, poignant photographs and hastily scribbled verses. They tell how the building was designed by Helga’s mother, artist Esme de Silva, a student of the Bauhaus movement in Berlin. Helga’s father, Frederick de Silva, is seen shaking hands with Charles de Gaulle. Frederick was the son and heir of political icons George and Agnes de Silva, credited with securing Sri Lankan independence in 1948. A clipping of Helga’s aunt Minette de serendipity
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hip hotels Drooping candelabras, Christmas baubles, lime green lampshades and multi-coloured party crackers hang from the ceiling of the upstairs dining area.
Silva, described as Asia’s first female architect, suggestions of a romance with Le Corbusier. “The Scarlet Pimpernel” is the heading above a shot of Helga’s brother Desmond de Silva, a defence lawyer who specialises in getting Britons in foreign lands acquitted from the death penalty. He is married to Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia.
here, Esme de Silva’s original house had been converted into The Chalet – “a rather grim and ghastly hotel”, and a popular stopover for tourist buses to Kandy’s famous Temple of the Tooth.
Now, barely an inch of the structure has been left untouched by Helga. Each room is an explosion of flamboyant colours, rich fabrics and gaudy Helga produced another dynasty when, working as furnishings. The signs of the zodiac beam down from ceilings; Sri Lankan art adorns the walls; a model in London, she married English soldiersatin curtains tumble from ochre staircases; stag historian Jonathan Blow in 1962. She was 17; heads, peacocks and antique weaponry clamhe was 42. Their progeny were fashion designer ber up Brahminesque blue-washed walls. It’s Selina Blow and art gallery owner Detmar Blow, a jungle scheme, reflected in carefully places who is married to Isabella Blow, the eccentric mirrors, some gilt-edged, others shrouded by talent-spotter credited with discovering Philip Gothic candelabras. The arrangement of furniture Treacy, Alexander McQueen, Honor Fraser and and objects emphasises “the whimsy of life”, Sophie Dahl. and Helga prefers to juxtapose and “mix the Visitors are taken aback when they first step pedigrees”. Much of the furniture is antique Sininside Helga’s Folly. The building is enormous, halese; inherited heirlooms of the de Silva family, with about 40 rooms linked by random staircases while decorative pieces throughout are from local markets and toy shops. >> and narrow corridors. When Helga grew up 26
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“It took us three months,” says Helga, sweeping through the house in Jackie O-style shades and flowing velvet red robes, a pair of Dalmatians at her heels. “I had two art students come and stay and we went for it with whatever came to hand. When the brushes wore out, we used sponges. When they went, we started with pieces of cloth. It was tremendous fun”. In the visitor’s book, everyone searches for
Vanishing Ireland, the new book by James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury is now on release, featuring over 150 hypnotic portrait photographs and interviews with over sixty men and women from across Ireland who recall the dramatic events of the past 100 years.The book provides an invaluable, humorous and often poignant chronicle of a rapidly disappearing world. Living in Sri Lanka is an eclectic collec28
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an adequate description. “Where Alice in Wonderland met the Marquis de Sade” is one. “Soft pornography” suggests another. Carl Muller was perhaps closest when he wrote: “Truly, the gods of music, art and drama have created the impossible”. “This house is always evolving,” says Helga. “Like top-seed, it keeps on growing. I hope I have given back some of the soul of the building.”
tion of interiors spanning the country’s rich architectural heritage from colonial to contemporary design. Published by Thames&Hudson, it was released March 2006. To buy a signed copy of the book please contact James directly. James Fennell Photographer www.jamesfennell.com| T: + 353 862631485
people
Fricky Khan: A Sri Lankan Hero Words: Navin Ratnayake Pix: courtesy of Spek
There aren’t many daredevil characters in Sri Lanka. Despite all the craziness that you find in our country we are fundamentally a quiet, conservative sort where general risk-taking is not encouraged. This makes it all the more surprising when you discover characters of this caliber coming from our father’s era. Not too long ago I got to know that the 1970’s of my father’s era wasn’t really the sleepy age that people of my generation may think it was. Let me tell you the story of a man called Fricky Khan, whose exploits put into perspective the so-called “hard men” of our times.
