sri lanka, destination insights

SRI LANKAWorld Heritage Sites, Cave Temples

Giant Stupas, Bare Breasted Maidens

Dancers & Drummers, Tea Plantations

Botanical Gardens, Wildlife Safaris

Museums, World Class Hotels, Recipes and more

TM

S R I L A N K APearl of the Indian Ocean

“Dear me, it is beautiful! And most sumptuously tropical, as to character of foliage and opulence of it.”

— Mark Twain, from his book Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World.

4 SRI L ANKA

Sri Lanka Fast Facts

• Size: Sri Lanka is about 140 miles wide and 270 miles from top to bottom, with more than 1,000 miles of coastline. Its area, about 25,000 square miles, isslightly larger than that of West Virginia.

• Society: Driven by state-funded freeeducation from kindergarten throughuniversity and free health services, SriLankans enjoy a literacy rate of 93% and a life expectancy of 76 years, both on par with developed countries.

• Ethnic and cultural diversity: Sri Lanka’s20+ million people are about 75% Sinhala,11% Tamil, 9% Muslim, 4% Indian and0.5% others (Burgher and Malay). Ofthese, about 70% are Buddhist, 15%Hindu, 9% Muslim, and 7% Christian.

• Languages: Sinhala, Tamil, and English(commonly used in government).

• Exports: Sri Lanka is famous for theworld's finest "Pure Ceylon Tea" and the world's best cinnamon, sapphires and rubies.

• Tourism: Sri Lanka hosted a milliontourists in 2012. It is home to eightUNESCO World Heritage Sites (we visitedseven). Visitors can obtain30-day visas online.

The traditional Sri Lankan greeting,Ayubowan, means "May you have the gift of long life."

■ Negombo

■ Galle

Cultural Triangle

■ Mount Lavinia

■ Colombo

■ Kandy

■ Anuradhapura

■ Polonnaruwa

■ Yala

■ Nuwara Eliya

Indian Ocean

Gu

lf o

f

Man

nar

■ Sigiriya

■ Dambulla

5SRI L ANKA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

6 Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean by Lakshman Ratnapala

8 Sigiriya The Lion Rock

23 Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

29 Dambulla Golden Temple, Cave Temples

36 Jetwing Vil Uyana

40 Polonnaruwa

46 Kaudulla Elephant Safari

49 Anuradhapura Great Stupa, Bodhi Tree, Thuparama, Jetawana

60 Lanu Mola Coconut House Milking a coconut, weaving mats

66 Kandy Temple of the T ooth, Ragahala Dance, Woodcarvers, Batik

78 Royal Botanical Gardens

84 Mahaweli Reach Hotel Recipes

88 Highlands Tea Plantations, Jetwing St. Andrews

106 Yala National Park Chaaya Wild

118 Galle King Coconut, Dutch Fort, Maritime Museum, Jetwing Galle

134 Mount Lavinia

136 Colombo Galle Face Hotel, National Museum

148 Negombo Jetwing Blue, Chef making hoppers

6

SRI LANKA lies like an emerald pendant off theIndian peninsula, separated by only twenty miles of shallow sea. Smaller than the biggest, but biggerthan the smallest of the Great Lakes, it was calledmany names by many people. The Macedonians knew it as Taprobane. To the Persians it was Serendib,to the Chinese it was the “island of jewels.” ThePortuguese called it Ceilao, the Dutch Zeilan and theBritish Ceylon. But, the indigenous people alwaysknew it as Lanka — the Resplendent Land.

No place on earth has been likened to Paradise sooften, for so long, by so many writers as Sri Lanka.The Persians pronounced that Adam and Eve,banished from Paradise, were sent to “this OtherEden, this demi-Paradise.” Friar Marignolli, Papalemissary to Peking in early 14th century, wrote that“from Seyllan to Paradise is a distance of forty Italianmiles, so that the sound of the waters falling from the fountain of Paradise is heard there.” And, MarkTwain exclaimed, “Dear me, it is beautiful! What a dream of fairyland and paradise!”

The HISTORY of Sri Lanka isshrouded in the mists of time andlegend. Ramayana, the Asian epicwhich pre-dates Homer’s Odysseyand the Iliad, recounts theabduction of Indian princess Sita bythe king of Lanka, Ravana. TheMahavamsa, Chronicle of the GreatDynasty, composed in the 3rdcentury, records the arrival of Indo-Aryan settlers in 6th century BC — the Sinhala: the lion race,from the Sanskrit word for lion. Laying thefoundations of a great civilization, they builtAnuradhapura, their first great capital city, coincidingwith the Golden Age of Periclean Greece. It lastedover a thousand years as a major metropolis of theancient world. Ptolemy recorded it in the earliestmaps ever made. Pliny, the Roman historian, devotedan entire chapter in his encyclopaedic work to theexchange of ambassadors between A’pura andEmperor Claudius’ Rome in 45 AD. Chinese scholar

Fa-Hsien, who studied there for two years in the 4thcentury, described a planned city with handsome,richly adorned buildings.

The history of Sri Lanka was an inexorable cycle of invasions from South India and their repulse, timeand again, by Sinhala warriors, laying a legacy of bitterfruit in our own day. A’pura was repeatedly sacked andthe Sinhalas in desperation moved their sacred capitalto Polonnaruwa where they raised a splendid new city,which inevitably attracted the cupidity of newplunderers. In the face of continuing pillage anddestruction, the Sinhalas retreated further south,moving their capital to a dozen different sites, always carrying with them the symbol of nationalsovereignty, the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha.

Finally, taking refuge in the mountain fastnesses, they built yet another capital city, Kandy. Here again,peace eluded them as new enemies, now from theWest — the Portuguese, Dutch and English withvastly superior arms, mounted waves of invasions,

routed by Kandyan froces whotenaciously defended their lastroyal redoubt for 300 more yearsuntil internal intrigue ceded theKingdom to the British under atreaty in 1815, ending a monarchywhich had ruled for two and halfmillennia. Sitting in a bowl ofmountains, beside an artificial lake,with the Temple of the Tooth Relicas the piece de resistance, Kandypresents a picture postcard sceneof such beauty that British

Governor, Sir William Gregory observed, “Kandy isthe loveliest town in the loveliest island in the world.”

Freedom was regained in 1948 and modern Sri Lankais a democratic, multi-ethnic society reflecting theimpact of foreign settlers in the wake of numerousinvasions.

The CULTURE of Sri Lanka is shaped by thepervading influence of Buddhism over the life of thecountry. The introduction of Buddhism in 247 BC was

THE PEARL OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

by Lakshman Ratnapala

7

adorned by a necklace of sandy whitebeaches, rises gently from the palmfringed shores to mist clad mountains

with cascading waterfalls and thecommanding presence of Adam’s Peak,

where Adam alighted upon his transfer to“This Other Eden.”

