Amazing Sri lanka Vol -X

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EDITION 06

The Beauty of Paradise 2 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

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Ayurvedic head massage

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BLUE OCEAN GROUP OF COMPANIES For Investing Reliably in Sri Lanka’s Property Market

S. Thumilan Group Chairman ACA, ACMA(UK), ACCA, CGMA(UK), MCSI(UK), CPA(AUS), FMAAT(SL), ACS

ne of Sri Lanka’s most dynamic conglomerates, the Blue Ocean Group of Companies engages in Real Estate, Construction, Engineering, Trading, Education, Corporate Consultancy and many other fields. We focus on reaching potential markets through their international networks while enhancing and expanding their existing markets. Our present key markets include the Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and East Asia.

In addition, The Group very recently extended its portfolios and services further by acquiring yet another landmark construction, civil and electrical engineering company - Sisira Builders (Pvt) Limited. This highly reputable company was established in 1982 and completed many a public and private civil engineering and electrical projects throughout the Island within the past three decades. The latest ownership of the Group is also well-known for successfully carrying out Building Construction, Water Supply and Tank Projects as well as Road and Highway Projects. Our strength is our high-profile Chartered Architects, Chartered Engineers, Chartered Accountants and other Industry Professionals. Mr. Pathmathilaka, the Group CEO of Blue Ocean, is a renowned personality and well-known professional who has served as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities and as a Director General of Department of Buildings. His grand experience and clear vision helped lead our Group to the helm of the industry very fast. With such strong leaderships, we continue to grow with our every step while consolidating our team under one roof. “The success of Blue Ocean Group of Companies in creating a growth environment, in turn helps them immensely to find effective solutions for global challenges which redefine the world’s development agenda,” says the Group Chairman S. Thumilan. With this growth, the group further strengthens their position and approach high revenue projects thereby assuring their brand an enviable position not only in Sri Lanka but also in the international market such as The UAE, the United Kingdom and Australia.

It is the leadership that counts most for the success of businesses. Healthy relationship between the management and the staff of a company can take it to the peak of development. By taking over dozens of companies under one umbrella of the Blue Ocean Group, the Group Chairman S. Thumilan and his staff have already exhibited unique quality and Today, a country like Sri Lanka with its rapid strength that togetherness can bring in to any field. infrastructure enhancement faces great challenges and choosing precise resources in spe- Blue Ocean Group says ‘what it can do and does properly what it says’. Our real estate division has proven this fact cialized subjects is a major one of them. The many a time. We completed our newest residential projects in Mount Lavinia in time, and handed over the deeds key to find such caliber is driven by effective to the apartment purchasers within days after the completion. In addition, the Group has already commenced and is diversity, strong policies and specialized skills developing new luxury apartments in prime locations such as Mount Lavinia, Nugegoda, Wellawatte, Bambalapitiya where all sectors work together to discover and Kollupitiya. new ways to conduct business. A flexible and creative business portfolio is the fastest and Our assets grew in the past few months recording a turnover of more than billions via both public and private projects. most sustainable way to reinforce the nation’s We now engage in building private and public mixed project-portfolio which smoothens and stabilizes our financial flow and profitability. With this growth, we will further strengthen our position and approach high revenue projects effectiveness on a global level. thereby assuring our brand an enviable position not only in Sri Lanka but also in the international market as well. The sheer success of Blue Ocean Group is exclusively the result of our ability to provide We reached this far at a time when the task of construction developers have become a great challenge due to the steep unique services under one roof for our cli- rise in prices of construction materials caused by direct and indirect taxes. Especially, the prices of imported construcents, based on our principles. Our group tion materials have gone up very much, even BOI approved companies feel the heat. Shortage of skilled manpower, comprises about 30 companies that operate delays in approvals from authorities and frequent changes of rules and regulation make the task very much enduring. in various fields in Sri Lanka and abroad. Our However, with the support of related parties, we control effectively most of the chronic external factors that delay main business fields are Construction and Real construction projects. We are almost immune to policy changes, internal administrative disagreements, mass objection Estate, in which we possess global experience towards building expansions, and to environmental legislative changes. With the pre-stocks of materials needed for by finishing and undertaking groundbreaking constructions and prior recruitment of labour that we achieve effectively and unabated through our diverse companies, constructions. we control increase in interest rates and delays in design at initial levels successfully. We attribute our success in this We operate under the leadership of the regard to the qualified and experienced corporate planners who provide us with solid and strategic direction. Group’s Founder and Chairman Mr. Thumi- Like they have done in the past, our Strategic Corporate Planners have already projected the targets of the Group for lan. He is one of the most successful vision- the next three years. The Group members have scaled up the prepared projected targets by now and have formulated ary entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka who holds the the vision for the future. Starting from small and medium scale architectures in Mount Lavinia, we now construct prestigious membership of the CA Sri Lanka, skyscrapers in the main cities. CIMA (UK), ACCA (UK) and CPA (AUS). While holding the Chairmanship of the Blue Just like our achievement to derive high profits, our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is par excelOcean Group, he also serves as a consultant lence. The Group education arm KBBS Campus which produces the highest qualified students in accountancy extend to several well-known establishments in Sri a high number of scholarships to its students every year. The students who receive high marks as well as the ones who cannot afford to bear high expenditure on their higher education benefit from our scholarships every year. In this way, Lanka and overseas. the group certifies the corporate sustainability for many generations to come. The Group’s fully owned subsidiary Link Engineering (Pvt) Limited, which has gained great “As our customer base expands daily - locally and globally - we at Blue Ocean Group stand straight with a strong reputation locally and internationally, has al- vision that will lead us to be the most respected, ethically sound and socially responsible company. I trust this vision ready cemented the position of the Blue Ocean will flourish through our achievements, whilst we continue to focus on acquisitions and mergers as well as strategic Group in construction as its leader. It has over partnerships as part of our overall business practice,” - the Group Chairman, Thumilan. 34 years of experience of the construction field through which it has gained many accolades for excellence. T.P: +94 777 546 546

E-Mail: ceo@blueocean.lk

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Ayubowan!

MODELS Sajana & Sayuni

May You be Blessed with Long Life... The Sri Lankan traditional gesture of welcome with fingers of both hands touching each other & both palms claspe d together the age-old gre eting of us Sri Lankans!

CONTENTS VOLUME 10

Galle Goes Contemporary

By train to Jaffna

SRI LANKA’S SECRET SOURCE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE

NEGOMBO WATER PARK

A NEW TOURIST ATTRACTION

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A NATURALIST IN THE JUNGLE OF CEYLON

TROPICAL CUISINE

A Hot Cool Spot

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CONTENTS VOLUME 10

CHECKING THE INN

SAVING TURTLES

BEST OF THE WEST

Published by the Western Province Tourist Board.

No. 89, 5th Floor, Ranmagapaya, Kaduwela Road, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka. General: +94 (0) 11 4062580 | E-mail: sales@wptb.lk Advertising:

+94 (0) 11 3094440-1 | Web:

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The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by the publisher. Volume IV

Volume V

Volume VI

Volume X

General Operations & Administration: Claude Thomasz, I.G.I.T. Ratnayake & Kithma De Silva Marketing: Ralston Gerreyn & Sadeep Deshan

Volume VII

Volume VIII

Sales Team: Prasadi Sarojani, Dinusha de silva, Anjana Amarasinghe, Navini Dilhara & Sujith Anthony Distribution / Support Service: Sajith Maduranga & Sanjeewa Rodrigo

Volume IX

Photography, Layout & Designing: Thilina Maduranga & Nadun Egodage IT & Social Media: Jude De Soysa

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Coordination: Chamara Samarasinghe & Navodi Ranasinghe

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DEDICATED TO

TOURISM

public tribute to our Editorial Consultant, Royston Ellis, a British resident of Sri Lanka for 35 years, who has written dozens of books published overseas about this, his adopted country. He is enthusiastic about each issue of this magazine, in researching and writing about all that tourists might be interested in. I am proud to say that at WPTB we have also branched out into foreign language publications. A German edition has been published and a Dutch adaptation is available on-line.

Claude Thomasz

Chairman, Western Province Tourist Board.

t is with pleasure I welcome readers to this, the 10th edition of Amazing Sri Lanka, published by the Western Province Tourist Board (WPTB). We at the WPTB started the magazine in a very small way, but – thanks to our advertisers and stakeholders - we have grown to be a respected publication and a major source of information to visitors to Sri Lanka, with the magazine being widely read both here and overseas, as well as on Srilankan Airlines.

We hope to publish more foreign language editions of Amazing Sri Lanka and would like to invite readers to contribute any suggestions they may have for features and improvements in this and our foreign language editions. This month, April, sees one of the most important exhibitions being held in Colombo in support of tourism. Called Sancharaka Udawa and being held at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre on 24-25 April 2015, it is a tourism products meet mart of all stakeholders and service providers involved in tourism. It is organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, and the WPTB is one of the main sponsors of the event, as part of the WPTB’s dedication to developing tourism in cooperation with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

It is my fervent wish that all our readers enjoy Amazing Sri Lanka and will keep and take home copies of this magazine to encourage their family, In this respect I would like to pay friends and neighbours to visit Sri Lanka soon.

ISLAND OF DIVERSITY Royston Ellis - Editorial Consultant west coast, a place I had not even heard of: China Fort. This enclave of gem cutters, polishers and traders harbours skills and adventurous entrepreneurs that have created a thriving and exceedingly profitable industry contributing much to the country’s economy. The story is in these pages.

here is so much to see and do in Sri Lanka that a holiday of a couple of weeks here is simply not long enough. The more you see, the more there is to discover. This helps to make Sri Lanka an annual holiday destination: come here every year and you will still find something new. I realised that recently when, having lived here for 35 years, I did two things I have never done before. I discovered, within 20 minutes’ drive of where I Iive on the

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A week later I took a train to Jaffna, the first time for three decades that foreign passport holders have been allowed to do that. It was a smooth journey, easily bookable, and without the strain of having to battle for standing space as happens on commuter trains. There’s an account of my journey here too. And even a place as traditional as Galle Fort has changed, making a visit there, especially on the first Sunday of every month when a flea market springs up in the cobbled square outside the court, like a fascinating new experience. Sri Lanka’s not just sights to see, beaches to relax on and new hotels to stay in, there’s the diverse cuisine (try short eats) and the wondrous wildlife (even red ants spin silk to sew their nests). In this issue of Amazing Sri Lanka we look in detail at some of the intriguing features of this island in the hope that you, the reader, will enjoy all that there is to see and do here – and will plan to return again soon to continue discovering the island’s diversity. Royston Ellis writes a weekly blog about life in Sri Lanka, available by free subscription from: www.roystonellis.com www.wptb.lk

WORKING TOGETHER FOR

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT Nimal Lanza Hon. Minister of

Transport, Sports, Youth Affairs, Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Affairs, Food Supplies and Distribution, Co-operative Dev., Household Economic Dev., Fisheries, Rural Dev., Tourism, Investment Promotion Coordination and Animal Production & Development

n behalf of the Ministry of Tourism of the Western Province, I bid you a warm welcome to Sri Lanka, not just to the Western Province.

I have been privileged to serve my country as Minister of Tourism for the Western Province for six years, and the promotion of tourism remains close to my heart, even though I am responsible for several other ministerial portfolios. I have been supported in my endeavours to enrich the tourist experience for all visitors to the Western Province by my very capable Tourist Board, led by my energetic chairman, Claude A Thomasz. At the Western Province we are not solely concerned with provincial tourism but are keen to lead improvement in the tourist experience throughout the country by a pro-active example, in training independent personnel on the periphery of tourism and by engaging in tourist promotions both in the Western Province and overseas, and through the medium of this magazine. Amazing Sri Lanka is not just about the Western Province but seeks to provide the visitor with informative and enjoyable articles about the entire country. Although my ministerial portfolios are many, I am always ready to give my guidance, support and advice for the promotion of tourism throughout the country. This year is an exciting one politically and there will be more changes ahead with a general election planned. Whatever happens in the future, I am confident that here in the Western Province, the tourism ministry and staff will remain dedicated to working together for the development of tourism throughout Sri Lanka. I trust you, as a visitor, will enjoy your experience and carry home with you many happy memoires of amazing Sri Lanka.