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people
Farook (or Fricky as his friends called him) was a restless individual who started off by running away from home in his early teenage years. When he finally came back he developed a keenness for racing. He took part in his first race when he silently wheeled his father’s sports car out the garage the night before he was barely eighteen. Naturally, since the fates smile on such gumption, the man won the race, to which his father had sent cops to bring the boy and his property back (he had heard the car being wheeled out that night and locating the boy wasn’t too difficult). But Fricky came to realize that his real joy was in racing motorcycles. While he did receive some mentoring from older racers, the man’s talent took him to places only few could get to. He won the
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1972 Asia Grand Prix after entering the race on his 250cc Yamaha. He entered the 250cc, 350cc, unlimited and Grand Prix races- all on his 250cc bike and competed against many bigger bikes. After winning all four events, he went on to win all 4 events once again, in the year after. But it wasn’t just the racing, it was the style in which he used to win that brought him fame. In one off-road rally his bike had somersaulted several times and Fricky had gotten up with his forearm clearly broken. No matter, with some help from on-lookers he got a makeshift splint sorted out, then tied his broken hand to the handlebar and went back on the track and finished the race. His wins in India made him a crowd-puller for the races, and his name became famous throughout
Fricky’s lifestyle was of the live fast and damn the consequences kind and the partying and accidents took their toll on his body. It eventually led to an early death in 1981 at the age of thirtythree. Right up to the very end, Fricky refused to accept limitations on what he could and couldn’t do and while this limited the time he was with us, Fricky partied in much the same way. He was one it also meant that more happened to him in his of those men who were completely loyal to the shorter life than someone with their full biblical people around him and because of his persona, allotment. Talking to the people who knew him he found that a lot of people wanted to test his you get the feeling that he wouldn’t have wanted it mettle, not only on the race track but off it as well. any other way. Inevitably this led to fights that ended up in situations that got Fricky’s name into the newspapers Fast forward to the present and Fricky’s nephew, for reasons other than racing. He was involved in Hussain Yoosuf a.k.a Spek is in the process writing a screenplay for a movie based on the a shooting incident and luckily the whole thing motorcycling legend’s life and times. There has ended with no permanent damage done. the Asian motorcycle circuit. The man raced like he didn’t care about the physical limits imposed on him by his body and his bike and the crowds lapped it up. To this day some of the older Bollywood social circles remember the deeds of Fricky Khan.
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been huge interest in the project and the recent commercial successes of a number of BritishSouth Asian films should mean that finding the financing shouldn’t be too difficult. The filmmakers already attached to the project include Director Aasaf Ainapore (Bruised Fruit, Billy Badmouth, The Season), Film Editor Rick Waller, Composer Nitin Sawhney and Jon Hollis as Director of Titles Sequence and F/X. It isn’t often you’ll witness a Western-made Asian film which portrays an Asian character that lives the rock-n-roll lifestyle of Fricky so this one will definitely be on my must-watch list. With the gentlemen mentioned before at the helm, no doubt Khan’s legend is in safe hands. So keep your eyes peeled; one day in the near future, you may get to see the exploits of our very own Sri Lankan Fricky Khan on the big screen. You can find out more about Fricky Kahn at www.frickykhanfilm
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Discovering Galle Words: Ravini Thenabadu Pix: Alefiya Akbarally
Don’t just stay on the tourist trail. Smell, taste, feel and listen to the real Galle. The omnipresent image of fishermen on stilts – anglers sitting on small crossbeams fixed to sticks into the sea – greets you as you enter Galle, the bustling port town capital of the southern province which still has a classic colonial feel. Surrounded by ancient ruins, saffron clad monks, pristine tea plantations, rainforests and white beaches, Galle has quickly taken over as the city to run to as soon as you hit Colombo. There is no escaping the packed buses, vegetable carts, tuk-tuks and bicycles but part of its charm lies within these modes of transportation. Whether it is a hip hotel you are running to or a gastro lunch you are after, the town has much to offer.