The richness of Sri Lanka’s flora is matched by the variety of its fauna, from elephant, leopard, bear and blue whale to a stunning array of birds. Thestartling diversity of physical features and wildlifewithin such a modest area makes this a nature lover’sparadise. Philip Brooks, Rector of Trinity Church,Boston, visited Sri Lanka in 1883 and wrote home:“My dear Mary, this must be the most beautiful placein the world. I do not see how there could be onemore beautiful. In the gardens cinnamon, nutmeg,cloves, tea and coffee plants, pineapples, mangoes,bamboos, banyans, India-rubber trees and a hundredother curious things are growing. Here and thereyou met an elephant or a peacock and the pleasant-faced natives smile at you out of their pretty houses.”

That pretty smile remains the best thing about SriLanka, where hospitality is second nature. I presentthis book with pride, wishing you the good fortuneto experience the wonders of this enchanted land.

Lakshman [email protected]

LAKSHMAN RATNAPALA is Chairman of EnelarInternational, a San Francisco-based company providingservices on tourism-related issues to governments,airlines and corporate offices of hotel chains. Ratnapalais Emeritus President and CEO of PATA, the multi-national corporation for development of travel in Asia Pacific. A former Sri Lanka TourismDirector for the Americas, he was named World TravelDigest’s “Man of the Year” for his excellence inmarketing. Lakshman Ratnapala has served asChairman of Executive Service Corps of San Francisco,Chairman of Foreign Travel Club of San Francisco,Chairman of International Committee of the AmericanRed Cross Bay Area and Treasurer of California HeritageCouncil. Currently, he is International Consultant/Directorof Bay Area Travel Writers Inc.

the most decisive event in the long history ofSri Lanka. The resultant royal patronagegave Buddhism the prestige of a state religionand set in motion the evolution of adistinctive culture which burst into spectacularflowering of the national genius in art,architecture, literature, music and a lifestyle based onthe Buddhist ethos.

The massive artificial reservoirs and canal systems thatsustained a vibrant civilization whose very existencedepended upon the conservation of water in a “dryzone” attest to the hydraulic engineering skills of theancients with an astounding knowledge in such fieldsas trigonometry. These great lakes enhance thearchitectural ensembles of stupendous dagabas,rivaling the pyramids of Egypt, monumental statuesand decorative sculptures, carved with amazingvitality, grace and beauty. The paintings of celestialmaidens at the soaring citadel of Sigiriya and thefrescoes at the temples of Dambulla display an artisticbrilliance, even after one-and-a-half millennia.

Today, Sri Lanka’s culture is enriched by the tradersand conquerors who transplanted their distinctivelifestyles. Yet, the culture of the first Sinhala settlersand their religion, Buddhism, remain the hallmark of this multi-cultural society.

NATURE has blessed Sri Lanka with incrediblewealth. King Solomon sent emissaries here to findgems to woo the Queen of Sheba. Chinese writers ofyore found rubies so abundant here, they wrote thegods had “sprinkled the land with a dew causing it toproduce red gems.” Marco Polo traveling from Chinato Persia in a squadron escorting the granddaughter ofKublai Khan to espouse the Khan of Persia in 1293wrote, “the island produces more beautiful andvaluable rubies than found in any other part of theworld, and likewise sapphires, topazes, amethysts,garnets and many other precious stones.”

Nature’s bounty is such that there is no land morelush or more beautiful. “Ceylon, from whateverdirection it is approached, unfolds a scene ofloveliness and grandeur unsurpassed by any land inthe universe,” wrote Emerson Tennant. Greenerydominates the countryside from the lowland ricepaddies to the highland tea terraces. The land,

8 SIGIRIYA UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

igiriya, the Lion Rock, rises more than 600 feetfrom the forested plains below. One of Asia’s

major archaeological sites, it is one of the mostimportant urban planning sites of the firstmillenium.

In the 5th century, King Kassapa I constructed a palace, elegant pavilions, elaborate pleasuregardens, broad moats, reservoirs, and parapetwalls, converting the majestic, sheer-sided outcropto an almost inaccessible royal capital and courtlyparadise. (Having just murdered his father,

Kassapa needed an impenetrable fortress forprotection from the revenge of his half-brother,who also had his eye on the throne .)

Considered by some to be the eighth wonder of the ancient world and now a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, Sigiriya’s natural beautyand historic interest endure. The site showcasesa unique concentration of 5th century urbanplanning, architecture, gardening, hydraulictechnology, engineering, and art.

But it’s a steep climb—1200 steps.

S

9SIGIRIYA

Thirty man-maderock shelters or“caves” with deeplyincised protective ordrip-ledges served asBuddhist monasticresidences from the3rd century BC to the1st century.

SIGIRIYA10

Sigiriya’s extensive water gardens feature symmetrical, paved bathing pools,several islands, and serpentine, marble-lined streams. Gravity-poweredfountain gardens, which still work well during the rainy season, demonstratethe excellence of Sri Lanka’s ancient hydraulic technology.

Natural archway in the 5th century Boulder Garden.

Peaceful gardens stretch out below the monolithic rock.

“My dear Mary, I think this must be the most beautiful place in the world. I do not see how there could be one more beautiful...”

—Pillips Brooks, Rector of Trinity Church,Boston, March 1883

The towering rock outcrop at Sigiriya is 2,500 million years old, and dates fromthe earliest epoch of the earth’s formation.A Middle Precambrian inselberg, or“island mountain,” it sits in an area thathas been inhabited by humans for 10,000years. Sigiriya served as a majorcommunication center for the four keyeconomic zones that grew up around it,each incorporating major urban, agrarian,irrigation, and port systems.

At the rock’s base, huge boulders linked bywinding pathways and rock archescomprise the Boulder Garden. Thirtyman-made rock shelters or “caves” are a reminder of the Buddhist monasticresidences where reclusive monks livedfrom the 3rd century BC to 1st century.

SIGIRIYA12

Many of the boulders are scored with rows of notches, which onceheld timber supports or brick footings for pavilions; almost everyrock had a pavilion or a strategically placed sentry point on it.

Cobra Rock

13SIGIRIYA

The Lion Platform is infamous for its bees. We sawonly a few, and they were not bothersome.

The steep climb, affording spectacular views, is made possibleby slim pathways tacked to the face of the cliff.

14 SIGIRIYA

The climb is steep but worth the effort

15THE SIGIRIYA DAMSELS

King Kassapa commissioned artists to embellish the rocks with 550 frescoes of beguiling, bare-breasted “heavenly maidens,” creating the world’s largest open-air citrisala or picture gallery. It originally stretched along the whole face of hill, more than 400 feet wide. Archaeologists estimate that there were once 13,000 square feet of royal murals in this area .

The apsaras or celestial nymphs (a common motif in religiousand royal art of Asia) here are overtly sensual, in contrast tomost of the rest of Sri Lanka’s extant art, which portrays sereneBuddhas. The damsels, whose beauty and color remain brighteven today — after 1500 years — are reached via a pathsheltered by a glistening “mirror wall.”