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General Facts OFFICIAL NAME: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka AREA: 65,525 sq km LOCATION: The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

A traveller’s guide to

POPULATION: 21,128,773 (Estimated) ETHNIC GROUPS: Sinhalese 74.5%, Sri Lankan Tamils 11.9%, Indian Tamils 4.6%, Moors 7.2%, other 1.8% LITERACY RATE: 92% TIME ZONE: GMT+5 ½. Daylight saving times not observed. CLIMATE: Sri Lanka has no marked seasons. There are two monsoons. The Northeast Monsoon occurs from December to March and the Southwest Monsoon from June to October. A tropical climate exists throughout the country. The hill country is cooler and more temperate. LANGUAGES: Sinhala, Tamil and English are widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka. COASTLINE: 1,340km CAPITAL: Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte COMMERCIAL CAPITAL: Colombo ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: Nine Provinces: Central, North Central, North, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western and Eastern Province. RELIGIONS: Predominantly Buddhism. Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are also practised. INDEPENDENCE DAY: February 4 GENERAL HOLIDAYS: Saturdays and Sundays are usually non–working days. The day of the full moon, Poya Day, is a religious holiday in the Buddhist calendar. It is a public, bank and mercantile holiday and most independent places are also closed. The selling of alcohol, even to tourists, is banned on a Poya Day. 20 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

MAJOR EXPORTS: Tea, textiles, gems, rubber and coconut products. HIGHEST PEAK: Pidurutalagala (Mount Pedro) at 2,524m NATIONAL BIRD: Jungle Fowl NATIONAL TREE: Ironwood: the Na Tree (Mesua nagassarium) NATIONAL FLOWER: Blue Water Lilly (Nymphaea stellata) VOLTAGE REQUIREMENTS: 230/240 volts AC, 50 Hz ( Round three pin plugs are common, with bayonet lamp fittings). INTERNATIONAL DIALLING: ++ 94 (followed by the area code, without 0, and the number). AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber and coconut.

CREDIT CARDS: Accepted in major establishments islandwide ATM: Available throughout the country where there are banks and commercial areas. MONEY: The exchange of foreign currency should only be done at reputable outlets such as banks or licensed money changers. A receipt should be obtained so re-exchange of rupees to foreign currency can be done at airport banks on departure . MEDICIAL FACILITIES: The medical standards are excellent. Qualified doctors and surgeons are available in government and private hospitals for emergencies. TIPPING: A service change of 10% is included in restaurant and hotel bills. A tip above this (say half of the service charge in cash to the server) is appreciated. There will also be an additional percentage (up to 17%) added to restaurant and hotel bills for government and provincial taxes. It’s not compulsory to tip drivers but customary.

INDUSTRIES: Processing of rubber, tea, coconut, tobacco, and other agricultural commodities; tourism, telecommunications, insurance, banking, garment manufacturing, textiles, cement, petroleum refining.

SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS: Shops and restaurants are open daily.

CURRENCY: Sri Lanka Rupee (Rs)

STAY UP-TO-DATE: For tourist information: Call 1912

KEEP IN MIND TRAVELLER’S CHEQUES: Widely accepted at banks and money exchangers. A 1% stamp duty plus a small commission is charged. www.wptb.lk

PETTAH CENTRAL BUS STATION: 011 232 9604

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Galle Goes

The reinvention of Galle Fort as a prestigious place to live and visit has taken a new turn with the restoration of the old Dutch Hospital there as a shopping and restaurant complex, and with the opening of trendy cafĂŠs and art galleries, boutique guest houses and a Good Market once a month, reports Shirley Prince. Photos by B.Kumarasiri.

Contemporary

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Once an administration block now a trendy shopping and restaurant complex

alle Fort has always intrigued visitors. The Portuguese were smitten when they chanced upon this entrenched lowland settlement of the up country Kandyan kingdom when Portuguese ships were driven there in a storm in 1505. Then it was an entrepôt for trading, believed by some scholars to be the Tarshish of Old Testament history with which ships of Tyre and Phoenicia traded.

It was said to be the harbour to which King Solomon sent his vessels for precious gemstones and elephants. In 1344, the indefatigable Arab traveller, Ibn Battuta, observed Moorish vessels in the area’s natural harbour. The Portuguese saw the value of the anchorage, even if difficult of access because of hidden rocks, and built a fortalice to guard it from intruders. After a fierce battle in 1640, this small fort fell to the Dutch who remained and stoutly defended it for 156 years. They added ramparts and bastions around the coastal edges as well as churches, houses and streets within the enlargened fort’s walls. They created a complex system of underground channels that flushed away the sewage with every high tide. Entrance was by drawbridge over a moat that separated the rocky peninsula from Galle town. The Dutch didn’t want strangers in their Fort and even the pilots employed to guide ships into the harbour were forbidden to leave on retirement in case they divulged the secrets of access by sea. Nevertheless, in 1796, along with other major towns on the littoral, Galle and its Fort were ceded to the British. The British filled in the moat and the British Coat of Arms still adorns the outer wall of the Old Gate, with the crest of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), dated 1669, on the inner side. The British added to the residences built by the Dutch and - of the 470 houses in the Fort - some 50 pre-date 24 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

A modern sign for this post office building dating from the 18th century.

the British occupation. Those are distinguished by the deep verandas with tiled roofs supported by stout round columns. About 100 buildings were added by the British pre-1850; sturdy mansions adapted by local builders to tropical conditions, with natural air-conditioning created by breezes blowing through open doors into a central open-roofed patio. Art deco houses from the 1930s are also in evidence adding to the Fort’s glorious architectural hodgepodge. After independence, Galle Fort mostly became the preserve of its Muslim

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and Buddhist inhabitants as the colonists moved out and resident Sri Lankan entrepreneurs followed the trail of prosperity to the developed port of Colombo. Many residences were abandoned and gradually crumbled, while others became schools and small businesses, like printers, workshops and stores. A hotel, the New Oriental Hotel (well it was new when it opened in 1865 on the site of an old Dutch barracks built in 1684) soldiered on through most of the 20th century while gradually going to seed.

Exterior of a newly opened boutique hotel in Galle Fort

Small shops opened in local houses

Today’s gentrification and the contemporary trendiness of Galle Fort has its origins in the hippy invasions of the 1960s and 1970s when a trail of carefree youngsters snaked down through India to the then Ceylon. These foreign visitors lived simply in local houses, enjoying and respecting the local culture. The fishing settlement of Hikkaduwa was their favourite resort because of its beach, its surf and easy life style.

Stalls at Galle Fort’s once-a-month-market

In their wake came the more prosperous independent travellers keen on discovering new destinations. They discovered Galle Fort and were enchanted. Because it was rather a shambles at the time, even up to 25 years ago, properties could be leased – and even bought – cheaply from residents eager to leave the Fort for more prosperous areas. There were only a few foreigners at first, people who wanted a bolthole from their normal lives as international writers, publishers and artists. They appreciated the value of the old buildings in the Fort and began to restore them in keeping with the traditional style. This was so successful they were followed by the trendsetters (both local and foreign) creating appropriate businesses and gradually Galle Fort shook off its seedy shabbiness to emerge as an arts and crafts emporium. To do this, developers were obliged to follow strict guidelines and those who didn’t have proper planning permission even found their new structures torn down by authority. There was friction between those who wanted to keep Galle as sleepy as it was, and those who saw the Fort’s possibilities as a major tourist attraction. www.wptb.lk

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And that is what Galle Fort has become. It’s no longer a brief stop for a stroll along the ramparts on a round trip tour of the country. It is a destination in its own right. The old New Oriental Hotel has been transformed into an up market (and expensive) place to stay lending cachet to a holiday. Other hotels and guesthouses have opened up and Galle Fort is unique in offering quaint, super luxurious accommodation at top market rates as well as smaller, charming hostelries, all with a sense of the past. Galle Fort fascinates because of what can be seen and bought while strolling along its cobbled streets. Local ‘boutiques’ (corner shops sell-

A charming corner in Galle Fort

ing everything) are cheek by jowl with international dress boutiques, trendsetting gift shops, art galleries, handloom emporiums, antique and gem shops. There are cosy coffee houses in courtyards and converted living rooms, and even a place called The Living Room which is so ornately decorated it could be an exclusive bar in Paris, London, or perhaps Morocco. Recently, a building that began life as a Dutch hospital before becoming an administration office block, has been transformed into a jolly setting, with fine view over the ramparts and harbour, of restaurants, bars and gem shops.

Although small at present with just a few stalls, this market will surely become THE place to visit once a month, to meet friends, find bargains and enjoy the camaraderie and contemporary ambience that adds to the character of Galle Fort today.

Sign at the entrance to Galle Fort

Trendsetting art at the Galle Fort monthly market

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The cobbled courtyard in front of the law courts, used as a car park, is transformed on the first Sunday of every month, into a people’s market. Here local producers (of food, clothing, toys, arts and crafts, etc.) come to trade while musicians play. It is like a Paris flea market but with organic products and modern music in a tropical atmosphere.

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JAFFNA

BY TRAIN

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To Jaffna from KKS in 3rd class by new power set train.

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WITH THE RAILWAY LINK TO THE NORTH RESTORED AFTER THREE DECADES AND THE LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN PASSPORT HOLDERS VISITING JAFFNA, YALPANAM HAS BECOME SRI LANKA’S NEWEST TOURIST ATTRACTION. ROYSTON ELLIS RIDES THE RAILS.

affna’s Tamil name is Yalpanam and the popular train that used to link the capital of the Northern Province with Colombo was called Yal Devi (“Jaffna Queen”). The Yal Devi has returned to the restored railway link that was reopened at the end of 2014 and other, more luxurious, trains have been added. I boarded the prosaically named train Number 4021, with its all 1st Class air conditioned sleek new carriages (made in India) at Colombo Fort station for its 0550 departure. The train actually begins its journey at 0510 at Mount Lavinia station to accommodate the Tamil population living south of Colombo. Seats can be reserved at any major station in advance and the fare per person is Rs1,500 (one-way) for the 393km journey.

The seats, in pairs, can be turned to face the way the train is going or to make a companionable foursome for friends or family travelling together. Seats to be avoided as they are at the end of the carriage and have reduced leg room are numbers 1, 2, 3 & 4, and also 41, 42, 43 & 44. If you hate the intrusive sight and sound of movies while travelling, then avoid the seats in the centre of each carriage (numbers 22 & 24) as they are under the centre-aisle screen.

The train was hauled, and pushed, by Class S12 power set locomotives, imported in 2012-2013. There were six passenger compartments, labelled A to F, and one restaurant car, which wasn’t functioning so passengers needed to take their own snacks and drinks to have on board. A notice cautions: “No Smoking. No Liquor.”

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Each carriage has two lavatories (one western style, the other eastern type) which are kept clean. All the windows, including those in the toilets, are locked, and the passenger doors at the end of each carriage are also kept locked when the train is in motion. The cautionary sign ending “Thank you for your kind corporation” does not refer to corporate travellers but to passenger “cooperation”.

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KKS platform under construction

If you want the dust, the breeze, the smells and the real atmosphere of tropical rail travel, then the Yal Devi and the Intercity with 1st, 2nd & 3rd (now known as E for Economy) Classes, are the trains to catch. But they are not as comfortable, and they make more stops so the journey takes longer. The train I caught made only two stops en route (apart from when it waited in the sidings for on-coming trains on the single track to pass), at Anuradhapura and Killinochchi. The view from the window gradually changed from rugged verdure to arid plains as we progressed north. I was thrilled to see a peacock, disturbed by the train, lumbering into flight from a paddy field to perch precariously on a branch.

accommodation at low rates and has been in operation for many years, so it has the flavour of old Jaffna. We stayed at a so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;boutiqueâ&#x20AC;? hotel, the newly opened Lotus Inn (www. lotusinn.lk) at 181 Manipay Road which has bedrooms inside a former family house with balconies overlooking a lotus pond, and some new chalets in the garden. Meals are served on the balcony over the porch, or in a marquee in the garden, and are presented in individual plastic containers by enthusiastic staff. In search of typical vegetarian cuisine, that evening we took a taxi to Mangos (www.mangos.lk) at 359/3 Temple Road, Nallur, a place famous among foreigners as well as locals for its massive dosas. I had read about the Masala Cheese Dosa which sounded intriguing and the waiter explained it is featured on the menu as Mangos Sp. D.