Exploring Galle and going off the beaten track A fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, Galle is a classic example of the marriage between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. Steeped in the heritage of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka, Galle is dominated by an 89-acre Dutch Fort built in 1663, now a UNESCO world heritage site, with its massive ramparts on a promontory. More than 600 houses, many of them renovated over the years, share the ancient narrow streets with a growing number of craft and art shops. The most enjoyable way to cover all the nooks and crannies – from the old Dutch church and the spice warehouses to the lighthouse – is a walk along the ramparts to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean; a must-do even if you’re only there for a day. Elephant polo is a slow game at the best of times, and especially in Sri Lanka because mahouts here don’t normally ride their elephants. The elephants aren’t used to being steered by someone sitting astride them which usually causes some confusion to both the players and the elephants. Featuring teams from a diverse mix of countries ranging from Sri Lanka to Scotland, the annual International Elephant Polo Tournament which takes place in January attracts an equally diverse mix of spectators including enthusiastic locals and bemused visitors. Played against the stunning backdrop of the 5th century ramparts of the Galle Fort, the tournament is a social event that aims to raise awareness and funds for elephant conservation. Buddhism is very visible in the gentle demeanor of the people and the proliferation of temples. Possibly the finest Buddhist temple in the area, built among the massive boulders on the crest of a hill overlooking the rice paddies and tropical rainforest lies the Yatagala Temple, a 2000 year old rock temple. Surrounded by old Bo trees and caves, it is a spiritual place with ancient rock carvings that is assessed by climbing to the top of 200 steps. Some of the most beautiful and valuable tropical rainforests in the island are situated inland from Galle. Declared a world heritage site in 1989, the Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the least disturbed and biologically
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unique lowland rain forests in Sri Lanka. Situated in the southwest lowland wet zone, a variety of indigenous plants and animals, flowing rivers and silent streamlets cover up nearly 9800 hectares. Trekking through this magnificent jungle is not always a breeze – the last surviving stretch of virgin rainforest on the island – be ready to pour with sweat as you make your way through a bewildering land of exotic colours and wonderful sounds. Snoozing in style The Taprobane Collection is one man’s architectural dream of converting five spectacular locations into luxurious hotels for the discerning traveller (visit www.thesunhouse. com). One of them, Lunuganga is a country estate house, 15 minutes inland from Bentota’s golden sands and the former residence of the renowned architect Sir Geoffrey Bawa. Tucked inside Galle’s historic fort, the Galle Fort Hotel is a former 17th century family home occupied by a merchant and his mistress. In December 2004, it was converted by the entrepreneurial Chris Ong and Karl Steinberg who restored many of its original features (Tel: +94 91 2232870, www.galleforthotel.com) Right on top of the beach, the Lighthouse Hotel and Spa affords a peaceful retreat. Dining is superb with an array of restaurants and bars, including The Cinnamon Room for fine foods and the fantastic Coats of Arm bar with its uninterrupted views of the ocean (Tel: +94 91 2224017, email: lighthouse@lighthouse.lk) For Dining and the afterhours, don’t forget to also visit: Amangalla, 10 Church Street, Fort, Galle, Tel: +94 91 223 3388 Apa Villa Illuketia, Ellukkatiya Watta Wanchawela, Galle, Tel : +94 914 381411, Fax : +94 914 381410 When the rest of Sri Lanka gets too hot to handle, Galle is the answer; whether you stick to the lowlands or head for the rainforests, it is a soothing and rejuvenating experience that you won’t forget in a hurry.
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Driven to Succeed Interview: Suranga Rajapakse Pix: Alefiya Akbarally
At nineteen years of age, Amrith de Soysa is driving his way into the history books. The youngest ever Club Champion of the Royal Colombo Golf Club and the first Sri Lankan to play division one college golf, Amrith represents a young generation of Lankans, eager to taste sporting glory in the international golfing arena. Recently included in the national team for the Asian Games, Serendipity caught up with him at the RCGC to have a quick chat about golf, glory and girls.
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people “I don’t hate anything about the game. I love it. I thrive on it!”
When did you first start playing golf? I hit my first golf ball at the age of 12 at the golf course in Nuwara Eliya. My bro and I just decided to hit some balls and I got hooked ever since.
I love also that it’s an individual game and if you do well, all credit goes to you. It won’t be someone else who got you there. Hate… I don’t hate anything about the game. I love it. I thrive on it!
If it wasn’t for golf, which sport would you have taken to instead? Maybe basketball. Maybe cricket which I played seriously when I was younger. I played every sport under the sun though at some point. I don’t know where I would be without golf though, it’s become my life now.
What has been your greatest achievement to date? In Sri Lanka, being the youngest ever winner of the Club Championship at RCGC [Royal Colombo Golf Club] in the 90 year history of the club. Overseas, 11th in the World Junior Championship out of 270 contestants.
Starting young in a sport where the more mature player is the traditional stereotype, what has been the toughest challenge? Well the hours are tough. Since it’s an individual sport it all comes down to how much you want it. You have no one to blame if you play badly so it comes down to how much you put in.
What has been the most difficult aspect of your career thus far? Leaving home at the age of 15 and coming to the States by myself into boarding school. It’s been tough but it’s paying off, slowly but surely.
In your opinion, what are the top three main characteristics that make a good golfer? A good driver of the ball, a good putter and mental strength and focus. Which golfer do you admire the most? As cliché as this sounds, I have to say Tiger [Woods]. It’s amazing the way he’s going. He’s just so good at everything. A guy like him comes once every thousand years.
How much time do you dedicate to golf? Is it difficult to balance it with University? I play 6 days a week, 5-7 hours a day, excluding the gym. It is tough but you have to be focused and have good time management. How does golf in Sri Lanka match up to the rest of the world? Golf is just not big enough in Sri Lanka. The facilities are poor and its too expensive for the average school boy, so it’s not a game that’s exposed to everyone. We do have the talent though to compete, it’s just that it needs that initial sponsor or someone to put some money into it.