The 1500-year-old mirror wall was plastered with a mixture of lime, egg white, beeswax, and wild honey, and burnished to asmooth shine. From the 6th to the 14th century, it was covered with a spiderweb of ancient tributes to the heavenly beauty ofthe nearby damsels, leaving us with one of the world’s oldest examples of graffiti.

Nearly 1,000 of the inscriptions have been translated; one reads:

Ladies like you Make men pour out their hearts.And you also have thrilled the bodyMaking its hairStiffen with desire.

Right:Inscription on the

Mirror Wall

16 THE SIGIRIYA DAMSELS

The fresco process does not forgive mistakes; notice the errant3rd nipple on the figure above.

18 SIGIRIYA

The great Lion Staircase isSigiriya’s most dramaticfeature. A colossal crouchinglion, of which only the artfullysculpted paws remain, was oneof the principal features of the5th century Sigiriya complexand was a symbolic statementof the power and majesty ofKing Kassapa’s royal authority.It also served as the ultimateand solitary gatehouse to hispalace on the summit.

Entry was through the jaws of the lion.

The Lion Staircase is impressive even today, in its ruined state.

19SIGIRIYA

20 SIGIRIYA

If Sigiriya’s summit is a bafflingconfusion of foundations andfragmentary remains, it is also a tribute to the enormity ofengineering required to constructthe mountaintop palace. The partnatural, part man-made steppedplateau provides magnificentviews of the historic site below,laid out in concentric precincts ona precise east-west axis.

An ingenious hydraulic systemdriven by windmills broughtwater to the reservoirs and poolsabove via a series of terraces.

As the king was too royal to walk,he too would have been carried tothe summit.

Famous view towards the mountains of Kandy from Sigiriya’s summit.

22 ON THE ROAD

Bright colors in homes and businesses are quite common

23PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

innawala Elephant Orphanage wasestablished in 1975 with five elephants.

Since that time it has never turned away an orphaned or injured elephant, and todaymore than 100 of the majestic beasts callPinnawala home. Some can eventually bereleased, but most cannot survive on their own.

Most of the elephants at Pinnawala have beenrescued from difficulties encountered in thewild, but some of the residents were bornhere. With the help of both local and foreignelephant experts, Pinnawala has become oneof the world's most successful captivebreeding facilities for Asian Elephants.

Left: This is one of two baby elephants we sawthat had been rescued in separate incidents.

Each was accidentally trapped in an irrigationditch, and eventually abandoned when the herd

had to move on.

P

This is the oldest elephant at Pinnawala. He is 65to 70 years old, and at end of his natural lifespan.He is blind in both eyes, and came to Pinnawalabecause of injuries from a gunshot wound.

PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

The orange patch on their trunk is normal for Asian elephants, although you won’t find it on African elephants. Here are some differences between the two:

Asian Elephants African ElephantsOrange patch on trunk No orange patch on trunkOnly a few males (7%) get tusks All adults (males and females) get tusksSmall ears Larger ears shaped like continent of Africa1 "finger" at end of trunk 2 "fingers" at end of trunkSmaller overall size Larger than Asian elephants18 toes: back feet have only 4 toes each 20 toes

The three-legged elephant above, named Sama, lost its right frontleg in land mine accident during the war; its backbone and otherfront leg have become distorted from carrying extra weight.

Pinnawala encourages human interaction with the elephants.

25

26 PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

Adult elephants eat up to 200-250kg of leaves (440 to 550 pounds)and drink 200 liters of water (morethan 50 gallons) every day. These elephants eat coconutleaves, jackfruit, palm leaves andbranches, tamarind, and grass.Baby elephants are bottle fed;selected visitors have a chance to help with feeding.

Twice a day—from 10-12 andagain from 2-4—mahouts (keepers)walk the elephants a quarter of amile through the village ofPinnawala and down to the MahaOya River, where they cool off,play, or just relax. It's one of theelephants favorite activities.

27PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

The largest male elephants are in chains at theriver so they don’t wander across to the other side.The smallest elephants are not brought to theriver because the water is too high and the rapidsare too dangerous.

In the 1960s, following nearly a century ofgame hunting by British colonialists, SriLanka's elephant population was down from anestimated 30,000 individuals to near extinction.That tragedy of decimation prompted thegovernment to found the Pinnawala ElephantOrphanage. Today, the number of elephantsliving in wilderness exceeds 3,000.

28 PINNAWAL A — ELEPHANT DUNG PAPER

Elephants are poor digesters, and much of whatthey eat comes straight out the other end asfiber. Elephants begin the paper makingprocess by providing dung, which is gatheredand boiled for three to four days to ensure thatthe resulting fibers are clean and soft.

They are colored using locally producedvegetable dye, mashed and blended to a finepulp, and spread on a small frame to dry in the sun. The next day, the coarse paper (whichresembles cardboard) is pressed for a finer,denser texture, and scented with cinnamon and lemon grass.

Wet pulp in screen, ready to dry.

Finished small box with paper samples.

Input to the elephants.

Adding water to dry fibers to make pulp.

Light grey pulp drying on racks

30 DAMBULL A CAVE TEMPLES

ambulla was designated a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 1991. Its five

caves, or shrine rooms, are part of a vastcavern with more than 80 documentedcaves in a massive rock that rises 350 feetabove the plain. The caves were occupiedby Buddhist hermits at least from the reign of King Vattagamani Abhaya (89-77 B.C.),who probably cut the katarama (drip-ledge)along the rock to protect the caves fromrain water.

Much later, King Nissanka Malla (1187-96), set on making his presence feltthroughout Sri Lanka, spent lavishly atDambulla and elsewhere. Nissanka Malla

D

Continued on page 32

DAMBULL A CAVE TEMPLES 31


—we came to call him "The InscriptionKing"—confused later scholars byregularly adding his own inscriptions tothe existing work of other kings.Dambulla was repaired and furtherembellished by the kings of Kandy duringthe 17th and 18th centuries.

Today the shrine rooms are filled with a mixture of religious and secularpainting and sculpture representing Sri Lanka’s evolving artistic styles. There are more than 150 statues of theBuddha, as well as various statues andpaintings depicting Buddhist history.Hindu deities are also included, becauseBuddhist rulers from time to time marriedHindu princesses, and wanted them to feelcomfortable worshipping together in thesame location.

The earliest works here are believed to be in Cave #2, and date from the 8th century.

Cave #1 (page 25), called DevarajaViharaya (Temple of the King of theGods) is almost entirely filled with a 46-foot reclining Buddha carved from a single piece of rock, and still joined to the rock at the back. The statue depictsthe parinibbana (the last moment) of theBuddha, which is represented—anddifferentiated from a sleeping or restingBuddha—by three distinctive aspects ofthe pose: 1) The left hand is not quitedirectly beneath the head, 2) the knees are not exactly aligned, and 3) the feet are not quite aligned with each other.