The train drew into the newly built station of Jaffna on time and there were plenty of three-wheeler taxis available for hire. On the way to the hotel I had booked on line we passed the popular Pillaiyar Inn (31 Manipay Road) and dropped in to enjoy the buffert lunch of Jaffna vegetarian curries, with a side dish of chicken curry. The hotel offers basic

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New buildings including a supermarket complex in Jaffna

I watched the dosa being made in the open kitchen. The cook spooned the pre-prepared, already risen, batter on to a searing hot plate, sculpting it into a circular shape. He let it bubble for a while and then bunged in a lot of raw, chopped vegetables. With a final flourish, he unwrapped a cheese wedge and added it to the steaming mix where it melted quickly. With amazing speed, he scooped up the pancake, rolled it and shaped it into a cone, and slapped it down on a banana leaf on a plate. It cost just Rs280 and was crisp, moreish, crunchy, filling and packed with flavour; no wonder the place is so popular. The main market in Jaffna is a magnet for travellers in search of local products. We bought a bright basket made of dried and dyed palmyrah palm fronds in which to carry packets of sundried Jaffna prawns (great in a curry) and the locally-made cylindrical bamboo and coir moulds for making pittu (a long, round rice concoction of steamed rice flour and coconut that is a Jaffna speciality). Jaffna is changing rapidly. The police and military presence was unnoticeable. The old crocks that used to serve as taxis have been replaced by the ubiquitous three-wheelers, or “tuk tuks” as they are called with a name borrowed from Thailand. The driving is crazy with daredevil flare. Building is booming; a new supermarket square has been built and is flourishing, while another building, rumoured to be a hotel, is under construction next door.

Palmyrah palm basket and kitchen imlements on sale at the Jaffna market

However, Jaffna is still a very different Sri Lanka. It’s traditional but fast and furious, although when people do stop to share pleasantries it is with a sense of respect, not the rampant commercialism sometimes encountered in tourist traps in the south. Underground art at Jaffna

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After spending the night in Jaffna, I had the idea of catching a local passenger train from Jaffna to Kankesanthurai (KKS). The 3rd class ticket cost Rs30 for the 18km journey. To my astonishment, hordes of children, parents and grandmothers had decided to do the same thing. It was Sunday morning and they were travelling, like me, just for the sake of it, as the railway link to KKS had only just been opened after 30 years. The kids were thrilled and the grandparents awed by seeing cultivation (beetroots, grapes and tobacco) and bombed buildings being restored. At KKS, everyone got out of the train, rushed to the ticket office and joined a scrum to buy a ticket to ride the train back to Jaffna. We did the same, spending only 20 minutes enjoying the view of the sea and the breeze. The station platform was still being surfaced, with blocks in piles awaiting fitting onto the platform. Even though it was brief, the visit was worth it as I can now say I have travelled by train from the southernmost station of Matara to the northernmost one. Back in Jaffna, before catching the train back home, we discovered a charming garden restaurant by walking to the northern end of the platform and down on to the tracks. The Golden Star Restaurant (86/2 Point Pedro Road, near the road/railway crossing) served

traditional rich Jaffna prawn curry for just Rs100 per person. Jaffna railway station has a tunnel to get from one platform to another, with an amazing underground mural that would seem more appropriate at the Negombo water park. It brightened our wait for the train back to the south. However, although the train left on time, it took an hour longer than expected for the journey back, due to delays waiting for on coming trains on the single line after Maho. With the contrast in scenery between north and south, and the fascinating people to meet during the journey, the trip to Jaffna and back is a memorable experience by train, giving easy access to the Yalpanam peninsula. There are three daily trains between Colombo and Jaffna. The air-conditioned, all 1st Class, Number 4021 departs Colombo Fort at 0550; it arrives Jaffna at 1156 and returns as 4022 from Jaffna at 1345 arriving Colombo at 2000. The Yal Devi as Number 4001 with 1st, 2nd & 3rd Class leaves Colombo at 0715, reaches Jaffna at 1853; it leaves Jaffna as 4002 at 0700 reaching Colombo at 1547. The Intercity with 1st, 2nd & 3rd Class Number 4017 leaves Colombo at 1150, arrives Jaffna at 1815; and departs Jaffna as 4018 at 1100, arriving Colombo at 1740. Fares and schedule details available on http://www.eservices.railway.gov.lk/schedule/searchTrain. action?lang=en q

At Killinochichi station

Queuing for tickets at Jaffna station

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SRI LANKA’S SECRET SOURCE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE

SRI LANKA’S SECRET SOURCE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE www.wptb.lk

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A small enclave on the west coast of Sri Lanka is the site of a dynamic industry that helps not just Sri Lanka, but many other countries, to prosper. Royston Ellis visits China Fort and discovers a major market of Sri Lankaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foreign-income-earning gems.

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tatistics record remittances by Sri Lankans working overseas; tourism; and the export of tea and garments as major foreign exchange earners for Sri Lanka. But behind Beruwala, on Sri Lankaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west coast, inland from the Galle Road, is a little known enclave called China Fort that generates masses of foreign exchange through its export (and import and re-export) of gem stones. I discovered when I visited there recently that the gem trade of China Fort not only helps Sri Lankans but also assists the development of many African nations. And, of course, gems from Sri Lanka are crucial to the creation of jewellery masterpieces which sell for millions of dollars to the delight of international investors and collectors.

China Fort today has boomed because of the new direction the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gem trade has taken. For centuries, foreign buyers came to Sri Lanka to buy gems, sourcing them at the mining centre of Ratnapura or from the gem cutters and polishers of Galle and Beruwala. The story is told of a China Fort gem merchant flying business class who found himself sitting next to a US scientist. They got talking and the scientist told the gem merchant of satellite pictures that revealed lots of gem-bearing strata in Africa.

This resulted in the merchants of China Fort looking beyond Ratnapura for rough stones to be cut and polished as precious gems. The adventurous ones braved great hardships to track down gem mines in Africa where they sourced rough stones. It is a risky business even today, not just because of the perils of Africa, but also because even the most experienced of gem dealers is never sure if the rough stone he is buying will yield a perfect gem.

M Alavi, expert cutter using old machinery

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Polished gem

Rough stones from Africa now constitute about 40% of the gems cut and polished in China Fort, then re-exported to buyers around the world. The development of the gem trade in Africa has helped many poor communities to improve their standard of living, and many are the charitable endeavours in Sri Lanka initiated by the China Fort community. The visitor to China Fort, which attracts more than 2,000 people on the main trading days of Wednesday and Saturday, wouldn’t believe that the casual business being done in the main street is the source of such a profitable, international enterprise. Sellers of recently mined rough stones brought from Ratnapura offer them to dealers like Mr M Z M Ahzar, an ebullient young man of 36 who is one of the pioneers of making China Fort an international market place. He, his partner brother, M Z M Rikas, and colleagues source rough stones direct from countries like Madagascar, Tanzania and Mozambique as well as buying rough stones originating in India and Burma. They are following in the traditional family business, typical of China Fort, begun by their grandfather. Their father, A Z M Zawahir, set up his own business in 1976 successfully buying rough stones and selling precious gems in Colombo and around the world. He taught himself about buying, cutting and polishing rough stones, knowledge his sons have inherited and put to good use since setting up their own company Ceylon Beauty Gems in 2003. “In the old days,” says Ahzar, “gem merchants moved to Colombo to make a success of their businesses. They sent their children to universities to become doctors and lawyers. Those who remained in China Fort learned about gems through experience, not through gemmology courses.” Ahzar began Ceylon Beauty Gems (named after his grandfather’s original office which clients said was “a beautiful 44 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

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Gem trading in the street

gem shop”) when he recognised the possibilities of expanding China Fort into an international gem emporium. “In the recent past we have had loyal German, Japanese and British buyers, but now we sell natural gems we have produced from rough stones, to buyers around the world.” While he is knowledgeable in sourcing rough stones, Ahzar is an experienced salesman. He likes selling in the USA where there are several holidays that Americans celebrate with gifts. On a visit to Tucson in February, he sold eight precious stones cut into heart shapes, as Valentine’s Day gifts. He tells the tale of a customer in China who was dithering about buying a gem. A colleague suggested he explain that the natural gem stone was at least 2,500 years old. “It’s an antique,” he said, “not a Chinese fake.” The client bought it happily, having realised the stone’s intrinsic value. In China Fort, the international connection seems far from the crowded street where men in white sarongs approach buyers standing on street corners and unwrap a gem from its paper envelope. While some potential purchasers hold the gem up to the sun, others glance at it and shake their head. Scarcely a word is exchanged and the ambience is one of dedication and trust. Indeed, when a buyer is offered a rough stone or gem he wants and the price is softly agreed, no money is exchanged. That happens later at the buyer’s home.

In the past 10 years, recognising that buyers were not solely Sri Lankans, the gem traders of China Fort have built some 135 air conditioned offices, small cubicles where buyers can examine stones in comfort, without the bustle of the crowd around them. Buyers are given tables where they can conduct business. This is a wholesale trading area for experts who know their stones and can quickly calculate the price at which it is worth buying. The tourist would feel lost here, although it is fascinating to watch the trading take place and realise that business worth millions of dollars is being conducted under their noses. Why the place is named Chinese Fort is open to conjecture. Until the arrival of the Portuguese in the island in the 16th century, there was considerable engagement between the Chinese and the inhabitants of Sri Lanka. In the 15th century the king of Sri Lanka was kidnapped and taken to China and for several decades afterwards, tribute was sent annually to China from Sri Lanka. The port favoured by Chinese vessels then was Lo-le (Galle) whereas Beruwala had been used by Arab traders and mariners since the 9th century. The Chinese called the island “Paou-choo” a translation of the Sanskrit “Ratna-dwipa” meaning island of gems. The Chinese were fascinated by the island’s gems stones and described those found near Adam’s Peak as “Adam’s crystallised tears, which account for their singular lustre and marvellous tints.” Beruwala’s gem trade dates back to the era when Berbers from North Africa’s Barbary States -- Algeria, Libiya, Morocco and Tunisia -- dominated the seas from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. Berber merchant ships called at what became known as Berberyn Harbour later becoming Beruwela. The Muslim traders soon linked up with the gem merchants and the miners of Ratnapura since they had sea access to markets overseas for the stones

Gemming equipment on sale at China Fort

mined in the Gem City. The business of collecting and selling gems has been conducted from the earliest times by the Arabs of Beruwala and, according to a contemporary account, those gems (rubies, sapphires) “bore in China the designation of ‘Mahometan (Mohamed) stones’.” Given the history of visits by the Chinese to the island for 12 centuries since the 4th century, it is not improbable that the Chinese established a settlement in Beruwala long before the Portuguese arrived, as a focus for their gem trading. The name China Fort may well have its origins from those days. Ahzar explained that China Fort, with its 5,000 residents connected with the gem trade, is not just a trading centre but is also the major centre in Sri Lanka for the cutting of rough stones and their polishing. Cutting is done by electrical machinery now, although rough stones that seem to have extra potential are given to cutters who work in the traditional way with a hand operated lathe. One man, M. Alavi, showed me the skill required as he pulled a bowshaped pulley backwards and forwards to turn the cutting wheel. He held the stone close to the rotating plate for a fraction of second then whipped it away, dipped it in wawww.wptb.lk

ter, dried it, looked at it, and started again. He has been cutting stones for 40 years. His son showed me a cut gem, stuck with wax on a holder, which he was polishing under his father’s instructions. Several of the gem merchants spoke of the risk in buying a rough stone in the hope it could be transformed into a gem. “We only have a 75 per cent chance of success,” said one. “We have to recover our losses in the prices we charge for polished gems.” I was puzzled how they could identify the potential of a rough stone. Someone showed me. He dropped a pearl of coconut oil on a rough stone, shone his torch on it and, lo and behold, a hint of a ray appeared. In his office at his home, Ahzar showed me a chunky rough, light blue stone that I found quite attractive. “It’s worthless,” he said when I commented it would look nice on a necklace. “For it to be valuable, we would have to transform it into something like this.” He dropped a gem the size of a marble into my hand while a colleague held a specially adapted torch over it. “See the ray,” he said as the light picked up the different shades of the stone, an alexandrite cat’s eye. It AMAZING SRI LANKA | 45

Electric powered mechanical cutting

was extraordinary. Ahzar popped it on to his scale, which showed it weighed 55 carats (a carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams). “That’s worth US$15,000 a carat,” beamed Ahzar leaving me to work out that I was holding a very precious gem stone worth $850,000. Developed over centuries, with the passion and experience handed down from generation to generation, this modest, hidden enclave of China Fort has become the thriving centre of Sri Lanka’s gem cutting and polishing industry, and a secret source of foreign exchange.