Who is your biggest fan and your biggest critic? I have to say my biggest fans are probably my par- At university, would you say that you get the ents and my biggest critic is probably my coach or same respect from your peers as a golfer compared to say a footballer? my dad, every once in a while! We do get some respect. A lot more than I thought Name two things you love about the sport? we would, but honestly the stars on the football Anything you hate? team get much more than we do. They deserve it I love how it’s a different golf course you play though, they bring the money into the school. We every time. The weather is different, the wind… don’t sell 90,000 tickets for our home games! 40
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people Have you ever converted someone into a golf fan? I guess I could say I converted my dad into a fan as he watches golf and reads about it more than I do, and he has never played the game. It wasn’t too hard for me to get him into it; he took it up himself in fact. What do you do to relax and chill out? I like water skiing and playing basketball. I did captain CIS [Colombo} in basketball back in the day when I was 15 and everyone wasn’t too tall! What kind of music do you like? I like all kinds of music. Depends on my mood. Some R&B and hip hop is nice, so are some oldies and retro. I can do some soft rock, just not the hard stuff! What was the last movie you watched? I watched the movie World Trade Centre. It was intense but a good movie. Sad in a way but that’s life I guess. You gotta deal with it. Batman or Superman? Superman. For Kate Bosworth! [Laughs] So, do chicks dig golfers? [Laughs] Yeah, you’ll be surprised. They all ask me if I am going to be the next Tiger Woods… some girls think I have a lot of patience playing golf, I would say more of them say its too boring and frustrating than like it though! Have you ever hit anybody with a golf ball? Yes, I have in fact! Around 4 years ago in Colombo I hit a guy who was hanging around the course. It was a pure accident and I nailed him right on the chest. Wasn’t funny! Five words to describe yourself? Sporty, outgoing, efficient, focused, ambitious What’s the future looking like? Well I’ll be playing in College for another three years hopefully and then graduate with a degree and then give it a shot at playing professionally.
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t Serendipity is proud to present 50 of the mos Lanka exciting and unforgettable experiences of Sri atoes, - compiled by adventure freaks and couch pot must do’s both from Sri Lanka and abroad, this list of Habarana includes everything from Elephant Safaris in heading to Crocodile Hunting in Boondala. So if you’re ging back home this Christmas, don’t bother han about with the family; get out there! er an vous at Pillawoos to ord 1. Early morning rendez ter to wai the ing dar and Kotthu eat-in-your-car Masala Fire out. in, e Fir , say y the As make it extra-chillie.
Coke with Club, followed by an Arrack and 2. Swim at the Singhalese Sports ns. Praw lic lefish and Gar a large helping of Hot Butter Cutt nt seafood, h: table on the beach, dece 3. Buba on the Mt Lavina beac y. pan com a dash of good spectacular sunset. Just add
Pix Alefiya Akbarally
se deafening nimals, dance wildly to tho meet up with fellow party-a thm and Blues. Rhy at rty r-pa 4. Boogie down at Onyx, afte out for a slightly more chilled rhythms and finally escape ether ombo’s finest, stirred tog &FC: Jazz music from Col of a fort com the from d 5. Jazz Sundays at the CR oye enj few pitchers of beer; all a and wd cro ic ect ecl with an rugby ground. padura, laid across the parts of the Galle nch on the outer ram 6. Perching on a be edge of the bay as the d hin sunrise from be Fort, watching the rning sky. the colours of the mo the gulls play across nks of ite on the ba sadara camps an watch; Pr rk at Pa ng l 7. Campi alawe Nationa w da U you de le si in tream whi the Walawe, e river downs th s os cr s nt ing elepha cold water. er in the ice6 chill with a be t - only Rs.11 e Departmen lif ild W h ug Bookings thro oup. the entire gr per day for
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places wing in Yala; Wallo e Manik Ganga th e by ak m ng st pi Ju m 8. Ca e wildlife. d watching th er can riv e th , on in the river an as y se t go in the rain sure you don’ a few hours! in et fe 30 t rise by abou
ya - Tee off at 7 13. Golf in Nuwara Eli ore starting so bef ast akf am, order bre hole. Drinks ond it’s ready after the sec ying, as pla ore bef er (ord at the 12th ). The pty em is most days the course the are es hol h 14t and 12th, 13th, ul; known as hardest but most beautif these fairways Switzerland, a walk on d. nde comes highly recomme