Cave #2 (this page) is the largest and themost impressive; it’s 172 feet long and 75feet wide. Called Maha Raja Viltaraya (thetemple of the Great King), #2 is painted inbrilliant colors and bursts with anenormous array of Buddhas. The mainstatue is a life-sized standing Buddha withhis right hand in the Abhaya mudra or“Have no Fear” posture.

33DAMBULL A CAVE TEMPLES

The walls are covered with excellentmurals, including several depicting the trials and temptations suffered by the Buddha on the night he attainedenlightenment. (He resisted both an attack by hoards of hairy demons and the advances of a crowd of alluring maidens.)

Towards one end of the room is aperpetual dripping of rainwater that hasfiltered slowly through the rock roof. The water is caught in a vessel and usedexclusively for sacred purposes. Buddhistsbelieve the water will never stop falling,even during a severe drought.

Cave #3 (this page), called Maha AlutViharaya (The Great New Temple), was made into shrine room by Kirti SriRajasinha, who reformed the BuddhistChurch in the eighteenth century.

The cave is about 90 feet long, 80 wide; its immense rock surface is painted with richly colored frescos depictingBuddhist history.


Stylized f lames—or sometimes a halo—over a figure’s head represent enlightenment.

Cave #3 is dominated by a meditatingBuddha (at right) seated beneath a makaratorana (dragon arch), and surrounded by50 other Buddhas (mostly life-sized) and a 30-foot reclining Buddha carved from a single piece of rock.

The reclining Buddha here is similar tothe one in Cave #1, but this one is onlyabout 30 feet long. Most of the Buddhasin cave #3 are colored bright yellow;several have red robes.

Cave #4 is smaller, with only 21 Buddhastatues. Cave #5 has no historical value, as its contents date from the 1920s.

35DAMBULL A CAVE TEMPLES

ur favorite Sri Lankan hotel, Vil Uyana, languishes just afew miles from the base of Sigiriya. The setting is a serene

combination of wetlands, paddy fields, and forest—perfect fornature lovers.

Relaxing in our private, open-air swimming pool at dusk, we were treated to the sight of hundreds of flying foxes(gigantic bats) as they sailed high above, looking for insects.Birdwatching was excellent here, and we would also have seenVil Uyana’s cute little monkey-like primates if the loris walkhadn’t been rained out. www.jetwinghotels.com

O

VIL UYANA — SIGIRIYA36

37VIL UYANA — SIGIRIYA

Jetwing

Walkways between buildings bring one through the ponds Weddings are popular at this beautiful resort

Vil Uyana is not only serene and lush; it has also beena model of eco-engineering since its inception in2006. No trucks or cars are allowed on the property.Instead, clean, quiet electric buggies carry guests andemployees throughout the complex. During the dryseason, recycled water refreshes the 25 acres of gardens.

Even small details have been thought through from an ecological perspective: drinking water in the roomsis provided in refillable glass bottles, and energy-conserving CFL bulbs light the rooms.

38 VIL UYANA

The cottages have extensive private open-airareas as well as large balcony windows withexpansive views. The mosquito netting wasromantic but unnecessary.

Below ritht: Evening turn-down service included a friendly “Good Night” spelled out in fresh,aromatic leaves.

38

39

Some of the locals down for a nap.

Street vendors provide a wide variety of “short eats” or The wonder Cone, seen here, will “melt your resistance”.

ON THE ROAD

40 POLONNARUWA

he second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms,Polonnaruwa served as the capital city from the

11th to the 13th century. King Vijayabahu I, who was responsible for the resurgence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka‚ ruled the island from Polonnaruwa. Later his grandson, King Parakramabahu I,constructed lavish palaces. Adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens should be wasted,Parakramabahu constructed an immenseirrigation system, which still today suppliesthe water for rice cultivation during the dryseason in eastern Sri Lanka. Around 1292 Sri Lanka was invaded and Polonnaruwa wasabandoned. The remaining archaeologicalsite is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.(Its beauty was also used as a backdrop to scenes filmed for the DuranDuran music videoSave a Prayer in 1982.)

The mysterious Satmahal Prasada (“Seven-story edifice”) resembles Cambodian architecture

T

41POLONNARUWA

Gal Potha (“Book of Stone”) with Sinhala script. It weighs 25 tonsand is more than 27 feet long.

Below: detail of carvings on Gal Potha

The elaborate Vatadaga held a brick dagoba in which archaeologists believe the sacred ToothRelic was originally enshrined.

42 POLONNARUWA

Gal Viharaya is a 12th century rock templein the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Thecentral feature of the shrine are fourimages of the Buddha, which have beencarved into the face of a large granite rockand are considered to be some of the bestexamples of ancient Sinhalese sculptingand carving arts.

The 23-foot-tall standing image leans back in a relaxed manner, arms foldedacross its chest, face sorrowful. Somehistorians believe it depicts the monkAnanda, who is lamenting the Buddha’sdemise at his deathbed.

43 POLONNARUWA

More than 46†feet long, the reclining image is one of the largest sculptures in Southeast Asia. It depicts theparinibbana of the Buddha, who is lying on his right side with the right arm supporting the head on a bolster,

while the left arm lies along the body and thigh.

44 POLONNARUWA

The Royal Palace wasseven stories tall. The lower sections seen here (left) were built with brick and the upper f loors weremade of wood. The royal residence had more than 40interconnecting rooms.

Above and below:Balustrade at the steps leading into theAudience Hall in the Royal Palace ruins.

A Guard Stone protecting the Vatadage Shrine from evil.

45POLONNARUWA

This “Moonstone” carving serves as a stone doorstep at the entrance to the Vatadage Shrine. Each semi-circle symbolizes a step on the path to enlightenment.

One of the palace bathing pools.

47KAUDULL A — ELEPHANT SAFARI

While eating the grass, adult elephants gather around the youngsters to protect them.

Beyond the grassy plain is the Minnerya water tank.

During the wet, you might get stuck in mud.

inneriya and Kaudulla, linked by an “elephant corridor” that allows herds of wild elephants to move between the two national parks, are an excellent

place to see Sri Lankan wildlife, especially birds and elephants. During the dryseason (July through October), hundreds of elephants converge here in searchof water, in what is called “The Gathering” and is the largest concentration of Asian elephants in the world. They are taking advantage of the Minneryawater tank, part of an irrigation system built in the third century.

M

48 KAUDULL A — ELEPHANT SAFARI

Junior looks like he just saw a snake!

49ANURADHAPURA — RUWANWELISEYA

50

he sacred city of Anuradhapura—Sri Lanka's first capital, from the

3rd century BCE to about 933—is now aUNESCO site and home to Ruwanweliseya.Also known as the Great Stupa or MahaThupa, Ruwanweliseya rises more than300 feet into the air like a gigantic white bubble.