Street of gem traders, China Fort

GEM EXHIBITION

Sri Lanka’s importance in the world wide gem industry is being recognised when the International Coloured Gem Stones Congress by the International Colour Gemstone Association (ICA) is held in Colombo from 16 to 19 May 2015 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. The theme is “Sapphires and More” - aptly summing up Sri Lanka’s appeal. The ICA is a non-profit association that has a membership of 500 from 42 countries representing 75 per cent of the purchasing power of the international market for coloured stones. It brings together over 300 representatives of the various segments of the coloured gem trade. It is an occasion for networking and developing new business opportunities under exhibition conditions while showcasing the local gem and jewellery trade. Alexandrite cat’s eye worth $850,000 46 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

Traders from China Fort will be there, taking the opportunity of meeting buyers from around the world.

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NEGOMBO

WATER PARK A NEW TOURIST

ATTRACTION A n amazing new feature for domestic and foreign tourists was scheduled to open in April in Negombo. It is an especially designed and created water park dedicated exclusively to families with children.

The Negombo Water Park is located on the beach, alongside the existing public beach park. It is designed to enable children to enjoy water activities in a safe environment. It is walled off from the beach, to prevent children straying to the sea, and is staffed by qualified lifesavers and childcare minders. Children, however, have to be accompanied by parents. Entrance to the water park is through a simulated rock grotto that leads up steps, past an aquarium, to the ticket counter. Beyond a tall rock shielding the view, the magic of the water park is revealed, with dancing, brightly lit fountains, waterslides, underwater lights and playground equipment actually in the water. There are three separate pools for children of all ages, and a separate pool for adults. Buildings around the pools have been constructed as changing rooms and toilets, as well as sales kiosks and with special shaded areas for relaxation. The Water Park, which will be open until 7pm every day, is designed for children, with lots of bright colours, pretty fish painted on the walls, and plenty of play areas. It is a project initiated by the Minister of Tourism of the Western Province, the Hon Nimal Lanza, in response to a need for both local and visiting children to be able to enjoy themselves in a secure and dedicated, fun-filled, family atmosphere while on holiday in Negombo. The entry fee for a child is Rs200, with Rs300 for each accompanying adult.

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Naturalist In The

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In 1925 a naturalist, Casey A Wood, set out on a lone expedition to discover secrets of the Ceylon Jungle. Richard Tresillian reviews his findings.

asey A Wood, a gentleman naturalist reporting for the Smithsonian Institute of the USA, visited Sri Lanka 80 years ago. He spent two years in what he described as “rambles through the jungle.” Revealing a remarkable sang froid, his report of 15 pages extracted from a much larger volume, recently came up for auction on ebay. It’s such a rare item, I bought it for an insight into how life was in those days.

Wood begins his account with a modest justification for his exploits by quoting Charles Kingsley: “Some day, ere I grow to old to think, I trust to be able to throw away all pursuits save natural history and to die with my mind full of God’s facts instead of men’s lies.” He adds: “For carrying out such a plan I offer the jungle of Ceylon.” Casey Albert Wood (1856-1942) was a retired ophthalmologist and 70 years old when he began his rambles through the jungle. He was also an ornithologist and a student of Ayurveda medicine and a man of many enthusiasms.

He reveals as much about himself and his times as he does about the jungle when he writes: “During my sojourn in Ceylon I found it politic to offer small rewards for gathering such plants and animals as I could induce the indolent natives to collect. Among desiderata were nests of the Indian tailor bird and although I was never made richer by a single nest I did secure similar dwellings of the tailor ant.” He was fascinated by ants, reporting: “This wonderful insect does not sew but glues the edges of leaves together, afterwards lining the cavity, not with cotton or other fibre, but with a kind of self-made transparent paper which is also used for joining the leaf edge.” He advises potential visitors thus: “If the student of nature will avoid alcoholic beverages, is careful to eat only well cooked food and ripe fruit fresh from its protective covering and drink boiled or bottled liquids, he can laugh at the dysentery, typhoid fever, and similar ailments that may affect the careless and improvident in any country. With this regulation of diet the only disease likely to attack the visitor to the Ceylon jungle is malaria.” He adds: “Remember this rule of the jungle is applicable in all malarial countries: Protect yourself from the deadly female anopheles, that winged serpent that between sunset and sunrise seeks whom she may devour.” Wood was enchanted with Kandy, writing that the borders of the Lake are “embellished by a dozen of the most beautiful flowering species in the whole world. A walk of three or four miles about that lacustrine, park-like area furnishes a liberal education in tropical life.” He expresses a horror of leeches. “Attached by a posterior sucker to the top of a grass stem or exposed leaf, the leech lies in waiting, wav-

Ants busy making a nest

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ing about in the air with eyes and smelling apparatus alert, awaiting the passage of its warm blooded victim. I have on several occasions been successfully plebotomized by this active little beast during my jungle trips.” He warns of the dangers of leech bites because of secondary infections, ulcers, etc. He claims that one reason why the Kingdom of Kandy resisted foreign invasion for 300 years after the subjugation of the rest of the island (by Portugal, Holland and Britain) was because of the “vast multitude of leeches that infested the wet, impassable mountain jungle…through which an invading army must march.” Wood seems to have had an unpleasant experience with water buffaloes. He writes: “The buffalo hates the smell of the stranger, especially of the white “outlander,” and may attack him head on unless he is able to escape, preferably by climbing some friendly tree.” Of the Ceylon elephant, Wood explains the difference (the ears) from its cousins in India and Africa. He is fascinated, as we are today, “when one bears in mind the huge bulk of the animal, it is remarkable how noiselessly he moves through the jungle.”

He reveals that the elephant has weak vision and poorly developed ocular apparatus, neutralized by his acute hearing and highly developed sense of smell. “Indeed,” he observes “his eyesight would not be of much use to him when surrounded by the close forest of the jungle even if his thick and almost rigid neck did not materially limit his range of vision.” Intriguingly, Wood mentions that “the natives believe that elephants bury their dead just like humans, and some assert that when an aged beast senses the approach of death he sets out for a remote and quiet valley and there patiently awaits his end. I know of a forest near Anuradhapura that conceals one of these reputed elephant cemeteries, but so well hidden is it that no man knows its exact location.” www.wptb.lk

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Wood reports that “Of the carnivore found in the Ceylon jungle the bear (Melursus ursinus) is everywhere said to be the most dangerous, much more to be feared than the comparatively cowardly leopard.” He records seeing leopards at waterholes at night and that the animal is hunted for its fur “which, by the way, is very poorly cured by the natives.” He adds alarmingly: “The baby leopard makes a pretty and amusing pet, which one may sometimes buy for a few rupees in the bazaars.” Wood writes a revealing account of an encounter with a snake. “During one of my jungle excursions, I was taking a midday siesta when my servant came in breathless, “Master, master, a snake.” “I followed him…to a spot in the deep jungle and there, in a tamarind tree (a most unusual resort for a terrestrial snake) was a cobra of unusual length – perhaps six feet. My entourage, including my servant, kept a safe distance, but as I knew the snake’s attitude toward humanity I got fairly close and with my glasses studied him to some purpose. Soon he tired of us, and, slowly crawling through the foliage, disappeared. As all my native friends were Buddhists, Naja was safe from them; as for me, why should I shoot an animal practically innocuous that was doing its duty in regulating the balance of amphibian life?” By his elaborate and amusing writing style and concern for preserving the nature he was studying, Casey A Wood has bequeathed an account of a different world, before the jungle was divided into sanctuaries which tourists explore in safari jeeps, no longer able to ramble. He concludes his report with these alluring words: “These are a few of the many wonderful sights that the Sinhalese forest offers to those that wander into her solitudes.”

“An unpleasant experience with water buffaloes.”

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Goldi Sands Hotel offers a host of amenities, facilities and levels of comfort and maintains the meticulous standards required by the discerning guest. Accommodation at Goldi Sands Hotel comprises a stunning array of seventy air-conditioned double rooms.

Goldi Sands Hotel

At Goldi Sands Hotel, the combination of Sun, beach and the ever attentive staff is guaranteed to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. Take a stroll down the sandy beach and enjoy the invigorating sea breeze or simply relax in rooms which benchmark elegance and luxuryâ&#x20AC;Ś truly an abode of serendipityâ&#x20AC;Ś

Goldi Sands Hotel, Ethukala, Negombo, Sri Lanka. T: +94 31 22 79227 | F: +94 31 22 78019 | W: www.goldisands.com | E: goldi@eureka.lk 58 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

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We have in total 20 double rooms, out of which 17 A/C & 03 are non A/C.. All 17 rooms are overlooking the sea & ten rooms are with private balconies. Out of 17 rooms, 12 rooms could be converted in to triple rooms with adding extra bed.

“ OUR SERVICE WITH A SMILE”

Beach Road, Pamunugama, Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka. Hot Line: +94 11-2236619, +94 11-3064156, +94 11-2051138/39 Fax: +94 11-2236629 | E-mail: villapalma@sltnet.lk Web: villapalmaresortsrilanka.com 79 | ASL

ADVERTORIAL

Sri Lanka’s Best Kept Secrets

he 98 Acres Resort and Spa is hidden away on a tea estate near the popular hill country town of Ella. The eco-friendly, cosy cottages are a result of the management’s passion for preserving the environment and resonate with its patrons’ love of nature with thatched roofs, wooden floors and showers made of natural rock. Dining at the open deck restaurant of the resort is recommended, for the food is delicious and the view mesmerising. The hotel provides bicycles to explore the countryside and will organise a visit to the estate’s tea factory. Spa 98 offers curative Asian therapy that complements the healing effect of the surrounding nature. The pool that overlooks the misty mountain range is a welcome treat to the mind, body and soul. From hiking, cycle trailing, to exploring the ancient Buddhist relics and cultural sites, the area offers much to see and do. Secret Ella, a planter’s bungalow cum boutique hotel, is another choice of accommodation in this beautiful hamlet. This is an elegant property situated close to all things good in Ella (including the 98 Acres Resort). The cosy, elegant interior of the hotel pairs well with the personalised service and attention. The rooms, including the bathrooms, are large and spacious. This is a romantic hideout and is also perfect for those travelling with family or a small group of friends - as there are two family rooms that can easily accommodate four people in each.

Having cooled-off in the chilly hills of Ella, a short trip down towards the deep south of Sri Lanka will bring to you another unique experience of nature and the wild. The Secret Yala, located within minutes’ distance of the Yala National Park, is designed to offer a benchmark experience of luxurious camping. Nestled between the purest of wildlife and a secluded private beach, Secret Yala combines luxury and nature in perfect harmony. The hotel is made up of luxurious tents, well equipped to provide comfort and safety amidst one of the finest wildlife experiences in the country. Yala is a renowned wildlife park and is probably the best place in the world to spot leopards, sloth bears, elephants, and a whole host of birdlife, being

home to over 215 bird species and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world. Yala promises unforgettable discoveries and exciting adventures. As well as its proximity to Yala National Park, the Secret Yala is located close to five other national parks and three wildlife sanctuaries in the vicinity, including Kumana bird sanctuary and Lunugamvehera National Park. The area around Yala has hosted several ancient civilisations and two important pilgrim sites, Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, are situated within the park. The Secret Yala is a secret worth sharing, an invitation to experience the wilds of Sri Lanka, bask in the

sun on the beach, indulge in a flavoursome Sri Lankan meal or enjoy the thrill of a wildlife safari. A two and half hours’ drive from Colombo to the Central Province will bring you to Kandy - the second largest city in the country. Kandy is the

last capital of the Sri Lankan monarchy which fell to the British in 1815 after defying the Portuguese and Dutch for three centuries. It is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO and is famously known for the golden roofed temple or ‘Sri Dalada Maligawa’ that safe keeps Lord Buddha’s Tooth Relic venerated by Buddhists. The temple stands in all its grace and purity at the heart of the city, overlooking a serene lake. It’s easily reachable from Secret Kandy, a serene colonial villa cum boutique hotel, located just minutes away from the city. The Secret Kandy is a relaxing, luxurious hideaway as well as being a good base for exploring the terrain of the nearby Knuckles Range or simply for enjoying the superior service and hospitality that is uniquely Sri Lankan.

Driven with a passion for nature and innovation The 98 Acres Resort and Spa and the Secret Hotels are owned and managed by the UHE Group, a Sri Lankan family enterprise providing a range of services via the various companies under its wings. The companies within the group include the Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory in Bandarawela which produces authentic Ceylon tea for the world market, the Uva Greenland Estates (Pvt) Ltd – which owns and manages 200 acres of tea plantation -- and UHE Exports (Pvt) Ltd, that supplies factory fresh tea and herbal products to the international market. With a passion for nature and a desire for discovery, the management of the UHE group has set conservation and exploration at the heart of its hospitality enterprise. Having understood the diverse holiday needs of the modern day traveller, the UHE group strives to combine an assortment of local experiences that includes beautiful hill country, colourful culture, mesmerising scenes, unspoilt environment and exciting wildlife, to offer a one-of-a-kind holiday experience.