e Club in Trincomale m the Sea Angler’s y shl fre g 9. Taking a boat fro vin ha d an , catching a paraw, out to the harbours m their own farm in d mussels fresh fro an bs, cra baked fish, der the stars. sitting on the pier un 14. Taking in the view at Utumankanda - A two the evening, while ruwa – SipAraliya in Polonna du hour drive from Colombo, just past Kegalle on Su the at g PM yin 10. Sta the tank with the 4 r ove t ou ing the Kandy road. An hour’s walk up, provides gaz ping Arrack while rakramasawind of the vast Pa nt sta an amazing view of the Kandy road and the con the d an dry heat surrounding areas. Sit where the legendary mudraya. ’ll you “Saradiyal” (The Sri Lankan Robin Hood) must ky, luc lly rea Anywhere. If you’re w… ha tris a g have sat to stalk out wealthy victims. eekin thr Ta 11. wn a rival manoeuvres, race do s gap in ble ssi po witness a few illegal im ly ng ow on a remote tea estate eeze through seemi 15. Renting out a bungal h early wit wheel driver and squ g tyin par day allg Talawakele and couplin by in the traffic. tea plantations, followed a on tah Pet morning jogs across the of ets stre the s. 12. Strolling down blis l ice-cold showers. Painfu s may mob you and busy weekend: the vendor with n Worlds End rn retu ’ll you but you 16. Hiking on the Knuckles, dow the dust may choke l that spectacular urfu in colo ng taki the l; try and along the Mahawe a lifetime of stories. Oh, and for the odd out eye an ing keep e. st dar whil scenery sherbet syrup, if you by. leopard to come skulking
ri in 17. Going on an elephant safa path stuff. ten bea the off er Habarana: prop which rop outc y You finally come to a rock the plains of view le vab elie unb an affords you t. with not a power line in sigh
Oya, 18. Camping on the riverside at Belihul g kayaking on the Samanala Weva and gettin gh throu hikes ant brilli hopelessly lost on some the nearby jungles. m19. Heading to Hikkaduwa during the Nove e, regga of mix cool a for n seaso ber/December ite stuffed roti (from the roti restaurant oppos Amaya) and snorkelling. a com20. Watching the sunset down south, on at your pletely red soil plateau with the horizon feet, just off Wanduruppa al 21. Experiencing a game of internation ans, cricket at the SSC: Cheering the Sri Lank face your ng stuffi and ition oppos the ering sland with devilled pork.
atop Adams Peak 22. Taking in the sunrise Veask in May, start to ber - Season from Decem about 1 AM. Just after climbing in the night at of the peak stretching dow sunrise catch the sha ind. across the land from beh
the ghostly night 23. Camping up on Horton Plains: Take the gruelling re endu Oya, Nanu to mail train from Fort just when you start and s plain the to n statio the from trek to the solitary to wallow in the peaceful serenity, come g “Have you seen aimin procl y loudl area, the in oard billb from there, you can a leopard yet?” Don’t worry though, site. camp the to way the of rest the run
ss that’s similar 24. Climbing Yapahuwa, the rock fortre lized. Three ercia omm un-c y letel to Sigiriya, but comp the top is worth from hours drive from Colombo, the view every drop of fuel. ve is absoa to Wellawaya: the dri 25. Road trip from Ell s will take fall a” Ell na ava “R the lutely breathtaking and your breath away. Sathutu Uychildhood at your second ng ri ng the glares ri ve du co is en 26. D r the rides, fo es qu e th t into tears ana: jumping have just burs s (who’s kids nt d squeezing re an pa e n) th from entioned actio m ly us io l for your ev al due to the pr early too sm rs that are cl ca em e’ dg into do frame. more mature - game starts 27. Tap Rugger on the Mount Lavinia beach with the setbath sea a with ends and g in the early evenin ting sun on your back.
Lighthouse pix:Tashiya Mirando
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trip right 28. Embarking on a nine-hour road and arriving across the country to Arugam Bay t. After that it’s just in time for an early breakfas plenty of surfspotless beaches, great waves and rtained. ente you keep to s ing misadventure
g upto ty bus experience: Hurtlin 29. Enduring the inter-ci bus ton 10 the with n ying chicke Kandy from Colombo pla the road. of side ng wro the on coming right back at you t of the whole ‘One with 30. Camping in Wilpattu: In the spiri s in a medium sized hole dutie Nature’’ approach, completing toilet exposed rear from snakes your guard le peop two in the ground while and fiesty leopards. s and battling it out at 31. Grabbing some well-informed mate s, 8 PM at Inn On night y esda Wedn mbo; the Pub Quiz in Colo The Green. Beer and pub trivia, yum.
friends, 32. Heading down to Bistro Latino with attempting to sharing a few pitchers of margarita and e idea of where learn salsa when you only have a vagu the floor is. 33. Karaoke nights at Zanziba: After a few drinks, everybody knows they can sing better than any contestant on American Idol. Oh yes, and they’ll prove it too. 34. Hurtling from Nanu Oya to Kandy on the 5.45 AM train; amazing views and a few (ok, maybe a mild understateme nt) jolts to make sure you stay awake.