The great dome was built in the 2ndcentury, and required thousands of tons of masonry and more than 100 millionbricks. At the top is a golden spirerepresenting enlightenment.

The Great Stupa is surrounded by anentire complex of buildings and walkways,as well a massive number of worshipfulBuddhists. A billboard near the entry tothe complex (see photo at left) rotates its display to show images of the stupadecorated with colorful lights for special occasions.

One of the most amazing things aboutvisiting the Great Stupa was seeingliterally thousands of people—manydressed in white—who were all calm andquiet. Despite the crowds and the festiveatmosphere, there was no running,pushing, jumping, shouting, or climbing,and no litter or public intoxication.

ANURADHAPURA — RUWANWELISEYA

T

51ANURADHAPURA

52 ANURADHAPURA — SRI MAHA BODHI

Each cloth or f lag represents a prayer someone has made atthis site. Because of the sacred tree, saying a prayer here is

believed to be especially fruitful.

Anuradhapura was established around a cutting fromthe “Tree of Enlightenment,” said to be the southernbranch from the historical Bodhi tree in India underwhich the Buddha attained Enlightenment. It wasplanted here 23 centuries ago, and is the oldest livinghuman-planted tree in the world.

A botanist checks this tree once a month, to be sure it remains healthy.

Cuttings from the tree have been taken to templesthroughout Sri Lanka, creating a third generation of trees descended from the sacred original.

53ANURADHAPURA

Buddhist f lags and prayer f lags.

Offerings to the Buddha

A woman prays at Thuparama Dagaba, the oldest stupa inAnuradhapura (built in the 3rd century BCE). This very sacred

shrine holds the Buddha’s collarbone.

ANURADHAPURA

This area was once home to more than 10,000 monks. The area below was the dining room.

54

55ANURADHAPURA

In ancient times this stone trough at the Mahapili Refectoryheld rice to feed thousands of monks (previous page shows

the eating area).

Remains of a bathing pool. built in the shape of a keyhole.

56 ANURADHAPURA

The seven-headed cobra—or naga—represents protection.

Bas relief carvings like those below were on guardstones at the entrances to many shrines.

Each cloth represents an individual’s prayer.

57ANURADHAPURA — JETAWANA

Sri Lanka has the longest continuoushistory of Buddhism of any predominatelyBuddhist nation, with the Sangha havingexisted in a largely unbroken lineage sinceits introduction from India in 250 BC.Five years later, Bhikkhuni Sangamittaarrived with the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree (page 52).

Sri Lanka was ranked the 3rd mostreligious country in the world by a 2008Gallup poll, with 99% of Sri Lankanssaying religion is an important part oftheir daily life. The country ranks 8th in the World Giving Index, registering high levels of contentment and charitable behavior.

There are many of these protective gana—dwarves thatserve as attendants to Kubera, the god of wealth.

The Jetavanarama stupa, rising 400 feet into the air, is the largest in Anuradhapura. It was a petproject of King Mahasena, who also constructed the surrounding 8-acre complex.

58 ANURADHAPURA — JETAWANA

Elephant frieze on ancient ruins.

Buddhists leave offerings of white f lowers.

59ON THE ROAD

You will always find fresh coconuts and mango slices for sale.

National cricket superstars pitching Coca Cola.

Waiting for the bus on a rainy day.

60 L ANU MOL A COCONUT HOUSE

n the road from Dambulla to Kandy (after Naula, in the

Nalanda area, in Ududeniya, nearthe 47 km marker) is the humbleLanu Mola Coconut House. One of our favorite attractions, this tinynon-commerical establishment is run by Maria, with help from her son Ananda (pictured below).

The two demonstrated theingenious ways in which SriLankans have traditionally usedevery single part of the coconut.

Palm fronds are used for weaving baskets and mats. The spiny pieces of the palm frond make good brooms(we saw many for sale), and the tree’s wood is good for ceiling beams.

Maria and Ananda produce very high quality products—the work isdone in their workroom, next to their house.

O

61L ANU MOL A COCONUT HOUSE

Palm fronds are also used to make woven mats which areremarkably good roofs, keeping the interior of a buildingcooler by allowing air to circulate. The roofing mats needto be replaced about once a year.

Stripping the leaves with a very sharp machete.

The finished mat for her roof.It will take a hundred or more, as each one-leaf mat is only about a meter long.

Weaving the leaves into a mat.

62 MILKING THE COCONUT

How to milk a coconut.

Maria cracks the coconutopen with a machete torelease its water, which is a healthful andrefreshing drink.

A scraper is used toremove the coconut flesh,which is mixed with water. The flesh is separated andsqueezed, leaving a white liquidknown as coconut milk, used forcooking curries.

If the coconut milk is heated sothe water evaporates, the result iscoconut oil, used for cooking andin manufacturing cosmetics.

63MAKING CURRY

Maria shows us how to make curry.

Left, clockwise beginning at top, are thespices she uses for curry paste: Chilipeppers, round white coriander seeds,cardomom, peppercorns, oblong cuminseeds, and at the center, cinnamon.

Below: Maria begins with spices and twoheavy stones: a flat “mother” stone andthe rolling-pin-like “daughter” stone shedrags over it to crush and mix the spices.Adding a bit of water results in a currypaste that will keep for about a week.

Wasting nothing, Maria cleans the stones carefully with alittle water, resulting in a spicy liquid (left) which she will usefor cooking.

64 MAKING ROPE

At right is a pile of coir—obtained fromthe hairy husk of the coconut. The coir isstored in water until it is ready to weave.

• First the coir is spun into a length oftwine (below right).

• Next, two strands of twine are twistedinto a sturdy rope using a woodenbobbin (next page, bottom left).

• Using a more complicated woodenbobbin, the four ropes are twisted intoone even stronger length—strongenough to hold a cow (next page, upperright).

• The next size up is strong enough tohold an elephant.

If it’s kept dry, the rope lasts indefinitely.

The spikes on this machine shredsthe coconut husk.

65MAKING ROPE

A wooden bobbin twists two strands into onelength of rope (right and below).

Everything is worked by human power.

66 KANDY

Street scene shows men in western clothing, sarongs, and Muslim robes.

red-roofed Royal Bath House, once home to courtly concubines, sits on the lake in front of the golden-topped Temple of the Tooth. Both were once part of the royal palace complex at

Kandy. The Royal Bath House allowed the queen to cool off in the lake with a modicum of privacy.A

Fortress wall outside Kandy’sTemple of the Tooth.

68 KANDY — TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH

The approach to the Temple of the Tooth.

The fortress wall outside the Temple of the Tooth.

Surrounded by hills, lakes, rivers, andcascading waterfalls, and situated high inthe hills at the remote heart of Sri Lanka,the city of Kandy has a long history ofpolitical independence—it held off thePortuguese, Dutch and British until theearly 1800s.