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TROPICAL

CUISINE SHORT EATS, SRI LANKA’S

FAVOURITE SNACKS

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Sri Lankans love snacks, or “short eats” as they are known colloquially. Dora De Lile samples some of the best.

short eat is exactly what it sounds like, a little nibble. Short eats are savoury items such as buns, patties, pastries, vadais, cutlets, Chinese rolls; and more exotic snacks like stuffed, deep fried capsicums. Short eats can be eaten any time of day, when you’re feeling a little hungry and pop into a pastry shop for tea. They are also popular as a “bite” when drinking alcohol.

back [oysters wrapped in bacon]) than the small snacks available in pastry shops in towns throughout Sri Lanka. Although my appu (bungalow factotum) often makes fish cutlets to serve with sun-downers, and which English guests rudely call fish balls, I don’t intend to give any recipes in this article. The whole point of a short eat is that someone else has cooked

it for you to nibble when you’re feeling slightly peckish, or when you’re driving in the countryside, boozing in the local arrack bar or gossiping at an embassy reception. Indeed, at a wedding, while the women and children enjoy the rice and curry buffet lunch, the men might make a complete meal of the short eats as they celebrate with many toasts to the happy couple.

In Michael Meyler’s excellent Dictionary of Sri Lankan English, he quotes an apt use of the term: “(the bar) was full of people bunched around tables crowded with glasses and bottles and short eats, talking and drinking like a convention of alcoholics.” The habit of taking a small snack with a drink may have come to Sri Lanka with the Portuguese who could have learned it from the Spanish practice of having a tapa when enjoying a glass of wine. The word tapa comes from the Spanish tapar, to cover, and referred to the practice of covering the glass containing the wine with a slice of bread or meat. Cookery books published in Sri Lanka in the 1920s use the term “short eat” but this covers more elaborate preparations for cocktail parties (such as Prawn & Olive Canapé, Liver & Bacon Curls, Angels on Horse64 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

Vadai - a savoury cookie made with lentil flour.

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train journeys, has a prawn sticking out of it. The ulundu vadai is a spicy ring of fried soft dough of pulse flour that looks like a doughnut.

Popular snack items: rolls filled with salad and omelette, and puff pastry stuffed with fish, meat or vegetables

There are many short eats that can be bought ready made in packets from village corner shops and generally consist of deep fried gram or batter morsels. A tastier, and possibly healthier version, are deep fried manioc (a kind of yam) crisps, called chips in Sri Lanka. Banana and breadfruit chips are also a good short eat since they have a dryness to accompany drinking. In the hill country, where the climate demands more robust “bites”, whole deep fried garlic bulbs, dusted with chilli powder, are popular. You squeeze out the flesh from each garlic bud and happily munch it. Obviously, it’s better if your companions are enjoying it too. Another short eat with attitude and taste is known as Malu Miris. This is capsicum (sometimes known as banana pepper) stuffed with a mixture of Maldive fish, onion and chilli, crumbed and deep fried. More conventional snacks include patties (deep fried pastries often stuffed with a leek and onion mix); the Sri Lankan version of the triangular snack known as samosa;

Kadala (chick peas) with coconut and chilli.

Fish cutlets seem to be the most popular of short eats. They are round in shape like a ball and consist of an inner mix, usually fish and potato or it can be a vegetarian mix with yam as the binder, covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. Another popular snack that can be bought from vendors found near liquor shops are chick peas, called kadala. Chick peas are imported in dried form and need to be soaked in water overnight to soften them before being boiled and then tossed in oil with coconut, mustard seeds and chilli. A paper cone of kadala is a cheap (Rs20) and tasty accompaniment to sharing a drink and good conversation with friends. A similar quick treat goes by the local name of vadai, a cookie sized and shaped confection of deep fried lentils (parippu vadai). There are variations in both shape and content. The famous prawn vadai, available from vendors on Galle Face Green in the evenings, and on long www.wptb.lk

A plate of short eats.

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and vegetable (or egg or fish) roti, parcels wrapped in thinly rolled pancake dough. Often the stuffing depends on the cook’s whims or availability of ingredients; minced mutton is delicious. Chinese rolls, a sturdier version of the dainty spring roll of Chinese restaurants, consisting of batter made with flour and egg, rolled and filled with a stuffing of fish, vegetable or meat then crumbed and deep fried, are more of a meal substitute than a short eat.

Fish cutlet and Chinese roll, crumbed and deep fried.

Although I’ve never heard the term “long eat” mentioned in Sri Lanka, that best describes the snacks that serve as a more substantial dish including plain or egg hopper. The egg hopper is a delicacy made with a batter of rice flour fried crisply in a small wok, like a crepe, with a golden yolked egg baked in the heat in its centre. It is an ecstatic experience to eat with dollops of seeni sambol, a sweet, spicy onion relish. I feel hungry just thinking of it. You will be too, when you sample Sri Lanka’s unique short eats, long on flavour but short on cost.

A plain and an egg hopper, with seeni sambol (sweet onion) relish

Prawn vadai - a Galle Face Green speciality

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A sweet short eat, a pancake stuffed with sweetened grated coconut.

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ADVENTURE KITESURFING TOURS

SRI LANKA A

dventure Kitesurfing: the sport of riding on a modified surfboard while holding onto a specially designed kite using the wind for speed and propulsion

with smaller more agile kites as certain parts of the Kalpitiya lagoon is gusty in the afternoons. To ride the best winds in Kalpitiya I start at 9am. Towards September to December the rains may be a glitch in your plans, however, it will not be a wash out. If you are willing to try out foils I vouch to give you an excellent kitesurfing experience any time of the year in Sri Lanka. The rest of the year the winds seem to move to the other side of the Island – the eastern beaches - which is yet to be discovered for kitesurfing and are known for surfing and if you are keen to try it out check out locations such as Parsikuda and Arugambay.

Sri Lanka is an Island yet to be discovered by those who travel around the world looking for an unique experience. This Island which is strategically placed in the Indian Ocean for reasons yet to be discovered by ‘you’, have tourists with specific dreams travelling to it and are assuredly discovering the little treasures that would give them that unique experience relating to their own interests. I am travelling with a small group of enthusiasts around this Island finding locations that are just perfect for our special interest—kitesurfing. This is not to say that kitesurfers had not yet discovered that Sri Lanka provided an excellent venue before our arrival. Kalpitiya is a peninsula where many enthusiasts (local and foreign) have since 2011 worked tirelessly towards making the lagoon a kitesurfing paradise. It is by visiting them at the onset that I developed a taste for the sport. Kalpitiya is now a great location equipped with the necessary ingredients to make it a perfect location for kite sports. There are five or six kitesurfing lodges that provide accommodation on a bank of the lagoon. There is also a smaller lagoon further down the peninsula which has three more upmarket hotels, all providing equipment for hire. As we kitesurfers know we may not have the right length of line or the right size of kite for all speeds and varying gusts. Kalpitiya is now renowned for Kitesurfing all over the world. It is an exceptional location for the novice as well as the proficient kitesurfer. Once you have tried out the lagoon and exhausted its maximum potential, there is an Island further up the peninsula which provides one with an alternative setting. Most tourist lodges will provide you transport by boat to the Island. This Island is an excellent location,

however, be sure to plan ahead and start early as the trip itself is forty five minutes from your lodge and there is no turning back for an extra length of line or a different board. We are on a quest to find several more kitesurfing attractions around the Island. Up North is Mannar which has the same potential as Kalpitiya and will no doubt be an alternative attraction in time to come. On our travels we have also discovered other locations in which the winds have been just perfect; and for the expert who understands how to handle them, this is a sweet treat indeed. There is also the open land on which kiteboarding has been tried out. As a result we have broken away from the traditional culture of using inflatable kites thereby finding new heights in adventure kite sporting with foils and kiteboarding. In doing so we seem to be discovering an extension to the sport which is to indulge in a sport in exceptionally beautiful natural surroundings that is on offer on this beautiful Island. The best time to try out kitesurfing in Sri Lanka is in July when the winds are low and is perfect for the larger kites like the Spleen X19 or a similar sized inflatable. During August, the winds increase and I would advise you to be prepared

Alex Sanz: “I love to kite and I have been kitesurfing all over the world ever since kites became an adventure surfing sport. Join me and my friends on a kitesurfing tour in and around Sri Lanka. I will not only help you find excellent locations to kitesurf but will help you experience the scenic beauty of this beautiful Island.” Whether you are new to the sport and want to experience adventure kitesurfing, an intermediate or advanced rider we can cater for you. We will take you to the best local kiting locations for the wind and wave conditions encountered. Contact us to plan your personalised tour to adventure kitesurfing in Sri Lanka. Alex Sanz, IKO e-mail: kite_mad@hotmail.com Tel: +94777746654 Sallelanka (Pvt) Ltd.

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HOT

COOL SPOT

April is the season for fun in the hills but if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to this traditional hill station then, visit at any time of the year for an exciting change from sunny beaches, ancient culture and tropical ennui, suggests our travel correspondent. www.wptb.lk

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uwara Eliya’s colonial history seems of no importance to the thousands of Sri Lankans and tourists who throng its streets during the April season centred around the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year on 13 & 14 April, and for weeks afterwards. The action revives again in August, the traditional school holiday time, when many visitors from the Middle East, China and Europe discover Nuwara Eliya’s natural charms. While the town has roots stretching back centuries to pre-colonial days and is rich in rococo architecture and grand buildings that seem to have been transplanted from Britain, it is not the sights of Nuwara Eliya that draw people there in the season; it’s the fun – and the climate. For Sri Lankans (and visitors too) it’s fun to feel cold as a change from Sri Lanka’s normal high temperatures. The knowledge that the chill that descends suddenly at night won’t last, adds to its appeal. Visitors wrap themselves in imported jackets and beanie hats and stroll along the town’s boulevards thrilling at the sight of their breath turning to vapour. Locals brave the cold clad in thin cotton sarongs but with their torsos swaddled in sweaters and their faces muffled by scarves. People walk fast to keep warm.

A stroll in the park

Then, hey presto, the sun’s out again and mock shock at the cold changes to sheer delight at the sudden warmth, and the camaraderie of strangers grinning foolishly at each other. Promenading seems a popular pastime for visitors to Nuwara Eliya, walking up and down New Bazaar Street, diving into the vegetable and meat market, hanging around the bus stand, and strolling with companions in Victoria Park. Named, of course, after Queen Victoria, the Park was opened by British

colonials in 1897 to commemorate the diamond jubilee of the British Queen Empress. It was a marvel from the beginning, a beautiful garden and flower park in the middle of the town, but lost its lustre until restored in recent years. Now the main entrance is from the old Railway Station Road (yes, narrow gauge trains once linked Nanu Oya and hence Colombo with Nuwara Eliya). There, lines of school children dutifully queue to be counted for teacher to buy enough admission tickets (Rs300 for foreigners). In April, Victoria Park is a riot of colour with exotic blooms, ornately trimmed hedges, crisply mown lawns and weed-bereft borders. But it’s not only the park that’s abloom, gardens of guesthouses and hotels glimmer in the sunlight with gorgeous, dancing, cold climate flowers amidst tropical exotics. Nuwara Eliya is flower bedecked in April for the annual judging of the beautiful gardens competition; an award is much coveted.

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The streets of the town used to be overshadowed by huge trees but in some places these have been topped and shorn of branches, leav-

from Colombo and the hoi polloi from every corner of Sri Lanka carefreely mingle; when bright fashions for a few days fuse with the drab ordinary. And every one has fun. Lake Gregory, for long stifled by creeping water weed, has been resuscitated to become a 21st century playground for kids and couples hiring paddle boats to canoodle and brave youths showing off on jet skis. The pleasure of boating can be matched by long strolls around the lake, or treks into the hills and a drive up Mount Pidurutalagala Forest Reserve where leopards are reported to roam.