35. Travelling on the Fort-Kandy express train: book the observation saloon, sit back and take in the view. 36. Bird watching in Kumana: armed with a camera, a packed lunch and the supreme confidence that today is the day you take the most stunning bird photograph…ever. 37. Crocodile watching in Boondala: marvelling at these amazing predators whilst giving a silent nod of appreciation to the man, the late great Steve Irwin for making it look so easy. 38. Pigging out on iss o vade’s on the Galle Face Green whilst listening to the kids fighting over their kit es, street vendors haw ing their red-hot Accha kru and some guy blarin g over the public announcement system that ‘lovers must act with decency or face criminal prosecution’ . 39. Indulging in the Cinnamon Grand combo: A supremely satisfying meal at Tao, followed by a small respite on the lobby sofas (to facilitate digestion) with a midnight snack of custom-made sandwiches and éclairs. 48
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places some chilled out music 40. A quiet drink and gombo followed by the at the Rodeo Pub – Ne riting a message on the g/w traditional vandalizin wall before you leave. tch: simRoyal Thomian Big Ma 41. Experiencing the d. ffze Nu th. ear on tch t ma ply, the greatest cricke cricket at a friendly 42. A game of soft-ball of estate: the usual joys t neighbourhood coconu (or ng idi avo of ge ed challen the game with the add l that bal nis ten the ) few catching, for the brave nding pol gas. ricochets off the surrou mecial chicken sa egg roti with ‘sp an to ole in ab g M in in ck 43. Tu esque joint use’’ - a Pilawoo bole’ at ‘Light Ho irport road. on the Negombo/A ntota river mouth: a 44. Fishing at the Be e g and spending an idl tin cas for t superb spo lar. ticu par in g hin not day pondering about
lling 45. Snorkelling off Pigeon Island: grab your snorke and Island Pigeon to eli Nilaw gear, take a boat from fishes.’ spending the rest of the day ‘swimmin’ with the
ng func47. Excusing yourself from a boring eveni ise Parad the to dash te tion to make a last minu then and sis Neme olate Choc their for café Road a Irish driving right across Colombo to splurge on n. Hilto the at e Coffe a fine Dasa’s in Colpetty for 48. Heading over to ding back home hea s, vie mo new mix of old and of mindless Hollywood and spending a night lled asant company of chi ple the in entertainment out try to ed ars be ’t ldn cou beer; just ‘cause you on this list. any of the other things at mix in Deraniyagala: a gre 49. Mountain Biking nfident rco ove to due es kne d of blood (care of scrape you en (wh rs tea (lots of it) and manoeuvring), sweat catch the views). re Times for 50. Grabbing the latest copy of the Leisu not in and s what’ and cool s what’ the best update on around the city of Colombo. 50
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Onyx nightclub pix: Brill Lance for Leisure Times
ids, an g in Seethawaka: rap 46. White-water raftin y enough to sill nds frie few a with unstable raft mixed in . challenge the elements
Serendipity would like to thank everybody that contributed by word and deed to this compilation. If you would like to make a comment about anything in the feature, feel free to mail us at feedback@serendipitymag.net, we’d love to hear from you.
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A Home from Home Pix: Robin Matthews
Serendipity brings you an exclusive extract from A Home From Home, written by George Alagiah. This autobiography recollects the author’s extraordinary journey from a lonely Sri Lankan boy to a confident and widely respected Englishman and, forty years later, his return to the land of his birth.
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“This is the story about another journey on the departure board – London–Colombo – and how it has changed my life, or the way I think about it.”
There are still some journeys where the distance travelled in the sanitised capsule of a plane is nothing compared to the distance travelled in the mind. The trip I want you to join me on now is not about what a person can do when he gets to a place, but about what a place can do to a person once he’s there. Back in December 2002, when I You start and then you finish. A few hours separeturned to Sri Lanka some forty-odd years after rate a northern winter from a southern summer. I’d first left it, nothing could have prepared me You can fall asleep in the east and wake up in the west. You can leave Christianity one day and for the sense of umbilical connection I would immerse yourself in Buddhism the next. In the feel for the land of my birth. Even as I set off for morning you can look around you to see only Heathrow airport, I began to realise that this was concrete and glass; by the evening nothing will in- a journey not just from one part of the world to terrupt your gaze till your eyes settle on a distant, another, but from one place in my head to another. purplish horizon. Take-off and landing. There’s The flight would be the bridge from the part of me hardly a moment to adjust. Departure and arrival. that felt British to the part of me that wondered if Virtually no time to contemplate. Embark and dis- there was any of Sri Lanka still left in me. embark. A clingfilmed, microwaved meal to distract you. London–Johannesburg; Gatwick–Lagos; It crept up on me – this feeling that I wanted to Paris–Dakar; Frankfurt–Bangkok; Zurich–Rio be Sri Lankan again. Or, at least, allow Sri Lanka de Janeiro. The world has shrunk. Thousands of to be a part of me again. Imperceptibly, hour miles apart on a map, just a dash separates them by hour, day by day, I found myself wanting to on an airport departure board. Accents, cultures, acknowledge something that I had contrived to languages, and customs – all squeezed into that forget. For forty years or so, I had defined myself tiny little space between two cities on a screen. by where I was going to rather than by what I had left behind. First it was Ghana and then it was This is the story about another journey on the departure board – London–Colombo – and how it Britain. Now my past was about to reclaim its rightful share in my identity. has changed my life, or the way I think about it. ‘I’ll send you a postcard when I get there.’ Getting there, the destination, that’s all that counts these days. Once, the journey itself was something you could write home about. It took so long and you saw so much on the way. Today, it’s just beginnings and endings.