Kandy is still Sri Lanka’s center of richcultural heritage, and is home to aflourishing community of artisans andperformers who keep alive the traditionalarts, crafts, music, song and dance thatoriginated in the 16th century.

Shrines sacred of the Buddhist, Hindu,Christian, and Muslim faiths are nestled in nearby hillsides. But most famously,Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth,with its glowing roof and, inside, the ToothRelic, sacred to Buddhists worldwide.

69

Behind these door lies the reliquary that holds the sacred tooth relic.

About 2,000 people come to view the Sacred Tooth Relic—three times each day.

KANDY — TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH

Floral offerings and incense scent the air, drumsbeat maniacally, golden panels sparkle and glow—and those elephant tusks! There are more than theones that show in the photo below (left), and Icannot deny that they add majesty to the occasion.

This is the scene inside the Temple of the Tooththree times a day, every day, as visitors anticipate aglimpse of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Althoughseveral thousand people are squeezed into a smallspace and have to wait in a long line, they are calmand gracious.

Deep inside the chambers rests the huge, golden,crown-like reliquary we all came to see. Inside it isthe Sacred Tooth Relic, believed to be a tooth ofthe Buddha himself. (The legend doesn’t specifywhich tooth; I like to think it’s a wisdom tooth.)

70

Each passerby gets about a one-second glimpse of the shininggolden reliquary that holds the Sacred Tooth Relic.

KANDY — TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH

71KANDY — TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH

According to legend,whoever possessed the Tooth Relic wasdestined to rule SriLanka. As one mightexpect, this belief playeda role in centuries of struggle and conflict.

Offerings and decorative panels at the Temple of the Tooth.

Many rooms hold varied colors andstyles of Buddhas.

72 KANDY — TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH

More views from insidethe Temple of the Tooth.The pale blue ceilingabove was backlit withtiny, twinking lights.

The heavily decoratedpavilion (right, and detailbelow) was the scene oftraditional dancing andwild drumming beforeeach showing of the tooth reliquary.

Buddhas with f lowers wereeverywhere we looked. Thisone sat in a small nicheexuding serenity.

74 RAGAHAL A KANDYAN DANCE

Drumming and dancing are anintegral part of traditional SriLankan culture. We enjoyed thisspectacle of eleven energeticdances capped with a devotionalfirewalking ceremony.

Here a traditional folk dance usesthe raban, a type of drum.

75RAGAHAL A KANDYAN DANCE

In the Mayura Natuma(Peacock Dance) at left,girls depict thepeacock, whichaccording tomythology is the birdthat transports Skanda,the War God of Ceylon,worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindus.

This woodensculpture wascommissioned for$20,000 by a Hindu family living in Los Angeles.

77KANDY WOODCARVERS

Woodcarving is an important craft in Sri Lanka. Subjects include the Buddha,elephants, and compositions of scenes andevents drawn from local history, legend,and contemporary life, as well as decorative boxes, walking sticks, toys,household items and souvenirs.

Hardwoods such as ebony, palu,sandalwood, gam-malu and na aretraditional, but deforestation is makingthem less available.

Fanciful mythical creatures oftenrepresented by woodcarvers include thehalf-bird, half-human kindura; the hansa,a two-headed eagle; and the makara, atraditional Sinhalese motif with “thetrunk of an elephant, the feet of a lion,the ears of a pig, and the body of a fish,with its teeth turned outwards, eyes likethe monkey-god Hanuman, and a tail.”

79ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS

Dating from 1371, the gardens are a wonderful place to relax on a warm afternoon!

80 ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS

Long rows of elegant palms line meandering pathways in the Royal Botanical Gardens.

A perfect place for contemplation.

Laurie checks on some odd seepage from a very old tree.

The gardeners are as colorful as the gardens.

The Royal Botanic Gardens arelocated in Peradneiya, 5.5 km west of Kandy, between Colombo andGampola, and hosts more than 1.2million visitors a year.

Wander the 150 acres to see more than300 varities of orchids, spices, plantsand palm trees.

The lushness is helped by the 200 daysof rain per year.


The two-lobed “double coconut” seeds of the coco de mer.

82 ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS


“...out to the gardens wherecinnamon, nutmeg, clove-trees, tea and coffee plants, pineapples,mangoes, bamboos, banyans,India-ruber trees and a hundredother curious things are growing.Here and there you meet anelephant or a peacock...”

—Phillips Brooks, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston in a letter from 1883.

The gardens are a popular place for weddings.

84 KANDY — MAHAWELI REACH HOTEL

www.mahaweli.com

The swimming pool is right off the outside dining area. The dining table is set for six in the Presidential Suite.

85KANDY — MAHAWELI REACH HOTEL

This hopper was served with rice, spicy sambol, and eggplant.

Why is it that people all around the world feel moved to decorate withflamingos?

Every day starts with a plate of fresh fruit.

The beautiful Mahaweli Reach hotelbegan as a 4-room guesthouse in the1970s, and has blossomed into a 112-room, 5-star hotel with exceptionallygracious service. Situated near thesouthern point of Sri Lanka’s CulturalTriangle, the Mahaweli Reach is wellsituated for visits to Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth and the Royal BotanicalGardens. It’s also an easy drive to thePinnawala Elephant Orphanage, theDambulla Cave Temples and Sigirya.

86

Red Fish Curry n

Ingredients500 gms white fish (firm)1 lime with juice1 tsp fenugreek1 big chopped onion2 sprigs curry leaves2 stalks lemon grass, bruised3 green chilis2 tbsp chili powder2 tbsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry

powder ½ tsp turmeric powder2 ½ cups thin coconut milk2 medium tomatoes, diced2 tsp salt or to taste½ cup thick coconut milk

MethodCut fish into 2-cm chunks and washwith water to which lime juice has beenadded. Set aside.

Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a clay pot to sautéthe fenugreek, onion, curry leaves,lemon grass and green chilis for 2minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients exceptthe thick coconut milk and fish. Bringmixture to a boil.

Add the fish and simmer until the fish iscooked. Add the thick coconut milkand bring it to a boil again. Take off thefire immediately.

Tomato & Onion Sambol n

Ingredients2-3 tomatoes diced1 big onion, quartered & sliced1-2 bird’s eye chili, sliced finely1 tsp freshly grated black pepper½ tsp salt or to taste1 lime wedge / juice

Aubergine Morju n

Ingredients2 medium sized aubergine (eggplants)

– 350 g1 tsp turmeric powder¼ tsp salt½ cup oil for frying aubergine

1 tsp fenugreek1 small stick cinnamon5 shallots, peeled & sliced thinly

1 tbsp curry powder1 tsp mustard, ground1 pandan leaf, cut into 5 cm lengths1 sprig curry leaf1 green bell pepper, sliced1 tbsp vinegar2 tbsp thin coconut milk

2 tbsp thick coconut milk2 tsp sugar or to taste½ tsp salt or to taste

Prawn Theldala — Sauted Prawns n

Ingedients 500 gms medium sized prawns,

shelled but keep tails1 tsp turmeric powder90 g shallots, peeled whole2 medium sized onions, sliced1 tbsp ginger, minced1 tbsp garlic, minced2 sprigs curry leaf1 pandan leaf, cut 1 cm diagonally 1 small stick cinnamon4-5 bird’s eye chilis, cut1 green capsicum, cut2 tomatoes, cut into wedges2 tbsp water1 lime with juice1 tbsp freshly grated black pepper1 tsp salt

MAHAWELI REACH HOTEL

MethodCombine all in a mixing bowl andtoss well just before serving as acondiment.