Nuwara Eliya’s streets are thronged with shoppers

To cater for its visitors from abroad and from different backgrounds, Nuwara Eliya has every type of accommodation, from dormitories for backpackers, musty bungalows for low budget travellers, new hotels for the coach parties, and venerable hostelries with the charm of the past complemented with all modern amenities for the gentry, and exclusive clubs and boutique properties for the top drawer set. The entrance to Victoria Pak

Welcome to Victoria Park

ing only the gnarled trunks as a reminder of their former glory; they look like modernist wooden sculptures. The town centre can’t expand as it is hemmed in by the links of the famous Nuwara Eliya Golf Course. With a course (par 70) of 5,550m at 1,890m (that’s 6,200ft) above sea level, it was laid out in 1889 in four sections to accommodate the town’s roads. It ensures that Nuwara Eliya remains green and players robust as they stalk its fairways. Not so well kept is the Race Course but that, too, contributes to the joyous spaciousness of the town. It comes to life twice a year, for the traditional April race meets and sometimes during August. The ponies to be seen grazing on its periphery can be ridden by thrilled children under the guidance of eager boys. April is the time when high society

Short eats on sale in the town

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Every kind of food is available in the town, from the short eats from vendors in the main streets to the traditional roasts served in Edwardian designed dining rooms in the grand hotels. There are buffets galore, but an a la carte culture has also developed, featuring Chinese, Indian, Thai and even nouvelle cuisine. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hill country rice and curry, bristling with fiery flavour to challenge the cold weather.

coast via Hambantota and Wellawaya. There are three main trains a day, with 1st or Observation Car as well as 2nd & 3rd Class to/from Nanu Oya, the closest station at 6km distant. Hotel accommodation ranges in price from Rs6,000 to Rs45,000 double per night with breakfast. (R.E.)

Groups gather round log fires in clubs and hotels to chat and drink imported spirits and cocktails during the chilly evenings, or congregate in the taverns dedicated to serving draft beer, once produced in Nuwara Eliya. Fresh tea, of course, is available since the hills around the town yield high grown tea of formidable quality. Tea factories in the area proudly throw open their doors to demonstrate how tea is produced and sell visitors the finest high grown orange pekoe, the champagne of tea. Nuwara Eliya is for celebration, but not only during the April season; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a town for all seasons. Nuwara Eliya is conveniently located in the lower centre of Sri Lanka. It can be reached by good roads from Colombo and the airport either via Avisawella and Hatton or via Kandy, from the west coast via Ratnapura and Haputale, from the east via Badulla, and from the south

Sidewalk vendors in Nuwara Eliya

Ponies for hire in the town

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CHECKING the inn

Our travel correspondent reviews four unusual properties around the island, each different in style and all ideal for the independent traveller looking for an affordable stay. 78 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

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Cinnamon Red roof deck infinity pool

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hile most visitors to Sri Lanka come on group tours with everything arranged and paid for in advance, this country is ideal for touring independently. There are hundreds of charming guesthouses and small hotels catering for the tourist who walks in off the street, or makes a booking direct on line before coming to Sri Lanka. In this issue of Amazing Sri Lanka, we check out four hotels in different locations, as an example of the variety of accommodation available, at affordable rates. What’s affordable? Say around US$100 double according to the time of the year.

Beach Resort

Tourists love the beach and Sri Lanka offers beaches of different character. There is Negombo near the airport, favoured by people who’ve just arrived or are preparing to depart, but it’s also popular with the party crowd. More sedate with less action is Bentota, while newly popular beaches lie on the east coast at Passikudah and deep south near Tangalle. A popular beach resort with the young of all ages because of its laidback atmosphere is Hikkaduwa. The newest hotel in Hikkaduwa is, in fact, one of the oldest and has been completely re-modelled. Bansei by Hotel J is in the centre of the town squashed between the road and the beach, a 15-minute walk along the Galle Road south from the railway station, or five minutes from the bus station. The hotel’s avant garde exterior, that makes it look like an elongated trellis with green and orange shutters instead of creeping flowers, proclaims its rise above the dross of Hikkaduwa’s ancient hippy style establishments. Its bright colours (orange, salmon pink, lime green) create a fun place to stay in right on the beach. 80 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

Bansei by Hotel J Sun loungers and pool

A long and modern bar counter is next to the restaurant overlooking a wooden dining and lounging deck and the sea, as well as the hotel’s dinky swimming pool. Of course, the whole point of a hotel, however friendly and helpful the staff are, is the quality of the accommodation. There are just 30 rooms at Hotel J and the immediate impression when entering the beach facing rooms and seeing the ocean framed by the room’s brilliant white walls, is “Wow!” The room’s floor is polished cement, the bed huge and comfortable and there are actually four pillows (whereas most low-cost hotels only have two). The linen is top quality and the towels in the compact bathroom, plentiful and fluffy. There is even a rain shower as well as a handheld one. www.wptb.lk

The mirror-fronted closet has shelves and hanging space and a safe large enough for storing a laptop. There’s a luggage rack and a work desk (with a flat screen television balanced on it) and, another rarity in a hotel of this price, there are plenty of power points. There was no mini bar and the door isn’t self-locking so guests have to remember to lock the door when leaving the room. The Bansei by Hotel J is not only affordable as a beach resort and fun for a holiday, but convenient for a business visit too. (www.hotelj.lk/hikkaduwa) Bed & Breakfast Guest House What, wondered the bubbly Henri Tatham, to do as an encore after managing Galle’s lavishly exotic hotels, the Sun House and the Dutch

House so successfully for a decade? Get married and start her own business was the answer, hence what she joyously describes as “a five-star boutique B&B guesthouse” which she and her husband, Kokila, have opened in Galle. Kikili House is such a riot of colourful furniture, fittings and drapes you blink on entering it up steps from its steep entrance just a few minutes’ drive up Lower Dickson Road from the centre of Galle. It’s a deliberate contrast to the gaunt grey walls and cobbles of Galle Fort and raises one’s spirits just by being there. It has only five rooms centred around a parlour used for meals and relaxing; a huge breakfast is included in the room rate and other meals can be arranged if required, although Galle has an eclectic range of restaurants. It costs about Rs200 for a tuk-tuk to the town. The bedrooms are lavishly comfortable and extravagantly decorated with colours that would clash anywhere but in the tropics. One room has access to the broad balcony with its glamorous array of colourful cushions overlooking the road. There is also a patio garden beside the annexe where Henri and Kokila live. It seems a great place to stay on B&B basis, treating it like your own home, while discovering Galle. (www.kikilihouse.com)

Hill Country Bungalow

Sagala Bungalow is unique in Sri Lanka as it is not the antique property it appears to be, but was custom built to incorporate the best of colonial styles with the latest contemporary fittings and comforts. Created as a private home in 2005, it has recently been modified as a plush bungalow guesthouse by a Bandarawela family-owned company. Cars park by the bungalow’s garage from where twin flights of steps lead up to the bungalow’s front lawn overlooking a valley with a distant view of Bandarawela town far below. Stepping stones lead across the lawn to a veranda fronted by four antique wooden columns of faded blue. The arched stable-style door and matching pair of windows defined with a matt blue finish are also antiques. Above the veranda is a balcony serving the two upper floor bedrooms, crowned with antique red-clay tiles. There are two doubles and a single room on the ground floor. Entrance through the front door gives access to a theatrical style parlour as lounge and dining room (with refectory table seating 12) with walls washed a stressed Victorian pink and a ceiling-high frieze of hand-painted elegant motifs, reflected on the borders of the brushed blue titanium cement floor. The parlour inspires instant contentment and a feeling of finding a comfortable bolt-hole unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka. A spiral flight of wooden steps leads up to the first floor where there are two large bedrooms. There is also a ground floor washroom, a guest kitchen for self-catering as well as an adjoining kitchen for the bungalow’s staff to prepare meals. In the bungalow’s pretty one-acre garden there is a wooden cabin as quarters for drivers. An ayurveda therapy centre is planned in the former music room above the garage. There is free WiFi and mountain bikes can be hired.

Sagala bungalow, Bandarawela

Kikili House Colourful corner balcony

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Kikili House guest bedroom

All the guest rooms are immaculately furnished with period or reproduction furniture with king-size beds (except for the single room) and top quality linen, duvets and towels, dreamily comfortable mattresses, carpeted and tiled floors, modern bathrooms with contemporary wooden toilet seats and tiled rain showers with hot water; plus electric heaters and emergency lighting, and wall-mounted flat-screen television. The Sagala Bungalow is easily reached by car or taxi from the Bandarawela railway and bus stations. It is located 2km up the Poonagala Road which is the road that gives access to the Bandarawela railway station. Its location on a small plateau yields views of the Namunukula Mountain Range as well the valleys below. After the seasonal warmth of the day, as night draws in, evening mist wafts in through the windows while porcupine and deer patrol the garden borders. Natural bliss! (www.sezaleisure.com)

City Hotel

The new city hotel, Cinnamon Red, is described as “South Asia’s first 3-star Lean Luxury Hotel.” It’s advertised on the hotel’s website as hav82 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

Cinnamon Red Bedroom

ing rooms for US$80. It does, and the rooms are easily equal to city hotels charging twice or three times as much. So where have costs been cut to keep the nightly rate so low? A list of instructions found in the bedroom gives a clue: there is no room service. If you want something in the room you have to order it by telephone and collect from the food & beverage outlet on the check-in floor. There is no amenity pack in the bathroom (but there is soap) so if you want toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving kit or comb, you have to get it from a vending machine. You can also get snacks and beverages from a machine. Keycards are presented to each registered guest, which activate the lifts to the floor you are staying on and to the public levels of 7, 8 and 26. The lower floors are for car parking. Level 8 is the location for the buffet restaurant called Flavoured. The keycard also activates the room door lock and electricity for the room. My bedroom was impressive; I flung open the curtains and gazed over the city’s rooftops. There is a conveniently circular glass writing table www.wptb.lk

(free Wifi), two comfortable chairs, a plump bed with lots of pillows, and white décor enlivened with motivational red art work. The bathroom is compact but convenient with rain shower, hair dryer, lavish towels as well as shower gel and shampoo. As well as the efficient comfort of the guest accommodation (there’s even an ironing board and iron, complimentary bottled water and tea/coffee making facilities), an appealing feature of the hotel is its 26th floor swimming pool, slender with a stunning view of the city, and its rooftop bar (Cloud Red) open from 5pm to 12 midnight. I was fascinated by the views, both inland and sea-view, and enjoyed trying to identify the city’s concealed colonial bungalows from their redtiled rooftops. Colombo seemed so green with clumps of trees in contrast to the skyscrapers shooting up on the skyline. (www.cinnamonhotels.com). (R.E.)

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SAVING TURTLES

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Several independent turtle hatcheries situated on the west and southern coasts of Sri Lanka not only help conserve turtles, they are also self-sustaining tourist attractions, reports our wildlife correspondent.

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ive species of turtle, all of them currently endangered, come ashore to nest on the beaches of Sri Lanka, as they have done for millennia. They are the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), the Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), the Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and the smallest of them all, the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). Turtles emerge from the sea at night at turtle points they have used before. They lumber up the beach until instinct tells them the time and place is right. They use their flippers to dig a hole, lay their eggs, cover them over, and then retreat back to the sea. Villagers strolling the beach at sunrise soon spot the tracks left by their flippers, and start to dig. For villagers conservation is not on their mind; they seek the turtle eggs to eat, or to sell to others to eat. They also sell, at a higher price, all the eggs they find to one of the turtle hatcheries that are located close to traditional turtle hatching grounds. So they are in fact helping conservationists, as well as making some pocket money.

Young turtles awaiting release

When that happens, the egg enters a cycle where man takes over instead of nature. Had the eggs been left alone where they were laid they would, after a few weeks, hatch. The baby turtles would then scramble out of the sand and make a dash for the sea, watched by eagle-eyed birds waiting to swoop as they scramble for life in the waves. The turtle hatcheries replicate the process. Each egg is carefully buried by hand in the sand in the hatchery in specially walled and tended beds and the place marked with a sign recording the date it was buried. This keeps the staff aware of when the egg is likely to hatch. It also prevents predators digging up the eggs.