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This is not about citizenship. I am British. This is not about allegiance. I am loyal to queen and country – whatever that means these days. This is not about where I call home – it’s London. This is about a feeling. What do you do when you discover a home away from home? I have always loved airports and aircraft. From the moment I set foot on my first plane – an Air Ceylon DC3 Dakota flight out of Colombo in 1961 – the whole business of flying from one place to another has held a special fascination for me. From that hold-your-breath moment when the nose of the plane tips up, or the thrill of bursting through a canopy of grey cloud to find a sunny blue sky, to the neck-twisting peek you get of a new land as the plane drops down – all of it, every single bit spells discovery and adventure. ... There was a rather special atmosphere at the check-in queue for Sri Lankan Airlines Flight UL505 out of London – more than the usual flutter of anticipation as people head off for a couple of weeks in the sun. For many of the passengers, the tickets they clutched represented a passage of rediscovery, a journey back to a place they, or their parents, had left in more uncertain times. In many ways, what they held in their hands was a return ticket, though the initial journey might have been, as it was for us, decades earlier.
For some years the sun, sea and sand of Sri Lanka had made it a popular, exotic addition to the burgeoning list of long-haul destinations favoured by the ever-increasing numbers of Europeans bored with the condominium culture of Spain’s Costa del Sol. The Germans, whose wallets could take the strain better than most, were among the earliest to sample the delights of this most favoured of tropical isles. But as Britain’s economy began to turn around in the eighties, its people, too, started to look for new playgrounds. The irony was that while growing numbers of tourists were sampling the delights of Sri Lankan hospitality, an equally steady stream of locals was heading the other way. Beyond the tourist enclaves, with their picture-perfect vistas of emerald seas and arching coconut trees that seemed to bow in thanksgiving for the trade the tourists brought with them, there was a deep disaffection in the countryside. In 1983 the sporadic bouts of inter-ethnic rivalry and violence that had marred Sri Lankan politics since independence in 1948 coalesced into a full-blown civil war. A rebel attack on a military garrison in the Tamil-dominated northern city of Jaffna led to violent reprisals against Tamils – thousands were killed in the predominantly Sinhalese capital, Colombo, and elsewhere in the country. It marked the beginning of nearly two serendipity
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“You may be a big chap on the world-famous BBC, but still you’re one of us.”
decades of sustained violence. The Jaffna attack was masterminded by the guerrillas of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam – or the Tamil Tigers – who had grown out of a frustration with conventional politics. In the eyes of even moderate Tamils – who constitute a little less than a fifth of the country’s population – the ‘boys’, as they came to be known, were making up for lost time. The conflict gave rise to a second wave of Tamil migrants. My parents’ generation had been the first – they fled from institutional discrimination, while this new diaspora was fleeing for its life. Forty years ago the Tamils (and moderate Sinhalese) who left were educated people, fluent in English, with professional skills they could sell abroad. My father was a civil engineer. The Tamils who were leaving in the eighties and nineties were a different, more desperate breed. Their education had been disrupted, and even if they had been in the classroom, they were forced to learn in the vernacular – there’s not much use for a top grade in Tamil abroad. These were the people who began to swell the asylum queues in Germany, France and Britain. These were the people who seemed to land the overnight shift at every other petrol station in London. And it wasn’t always the Sinhalese army they were trying to avoid. Tamil propagandists would never admit it, but a sizeable number of these 56
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Tamils were also escaping the overzealous, not to say coercive, nature of the Tigers’ recruitment and fund-raising drives. There were plenty of stories of Tiger officials commandeering properties and enforcing taxes on those who lived within their territory. The double whammy of government offensives and the Tigers’ persuasive tactics was enough to prompt even the most patriotic of Tamils into an expensive, miserable and often dangerous search for somewhere else to call home – at least until things returned to normal. In December 2002 things did, indeed, look as if they might be returning to normal. A team of Norwegian negotiators had cooled down one of the hottest and most vicious wars with a dose of their Nordic chill. For the first time in nearly twenty years the guns were silent, the roadblocks had been lifted and it was possible to believe in new beginnings. Our planeload of returning migrants was testament to that. That’s not to say that anybody was planning to uproot their family for a second time and return to Sri Lanka like prodigal children. Most just wanted to remind themselves of the country they had left behind. The flight itself was like a halfway house, a no-man’s-land between Britain and Sri Lanka. It was somewhere to get acclimatised. Without even knowing they were doing it, people were beginning to shed their Western outer layer, the one