MethodSlice eggplant thinly and seasonwith the turmeric powder andsalt. Deep fry in oil until goldenbrown. Drain on paper towel.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan to sautéfenugreek and cinnamon untilfragrant. Add shallot and fry untilgolden brown. Add the rest of the ingredients except the thickcoconut milk and seasonings, and cook on medium heat forabout 1 minute.

Add the fried eggplant and cookfor a few seconds before addingthe thick coconut milk. Season to taste.

MethodSeason prawns with the turmericpowder. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a panand fry the shallot, onion, ginger,garlic, curry leaf, pandan leaf,cinnamon and chili. Stir fry for a minute before adding theseasoned prawns. Stir fry for aminute before adding thecapsicum, tomatoes, water andlime juice. Cook a further minuteand season to taste with pepperand salt.

Mahaweli Reach Hotel GeneralManager Rodney Armstrong, whoonce was a chef, was generousenough to provide these recipes.

87

Broccoli Mallum n

Ingredients500 gms broccoli sliced very finely2 shallots peeled and chopped2 pips garlic chopped2 bird’s eye chilled and sliced1 sprig curry leaf1 pandan leaf cut 1 cm diagonally4 tbsp grated coconut½ tsp mustard seed¼ tsp turmeric powder4 tbsp vegetable oil3 dry chilis sliced to 1 cm piecesSalt to taste

Cashew Nut Curry n

Ingredients250 g cashew nuts1 tsp turmeric powder1 tsp salt3 cups water

1 tsp mustard seed2 shallots, peeled & sliced thinly2 pips garlic, sliced thinly1 tsp fenugreek1 sprig curry leaf1 bird’s eye chili cut2 tbsp thick coconut milk2 tbsp oil

Spice topping2 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly4 dried chilis, soaked and cut1 tsp chili flakes2 tbsp oil

MAHAWELI REACH HOTEL

MethodBoil cashew together with turmeric and salt in enough water to cover the nuts for 10-20 minutes or until soft. Set aside the cashew and reserve theboiling water.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a clay pot and add themustard seeds. When they start to pop,add shallot, garlic, fenugreek, curry leafand chili. Stir for a few seconds beforeadding the boiled cashew nuts and ¼cup of the reserved boiling water. Cookfor 5 minutes before adding the thickcoconut milk. Remove from heat just asthe curry comes to boil. Dish out.

For the spice topping, heat the oil in a clean pan to fry the shallot & chilis untilfragrant, about 1 minute. Dish out ontothe curry.

Coconut Sambol n

Ingredients1 cup freshly grated coconut1-2 tsp lime juice1 tsp salt or to taste

Ground Ingredients¼ cup chopped onions6 dried chilis, soaked & drained1 tbsp maldive fish1 tsp black pepper

MethodIn a mixing bowl, toss together theground ingredients with the rest ofthe ingredients.

Mix well & serve as a condiment.

This recipe was created by Rodney Armstrong

MethodMix the tumeric and grated coconutand toss this with the finely slicedbroccoli and leave aside. Heat the oiland add the chopped shallots,chopped garlic, curry leaf, pandan leafand let the onions and garlic brownslightly. Then add the mustard seedsand sliced dry chilis and let it fry forabout 15-20 seconds while still overthe fire. Add the broccoli and coconutand let it cook for about five minuteson a low fire.

You can serve this dish along with riceand other curries.

89THE HIGHL ANDS

Farmers depend on terracing in the highlands. In addition to tea,there are “vegetable plantations” growing strawberries, carrots,onions, beets, leeks, cabbage, potatoes, radishes, and lettuces.

A group of young girls off to school in the rain.

Steep mountains, waterfalls, forests, and lakes make thehighlands well worth the drive from the sultry coast.

90

o visit to the country formerlyknown as Ceylon would be complete

without a trip to the highlands, wheresome of the world’s finest tea is grown.These hills were once predominantlyplanted in coffee—the Brits’ answer toDutch Indonesian coffee plantations—but a coffee blight in the 1860s inspiredthe switch to tea. Today more than onemillion Sri Lankans are employed, eitherdirectly or indirectly, in the tea industry, whichgenerates about $700 million annually.

Picking and factory work go on everyday of the year except Sundays and fullmoon holidays. Once a week, three tofive young, tender leaves are picked fromthe growing tips of each plant by teams of women working on steephillsides. The plants would grow to tenmeters in height if not pruned, butthey’re kept to about four feet high for easiest picking.

TEA PL ANTATIONS

N

The view from a restaurant was fabulous. Thefood featured a wide variety of Polish dishes.

91TEA PL ANTATIONS

Women usually pick the tealeaves, while men prune the plantsand carry the cuttings down thesteep hills.

Left: Pickers bring their filled bags to a roadside buyer.

92 TEA PL ANTATIONS — MACKWOODS

Tea leaves “withering” in temperature-controlled rooms

We got to see the whole manufacturingprocess, beginning with “whithering,”when the tea leaves are spread in longtroughs to remove excess moisture.Withering takes 14 to 18 hours, duringwhich time the leaves are turned by handevery five hours or so.

Next, the leaves are rolled and chopped tocatalyze the fermentation process (exceptfor “green” tea, which is processedwithout fermentation).

The leaves are again spread out, andallowed to ferment for three hours—any more time would result in a bitterproduct. The now-coppery brown leavesare moved to a drying machine (110° C)for twenty minutes to halt thefermentation. Drying turns the tea leaves to their familiar blackish color.

The stems, which are by now lighter inweight than the leaves, are separated on a vibrating table. Then the tea isgraded byleaf size—the smallest leaves produce thedarkest, strongest tea.

Five kilos of tea leaves are required toproduce one kilo of finished product—except for Silver Tip tea, which requiresseven kilos of leaves to produce one kilo ofproduct.

93TEA PL ANTATIONS — MACKWOODS

Above and below: The withered tea leaves are moved from the dryingtables to the fermentation rooms.

The drying machine halts fermentationThe factory, and the friendly factory dog

Now for some tea terminology: “Pekoe”refers to black tea, “orange” refers to thecolor of the resulting beverage, and“fannings” are small leaf particles.