Speically constructed bed for turtle eggs

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brought to the hatchery by fishermen or the Wild Life Department after it has been found injured. One such turtle lost a flipper and now survives because of the care it receives at a hatchery at the Induruwa Sea Turtles Conservation Project. This enterprise, which has been approved by the Eventually, a few weeks later according to na- government’s Wild Life Department, survives on admission fees ture’s timetable, the eggs hatch and the baby and donations. turtles emerge. This is when they are the most vulnerable from birds eager for a snack should Maintaining an independent turtle hatchery is very expensive they be allowed to head straight for the sea. and requires dedication as well sufficient funds. A large amount Their shells are also too soft to guarantee sur- of money has to be spent on the construction and repair of tanks, vival. The hatchery staff gather them up and pumping sea water, cleaning and purchasing fish for feeding, put them in a tank of sea water where they are and knowledgeable staff. Since support comes solely from visitkept for a few days until mature enough to be ing tourists, during the off-season the hatchery operators have to fund their work themselves. They do this through passion based released. on their concern for preserving Sri Lanka’s eco-system. This is where conventional conservationalists frown at the independent hatcheries, because Although the best time for releasing turtles is around 6.30pm, the the hatcheries along the west and south coast west and south coast turtle hatcheries are open to visitors all day, seek to cover their costs by putting on shows for every day. Staff monitor the well being of the marine creatures untourists. They are commercial ventures as well der their care and are knowledgeable in discussing turtle topics as dedicated to the preservation of turtles. Tour- with tourists. Many hatcheries also have marine themed souveists are invited to take part in the releasing of nirs, and even turtles carved locally out of wood, for sale. They are the baby turtles into the sea, in return for a cash fascinating, small and friendly places to visit, especially for childonation. But without the support of tourist spon- dren keen to know more about nature, and to help to save a turtle. sorship, the hatcheries couldn’t stay afloat and The Induruwa Sea Turtles Conservation Project, open daily, is at the baby turtles would not even be born. Kaikawala, Induruwa, between the 67 & 68km post, just south of But even when they are a few days old and the Induruwa Beach Hotel. http://www.srilankaseaturtles.com ready to swim for their lives, baby turtles are q still easy prey for birds since they start their sea journey by floating on the surface. So they are released at dawn, or dusk. Some hatcheries let off fireworks after sunset to scare off circling sea hawks and other birds as tourists gather to join in the release. Turtle conservation at Induruwa

Sometimes tourists will pay to release the baby turtles to commemorate a special occasion, such as helping 30 turtles scuttle to the sea to celebrate a 30th birthday. But it’s not just babies to be seen at a turtle hatchery. Many of them have tanks in which adult turtles are kept for some reason, either because of rarity (such as an albino turtle) or because a turtle has been 90 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

Turtle without right flipper lives happily at the hatchery

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ADVERTORIAL

Colour as a value factor in Sapphires Altaf Iqbal

In the case of royal blue, the true royal blue colour is in fact slightly inkier and darker than the ones from the masters.

Royal blue is a colour, so by definition a royal blue sapphire could come from any locality. Experience has shown however that they most famously come from Burma, while Sri Lanka and Madagascar is also known for producing blue sapphires of good hue, tone and saturation.

Submitted by The International Coloured Gemstone Association Ambassador Sri Lanka

hen talking about colour in gemstones, it is important to keep in mind that everyone sees colours differently. This is one of the aspects that make gems so interesting: even within the gem industry there are often differences of opinion on what may seem, to an outsider, to be simple colour terms. These factors make it more difficult for a gemmological laboratory to make colour determinations than, for example, to determine treatments.

Padparadscha Padparadscha is a particularly special variety of sapphire originally found in Sri Lanka, but now also found in other places such as Madagascar. The name is said to refer to the sunlight at dusk reflecting on the blossom of a lotus flower in Sri Lanka, In general, the colour in blue sapphires is caused by ti- during a specific season, and under certain specific weather tanium and iron: the positively charged electrons in each conditions. The colour has therefore been defined by internajump between the two, creating the blue colour. tional committees (as well as the Gubelin Gem Lab) as somewhere between pink and orange, in reminiscence of this beauWith regard to royal blue and cornflower blue sapphires, tiful sunset. although there is hardly any science behind the use of these terms, we do employ a sound, consistent method. The colour can be found in gemstones displaying pastel tones This began back in 2004 when we first defined the terms for our laboratory. At the time we created a set of synthetic stones and asked a number of very seasoned dealers to spot the ones that fit their personal definition of royal blue or cornflower blue, (as well as for pigeon blood red for rubies). The greatest common denominator was used to define our range of colours. In this case we only used those stones that were selected by all of our experts. As there was no such agreement on cornflower, we refrained from a definition here, and restricted our system to royal blue and pigeon blood.

or a weak to medium saturation. This very particular colour range is quite rare, and engagingly beautiful. In the trade it can command prices higher than even blue sapphires. Demand for purple has increased lately in our trading department. It comes in very fine and powerful shades. Unfortunately, there are very few beautiful untreated stones on the market in purple colour. More origin requests

Origin and treatment are also enormously important in terms of value. The determination of origin through the study of inBesides the hue, we have a number of additional criteria clusions was a science pioneered by Dr Eduard Gübelin, my which must be fulfilled by a stone to qualify for a trade great-uncle, and still to this day forms the basis for the study of colour call. That means that in our definition, the trade modern day gemmology. colours are not just a description of a hue or colour, but also a certain quality of the stone. We do see more sapphires particularly blue and this is driven Among these additional criteria are: • High quality particularly a high degree of transparency, • No dark or opaque inclusions visible to the eye, • Homogenous colour distribution, medium to high saturation, no modifier (except for a tiny amount of purple in pigeon blood), saturated colour, medium tone; • Complete absence of any type of treatment;

by dealers wanting origin certificates: ascertaining origin of blue sapphires is probably one of the greatest challenges in the scientific branch of origin determination. We do not see more sapphires on the market than before. What is striking though is that there is less and less good quality to be found on the market. As a consequence, the good quality sapphire has increased tremendously in price. SRI LANKA GEM & JEWELLERY ASSOCIATION No. 38, Frankfurt Place, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka. www.gemstone.org congress.gemstone.org

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The Western Province has so many tourist attractions, ranging from ancient monuments and colonial mansions to curated gardens and marshland wilderness, as well as the sophisticated restaurants, bars and hotels of Colombo. We plan to introduce readers to some of these wonderful sights in each issue of Amazing Sri Lanka.

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Henarathagoda Botanical Garden

his delightful botanical garden just 11m above sea level and close to Gampaha, only 29km from Colombo, is where Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rubber industry began. With its fertile soil and proximity to the swift flowing waters of the Attanagalu Oya (river), the site for the garden was chosen in 1876 because of its similarity to tropical conditions in the Amazon region of Brazil. Under the guise of general garden experiments, 1,919 rubber seedlings from Kew were planted in the embryo garden in secret and nurtured carefully. The trees blossomed and in 1881 became the first rubber trees grown in Asia, yielding enough seeds to start rubber plantations not only throughout the island but also in Malaysia, South India and Burma.

The garden now consists of 43 acres with an extensive collection of palm, orchids and trees endemic to Sri Lanka. Trees attract birds and the Garden is reputed to have nearly 80 bird species including ten endemic species as well as 18 species of mammals including the Sri Lankan Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis), as well as 12 species of butterflies and ten species of dragon flies. At first sight, the Garden seems more like a vast park since it has well maintained roads running through it and visitors are allowed to remain in their vehicles while touring the Garden. A driveway from the main gate lined with tall palm trees leads to the star attraction, the rubber trees. Unfortunately, the only trace of the original plants are roots since the oldest rubber tree collapsed in a cyclone 112 years after it was planted as a seedling. The venerable rubber trees around it are descendants.

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Moragalla

lthough Moragalla is a popular tourist destination with a fine stretch of beach and several package hotels, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feature in guide books about Sri Lanka or even on maps. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because it is defined as an intrinsic part of Beruwala at 55km south of Colombo on the west coast. It is home to many tourist places ranging in price from backpacker to mainstream luxury. Off the coast are a few small islands, one of which is adorned with a mini monastery that tourists can visit by boat by special arrangement. There is lots of beach action on this strip, which has become a favourite of tourists from Europe, many of whom return to Moragalla year after year.

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Maligatenna

nland in the Gampaha district of the Western Province, the Maligatenna Raja Maha Viharaya is a cave temple, and an important part of Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage. The caves are believed to have been where King Walagamba sought refuge from Chola invasions, and caves of various sizes are located in the temple complex. The steps to the temple are through a rock chasm along a gravelled rocky route. The largest cave in the temple is said to have been used as a shrine room by King Walagamba. There is a 5.5m Buddha reclining statue in the complex.

From a distance, the dagoba at the top of the Maligatenna rock seems like a white tower. A fabulous and panoramic outlook of the ‘Siyane Korale’ can be seen from the top of Maligatenne Raja Maha Viharaya. There is also a large rectangular pond with beautiful lilies that has apparently never run dry. Devotees believe that a treasure hid by King Walagamba lies at the bottom of the pond. Drip ledged cuttings carved high into the rock collect water, protecting the caves from rain. Many pilgrims visit the temple to perform ‘Sil’ on full moon poya days. The temple can be reached by taking the right turn at the Thihariya junction in Gampaha. This viharaya is one of the ‘Siyane Korale’ heritage sites of Gampaha which includes the Pilkuththuwa Raja Maha Viharaya, Varana Raja Maha Viharaya, the Koskandawala Maha Viharaya and the Petta Gam Gala Aranya Senasnaya

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Bentota River

he Bentota River, also known as the Bentara Ganga, forms part of the southern boundary of the Western Province. It begins in the interior lowlands, drawing water from the same basin as the Kalu Ganga. Its surface area amounts to 629 sq km, as compared with the 129km-long Kalu Ganga which has a surface area of 2,719 sq km. Nevertheless the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth is so broad it is like a lagoon. On the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s banks at its northern side (that is within the Western Province) are many water sports centres and boat houses offering windsurfing, jet-skiing, diving and deep sea fishing. Trips along the river by dugout outrigger canoe or motor boat are extremely popular with tourists to view the mangroves, riverine birds, water monitors and other wild life. Whole day river cruises can be arranged to visit the small inland villages on the river bank at the southern frontier of the Western Province..

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www.hotelashfordsrilanka.com

HOTEL ASHFORD

Welimada Rd, Sithaeliya Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. : +94 52 2051091/ 52 2051092 / 52 2235771 : +94 52 2051094 info@hotelashfordsrilanka.com

CALLING ALL

TOURISTS

AND

SERVICE PROVIDERS An amazing event that will be of interest to all involved in tourism, whether as tourists or tourist providers, takes place in April in Colombo.

alled Sancharaka Udawa, which loosely translates into English as “The Rise of Tourism”, it is an exhibition and Tourist Products Meet Mart. It will be an extraordinary gathering of all kinds of service providers to the tourism industry, ranging from camp site operators to luxury boutique hotel owners, from white water rafters to nature and heritage site promoters, from events organisers to night club managers.

at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre at BMICH.

This remarkable exhibition is actually the fifth consecutive one, held annually because of its enormous popularity not just with tourism service providers but also with the general public, and with tourists too.

This Tourism Products Meet Mart will create a platform for all tourism industry stakeholders to meet and network and thus enhance awareness of their products and services. It is the only gathering of this nature held in Sri Lanka. The Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre is an air-conditioned venue with modern and well equipped facilities for exhibitors and visitors.

It is organised by the dynamic Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) together with Sri Lanka Tourism and with participation and support from the Western Province Tourist Board and Srilankan Airlines. It takes place on Friday and Saturday 24 and 25 April 2015

The general membership of the SLAITO will hold their Special General Meeting on 24 April at the same venue. This will ensure the attendance of key players in the Tourism Industry at Sancharaka Udawa.

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This unique exhibition is open to the general public as well as to all those connected with Sri Lanka’s flourishing tourism industry.

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Mahen Kariyawasan President â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SLAITO

ABOUT

The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) was formerly known as the Association of Group Tour Agents (AGTA) and was established in 1975. In 2002, AGTA was reconstituted as SLAITO. The SLAITO Membership consists of 150 companies out of which over 90% are from the SME Sector. SLAITO is recognised as the Apex body for Inbound Tourism and the membership handles 90% of all inbound tourists in the organised tourism sector. SLAITO plays an integral role in all important private sector decision-making forums and is affiliated to The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The prime objectives of the Association: 1. To promote and foster the rapid and long term growth of tourism in Sri Lanka by providing and maintaining a high standard of excellence in the services provided for the comfort and convenience of the tourist in all its aspects. 2. To establish and maintain good and cordial relations with the Govern ment in particular with the Minister in charge of tourism and all other competent authorities for the advancement of tourism. 3. To take all steps as are deemed necessary to protect and further the interests of the members of the Association, an indispensable arm of the tourist industry.

To submit, pursue and finalise through the appropriate channels established by the Govern ment, legislative or considered necessary by the Association for the successful promotion and advancement of the Tourism In dustry in Sri Lanka.

To take any further steps as may be deemed necessary to protect and further the interests of the members of the Association, who are indispensable arms of the Tourism Industry.