they wore for protection in Britain. Like boxers who sense the threat is over, they were letting their guard down. The chatter was free-flowing and the accents were changing. People who, just a few hours earlier, had studiously managed not to confuse their v’s with their w’s no longer felt it mattered that much. There was an air of revival and reunion on the plane. The sense that this journey was taking me full circle to where it had all started was reinforced when, on a walk through the cabin, I was stopped by one Upali Jayattileke, a man who, like my father, had left Sri Lanka for Ghana in the sixties. He told me he used to watch me play as a child in Kumasi, a provincial city there. Also on the flight were friends from London: Sri Lankanborn Neil Fernando, his wife Amanda and their children – Luke, Tarin and Mala. Neil is more or less my age and shares the same birthday. Amanda, who is English, has exactly the same birthday as my wife Frances. What are the chances of that happening between any two couples? What are the chances of that happening between any two mixed-race couples? If you understand the lottery that is migration, then we had hit the jackpot. As a BBC TV journalist I was a familiar face and there were plenty of knowing glances and friendly taps on the back. But it wasn’t the Z-list celebrity status they were acknowledging; it was the sense of kinship. Nobody actually said it, but what they
meant was: ‘You may be a big chap on the worldfamous BBC, but still you’re one of us.’ Ever since I reached the point in my career where I was recognised on the street, there has been a marked difference in the way people have reacted. From the English there is always a nod of recognition and then a whispered ‘It’s that newsreader’ to a friend as they walk past. From black and Asian people there is always a handshake followed by the words ‘We’re proud of you’ or similar. They have a sense of ownership. What I have achieved, I have achieved for them. It’s been a salutary experience. I have never asked to represent black or Asian people, but for some of them that is precisely what I do. I used to feel rather ambivalent about being described as the BBC’s first black foreign correspondent, or being voted the Media Personality of the Year by the judges at the Ethnic Minority Media Awards. Is it so good, I asked myself, to be the best black journalist? I wanted to be the best journalist full stop, period, case closed. Now I accept that among people who still feel their country does not appreciate everything they bring to it, my success represents a counterblast that might topple the hoary stereotype of the indolent outsider. On Flight UL505 I personified that most potent element of the immigrant dream – to go forth and succeed. To make it in the white man’s country, serendipity
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people now that is what it’s all about! There were many people on that plane who, I am sure, had made something of their British sojourn, but mine was a very public success – and it was acknowledged freely and generously. It was a first gentle reminder that however British I felt, in some eyes I would remain forever Sri Lankan. As the plane headed eastwards into an ever-fading sky, as the colours turned from blue to pink to purply-black, I began to see that for over thirty years I had been preoccupied with being British – first it had been a conscious effort, later a reflex. Now, perhaps for the first time since I’d arrived in Britain in 1967, I had to start thinking about what it meant to have started my journey in Sri Lanka. George Alagiah is the presenter of the Six O’Clock News on BBC 1 and World News Today on BBC World. The winner of several awards, he is a specialist on Africa and the developing world. His first book, A Passage to Africa, was published in 2001 and won the Madoc Award in 2002. Leaving Sri Lanka in 1961, Alagiah faced an extreme version of the struggle faced by all immigrants: the battle to leave the past behind and fit into a new culture. Forty years later, having thought
that he had long since resolved the question of where he belonged, Alagiah visited Sri Lanka and was astounded at the sense of umbilical connection he felt for the land of his birth. With the debate about race relations more volatile and polarised than at any period in recent memory, A Home From Home is Alagiah’s timely examination of the immigrant experience in the UK, as well as his own moving autobiography. The book is intensely personal but one that manages to tackle some of the great challenges of multicultural Britain. A Home From Home by George Alagiah, Published by Little, Brown Book Group. Available in hardback for £17.99 at leading bookstores.
Serendipity, together with the Little, Brown Book Group is pleased to offer our readers a copy of A Home From Home by George Alagiah for £16.99 with free postage! Just call 01832 737525 and quote Serendipity, reference LB 6.
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