Looking at the national interest of the Country, SLAITO has opened its membership to all stakeholders in tourism in the form of an Associate Membership which will enable all stakeholders to promote the country and go forward as one Apex Body.

SLAITO Secretariat is at 50, Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2, Sri Lanka; Tel: 0094115588800, fax: 0094112449352, 4. a. To liaise and maintain cordial relations with all stakeholders in the e-mail: slaito@chamber.lk; Industry. www.slaito.net b.

To establish and maintain a good cordial relations and affiliate with international travel organisations of repute and promote international relationships for the purpose of achieving the objectives of the Industry.

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Seylan Rest Kataragama At a Serene Location

04 no.s Luxury Double Rooms with A/C and Hot Water

Rs. 5,000 per day Food can be accommodated on reasonable rates

‘C+’designs

For Reservations

0112452697, 0714884515, 0710319031 Seylan Rest - Kanda Para, Kataragama, 0472235697

CHINESE GIFT PALACE

For Sri Lankan and Chinese Arts & Crafts, Feng Shui symbols, Gift Items and More No. 78, Galle Road, Colombo 06, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94 11 2594931 E-mail: cgpalace@hotmail.com

TIPS FOR TOURISTS PEOPLE Someone once described Sri Lankans as being like “tropical Italians.” Sri Lankans are generous with their smiles and their eyes express genuine emotion. The majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhist with Tamils (mostly Hindu), Muslims and Burghers (descendants of Sri Lankans and Portuguese or Dutch colonisers; mostly Christian) making up the rest. Sri Lankans welcome strangers and are keen to see that visitors are happy to be here.

obtaining cash with credit or debit cards in every town; look for the sign equivalent to the one on your card. Some ATMs do not return the card until after the transaction is completed, so don’t pocket the cash and leave without collecting your card.

CUSTOMS DUTY-FREE ALLOWANCES Import on arrival: visitors to Sri Lanka are officially required to declare all currencies, valuable equipment, jewellery and gems etc., so they can be taken back on departure. Visitors are not allowed to bring in goods in commercial quantities, or prohibited/ MONEY restricted goods such as dangerous drugs, weapons, explosive The Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs) is made up of 100 cents but you’ll rarely see devices or gold. Drug trafficking or possession leads to severe cents as most coins are of Rs10, 5, 2 and 1 in value. Currency notes in punishments up to the death penalty. circulation are in denominations of Rs5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 100, 50 and 20. As new notes are being phased in replacing two older versions, you will find some notes of the same denomination come in three different colours. Watch carefully when you are handling currency to see that you don’t mistake a high denomination note for a lower one. Even Sri Lankans make that mistake. Visitors bringing into Sri Lanka an excess of $10,000 in any foreign currency should declare the amount to customs on arrival, to allow that much to be taken out again. Keep exchange receipts so you can easily exchange excess rupees back into foreign currency on departure. Banking Hours: All banks in the country open for the public from 0900hrs to 1300hrs from Monday to Friday, but some banks have extended their opening hours until 15.00hrs and are also open on Saturday. There are ATMs for 108 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

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A tourist is allowed to bring in duty free: 1.5 litres of spirits, 2 bottles of wine, a small quantity of perfume and 250ml of toilet water. The duty free importation of cigarettes, cigars or tobacco is not permitted. However, locally manufactured brands of international cigarettes are readily available. Tourists are allowed to export without paying export tax up to 10kg of tea grown and packed in Sri Lanka. The export of Sri Lankan antiques (defined as an item over 100 years old) is not allowed.

CONDUCT Cleanliness and modesty are appreciated even in informal situations. Nudity and topless bathing are prohibited and subject to heavy fines. Display of intimacy is not suitable in public and will probably draw unwanted attention.

HANDS AND EATING Use your right hand for giving, taking, eating or shaking hands as the left hand is considered to be unclean. Do not shake hands with a Buddhist Monk or a Hindu Swami. Greet them with your hands clasped together as if in prayer and raising them to your forehead bending slightly forward. When handing objects to another person, using right hand or both hands would be appreciated by the receiver.

VISITING PLACES OF WORSHIP Visitors to Buddhist and Hindu temples are welcome though the shrines of Hindu temples are sometime closed to non-Hindus. Visitors to temples are expected to be respectably clad, bare footed and with heads uncovered.

IN CONVERSATION

Do not attempt to shake hands or be photographed with Buddhist monks or to pose for photos with statues of the Buddha or other deities and paintings.

In conversation Sri Lankans may ask questions that a foreigner would regard as being too personal. This simply reflects the emphasis Sri Lankans place on family life.

WOMEN

PHOTOGRAPHY

To avoid causing offence or inviting harassment, there are simple precautions that women should take, since what a woman might wear in her home country could be regarded as provocative in Sri Lanka. Thus looseâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;fitting, non-see-through clothes covering the shoulders, and skirts, dresses or shorts that are at least knee length should be worn, and are sensible for protection from the sun too.

Sri Lankans are happy to pose for photographs but it is polite to ask for permission first. Street entertainers like snake charmers would expect a fee for posing.

SMOKING Smoking is prohibited in public places. Please observe non-smoking rules. Smoking is permitted in some enclosed spaces (like bars) but if in doubt, ask before lighting up.

SAFETY As in any country, theft can occur, especially when travelling by train or in a crowded bus. It is sensible to secure valuables, passport and credit cards out of sight, such as in a money belt or buttoned pockets, and not to leave bags, computers, cameras, etc., unattended when travelling. Keep a record of vital documents, including your passport number, credit card numbers etc., separate from those documents in case they www.wptb.lk

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do get stolen. If items are stolen, report the theft to the nearest police station and, if you need proof for an insurance claim, obtain a copy of your report. The paper work involved in reporting losses can be time consuming and irritating. Tourists should not assume that if procedures move slowly they are expected to offer a bribe. If you face really serious problems, e.g. in case of a driving accident, you should contact your consular office as quickly as possible.

UNWRITTEN THE ROAD

RULES

The rule of ‘might is right’ applies. Flashing headlights mean ‘get out of the way, I’m not stopping’. In these circumstances it is advisable to give the oncoming vehicle adequate space, since they usually approach at high speed. Roundabouts are generally a free-for-all, so take your chance cautiously.

compatible appliances. There may be pronounced variations in the voltage and occasional power cuts. As socket types vary, it is advisable to carry a universal adapter.

BUSINESS HOURS Government Offices: Open 09.30-1700, Monday-Friday. Restaurants and Bars: Permitted hours for alcohol service are 11.00-14.00 and 17.00-2300; however some restaurants/bars have different licences and do not close in the afternoon. No alcohol is served on Poya (Full Moon) Days.

DRIVING PERMIT Foreigners intending to drive in Sri Lanka are required to obtain a ‘recognition permit’ that is issued up to the expiry date of your International Driving Permit. This is a simple process. Just call at the Automobile Association of Sri Lanka at 40, Sir M.M. Markar Mawatha, Galle Face, Colombo 3, open 08.30-16.30, Monday-Friday except on public holidays. If you do not have an International Driving Permit but have your national licence, you must apply for a temporary Sri Lankan Driving Licence from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Department of Motor Traffic at 341, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo5. Tel:0112694331. Temporary driving licences are issued on payment of Rs 2500+VAT per month up to a maximum period of one year. (Rates are subject to change)

MAINS ELECTRICITY Mains power in Sri Lanka is 230 V @ 50 Hz AC. Some hotels have transformers/ converters enabling visitors to use non110 | AMAZING SRI LANKA

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A specialist inbound tour operator, Airwing Tours is your gateway to the paradise island of Sri Lanka. Our services range from Special Interest Tours, Sports Tours, Nature Based Tours, Eco Holidays, Adventure Tours, Study Tours, Cultural Tours, Beach Holidays, Wellness Holidays, Incentive Tours, to Tailor Made Holidays for Luxury to Standard clientele. Established 20 years ago, we possess years of experience in organizing comprehensive travel packages for groups, individuals as well as families, bringing you the best tour packages in the island. All our tour guides are experienced as well as multilingual. We possess a fleet of vehicles inclusive of cars, vans, mini coaches and large coaches. We hold travel and tour Contracts with more than 80% of the hotels in the island. We possess the ability to customize a holiday to meet with customer preferences. Our main office is situated 15 minutes from the Airport in Negombo while a travel counter at the arrival lobby of the Bandaranaike International Airport assists our customers 24/7. Head Office: No: 68, Colombo Road, Negombo, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94(0)31 2236620, +94(0)31 2238376 , +94(0)31 2238377, +94(0) 31 3338116 Fax: +94(0)31 2238155 E-mail: sales@airwingtours.com, info@airwingtours.com Web: www.airwingtours.com

Sub Office: At the Bandaranayaike International Airport Arrival Lobby.

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The National Emblem

he national emblem of Sri Lanka is used by the Sri Lankan government in connection with the administration and government of the country. The current emblem has been in use since 1972.

The emblem features a gold lion passant, holding a sword in its right fore paw (the same lion from the flag of Sri Lanka) in the centre on a maroon background surrounded by golden petals of a Blue Lotus the national flower of the country. This is placed on top of a traditional grain vase that sprouts sheaves of rice grains that circle the border reflecting prosperity. The crest is the Dharmacakra, symbolising the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost place for Buddhism and just rule. Traditional Sinhalese heraldic symbols for the sun and the moon form the supporters.

The National Flag

he flag of Sri Lanka, also called the Lion Flag, consists of a gold lion, holding a kastane sword in its right fore paw, in front of a dark red background with four golden Bo leaves, one in each corner. Around the background is a yellow border, and to its left are two vertical stripes of equal size in green and saffron, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion. The lion represents the Sinhalese ethnicity and the bravery of the Sri Lankan nation while the four Bo leaves represent Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha. The orange stripe represents the Sri Lankan Tamils, the green stripe represents Sri Lankan Moors, and the maroon background represents the majority of Sinhalese, like the lion, this is the colour used in early flags of Sri Lanka by kings. It was adopted in 1950 following the recommendations of a committee appointed by the 1st Prime Minister of Ceylon, The Rt Hon D.S. Senanayake.

The National Butterfly

he Sri Lankan Birdwing (Troides darsius) is a species of birdwing butterfly found in Sri Lanka. It is the largest Sri Lankan butterfly with a wingspan spreading 165â&#x20AC;&#x201C;180 mm. The declaration of a national butterfly is aimed at raising public concern on butterfly conservation.

Sri Lankan Birdwing is the great black and yellow butterfly (Ornithoptera darsius, Gray); the upper wings, which measure six inches across, are of deep velvet black, the lower, ornamented by large particles of satiny yellow, through which the sunlight passes, and few insects can compare with it in beauty, as it hovers over the flowers of the heliotrope, which furnish the favourite food of the perfect fly, although the caterpillar feeds on the aristolochia and the betel leaf and suspends its chrysalis from its drooping tendrils.

The National Bird

he Sri Lankan Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii), known during the colonial era as the Ceylon Junglefowl, is a member of the Galliformes bird order which is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is the national bird. It is closely related to the Red Junglefowl (G. gallus), the wild junglefowl from which the chicken was domesticated. The specific name of the Sri Lankan Junglefowl commemorates the French aristocrat Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette. In Sinhala it is known Wali Kukula. The Sri Lankan Junglefowl is most closely related to the Grey Junglefowl, though physically the male resembles the Red Junglefowl. Female Sri Lanka Junglefowl are very similar to those of the Grey Junglefowl.

The National Tree

eylon ironwood (Mesua ferrea) was declared the National Tree on 26 February 1986. It was chosen as the National Tree for the reasons of tree origin in Sri Lanka, utility, historic & cultural importance, exterior posture, wide distribution, colour & nature and ability to draw & sketch it easily. Ceylon ironwood is a species in the family Calophyllaceae. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental due to its graceful shape, greyish-green foliage with a beautiful pink to red flush of drooping young leaves, and large, fragrant white flowers. Its flower is also used in herbal medicine and preparation of perfumes, cosmetics and soaps.

The National Flower

he Nil Manel (Nymphaea stellata) Blue Water Lily was chosen as the national flower of Sri Lanka in February 1986. The Blue Water Lily of exquisite beauty are a common sight throughout the island. Growing in shallow fresh waters with no season for blooming, the Blue Water Lily thrives wherever lakes, ponds or marsh land is found. This flower is considered a symbol of Purity and Truth due to the fact that it grows in muddy water yet emerges above it so clean and fragrant. The Blue Water Lily has been offered as tribute to the Buddha for many centuries and even the Sigiriya Fresco ladies are seen holding this remarkable blossom in their hands.

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