• BOPF, or Broken Orange PekoeFannings, are mostly used in tea bags for strong tea to be drunk with milk.

• BOP is a medium strength product, used for English Breakfast Teas.

• OP is a lighter tea made with larger leaf particles.

• Silver Tip tea comes from the same plant,but is dried by the sun. Our tea tourguide explained that this process assuresSilver Tip tea’s slimming, anti-cholesterol, and other “mystical medicinalproperties.”

94 TEA PL ANTATIONS— MACKWOODS

The tea tasting room featured tea pots, fine china, teas and other treats

www.mackwoodstea.com

The store sells many different types of tea pots.

97ST. ANDREWS at NUWARA ELIYA

Built around an old Tudor mansion which served as a grand colonialresidence during the days of Britishrule, and surrounded by mist-swathedmountains in the center of Sri Lanka,St. Andrews has maintained thecharm of a distinguished country home.

Staying here, we were transportedback a hundred years with high tea,antique furniture,wood fires in theevenings, romantic four-poster beds,and a sumptuous dinner in the wood-paneled and copper-ceilinged dining room.

St. Andrews is also home tomanicured landscapes with elephanttopiaries, a butterfly garden, a world-famous 18-hole golf course (nextdoor), and an organic farm thatsupplies produce for the kitchen.

The venue works closely with the Nuwara Eliya city council to enhance the quality of life for local residents.

The nearby hill country—more than6,000 feet above sea level—is known for its undulating tea-covered hills,cascading waterfalls, trout-filledstreams, and cool climate.

On a cold rain swept night, the fireplace was most welcome.

Photos courtesy of Jetwing

98 ST. ANDREWS at NUWARA ELIYA

Jetwing

Jetwing

Jetwing

www.jetwinghotels.com

99

A surprise: Halloween dinner with forty high-school studentsfrom England! The St. Andrews staff got into the spirit andmade some amazing ghoul-themed food.

ST. ANDREWS — HALLOWEEN DINNER

Even the bread was in the holiday spirit.

100 ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

101ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

Above: Detail of figures on left.

This is typical of the small,colorful Hindu temples we saw along the roadway.

We recognized Hanuman, theMonkey God (green, at bottomon opposite page), but weren’tknowledgeable enough to knowall the others.


There are lots of roadside food and clothing stands in addition tothe brick and mortar stores


Cows and dogs seem to have the run of the roads.

Billboard with amusing characters.

Mobile bakery truck.


One of our favorite things aboutdriving through Sri Lanka was spottingthe mural-lined walls outsideelementary schools. Each set of muralshad its own style, subject matter, andcolors, and most were absolutelycharming (although some wereincomprehensible to us).

What better way to get your messageacross to children than by way of dancing carrots, peaceable fawns, and happy workers?

The words are unknown to us, but the lettering is beautiful.


Sri Lanka's 26-year war finallyended in 2009, and thecountry is now recovering.

Our young driver told usstories about growing up in a country in which one neverknew, from one day to thenext, whether he would returnhome from school, or hisfather would return fromwork. After the governmentdecisively defeated the TamilTigers, Sri Lanka emerged tobecome one of the world’sfastest growing economies.

107YAL A NATIONAL PARK

ri Lanka is one of the world’s25 biodiversity hotspots,

with 27% of its 3,210 floweringplants and 22% of its mammals being endemic.

The country’s 24 wildlife reserves are home to a wide range of nativespecies including Asian elephants,leopards, sloth bears, the unusualsmall loris, several species of deer,purple-faced langurs, porcupines and anteaters.

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f Ria

z Ca

der

S

Yala boasts the highest density of leopards in the world.

Wild boar wander everywhere and are dangerous.

108 YAL A NATIONAL PARK

Yala National Park is Sri Lanka’smost visited national park. It becamea wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and wasone of the country’s first two nationalparks in 1938. Yala has 215 birdspecies including six that are endemicto Sri Lanka. It also has one of thehightest leopard population densitiesin the world. We spotted one youngleopard high on a hill taking hisafternoon nap.

There are large populations of wild elephants, and you may also see spotted deer, sambars (deer), wild buffalo, jackals, and crocodiles. We also saw smaller animals, likemonitor lizards (bottom) and a mongoose (right).

The monitor below stopped to“smell” something with its tongue,dug down about three inches into the dirt, and ate two somethings(worms?) before moving on to “sniff”again and dig in a new spot.

Yala’s beach (above), was in the direct path of the 2004 tsunami,which severely damaged the park,changing about 60% of its coastline.

The rock outcrop Patanangala at the Yala Beach.


A thick-knee (note the thick knees).A yellow-wattled lapwing (note the yellow wattle).

The sloth bear, normally shy and nocturnal, evolved from brown bears and feeds mostly on termites, honeybee colonies and fruits.

110 YAL A NATIONAL PARK

Above: Green imperial pigeon in f light

Right: Bee eater

Sri Lanka is home to more than 250 species of residentbirds, 200+ species of butterf lies, and nearly 100mammal species (including this laughing elephant).


Left: Weaverbird nestsBelow: Red wattled lapwingsBottom: Painted stork.

112 L AURIE’S SRI L ANKA BIRD LIST

Black headed ibisBlack winged stiltBlue tailed bee eaterBrahmin kiteBrown headed barbetCattle egretChestnut headed bee eaterCommon mynahCommon kingfisherCommon tailorbirdCrested hawk eagle Crimson backed woodpeckerGray-headed fish eagleGreat thick-kneeGreater coucalGrey heronGreen bee eaterGreen imperial pigeonHoopoeIndian darterIndian pond heronIndian robin Indian rollerIndian silverbillLittle egretMalabar pied hornbillOpen billed storkOrange breasted green pigeonOriental magpie robinPaddyfield pippitPainted storkParadise flycatcherPeafowl (peacock and pea hen)Pheasant tailed jacaranaPurple heronPurple swamp henPied kingfisherRedshankRed vented bulbulRed wattled lapwingRose ringed parakeetSandpiperSmall minivetSpot billed pelicanSpotted doveSri Lanka jungle fowlStork billed kingfisherStriated heronWhistling duckWhite-breasted water henYellow bitternYellow billed babblerYellow wattled lapwing

113CHA AYA WILD SAFARI HOTEL

It’s important to read the advice on all the warning signs—completely! Especially this one.

114 CHA AYA WILD SAFARI HOTEL

We felt like we were roughing it, with wild boars running beneath our cabins at night and large nocturnal visitors leaving surprising calling cards.

The Sri Lanka Tourism award for best wildlife accommodation went to Chaaya Wild in 2011.

www.chaayahotels.com/chaayawild.htm

115CHA AYA WILD SAFARI HOTEL

Wild boars are dangerous and can meet you anywhere.All the rooms are actually little cottages out in the bush.

116 ON THE ROAD TO GALLE

Vendors have great ways to getaround in the busy traffic. No parking

problems with this cart.

On Boxing Day—December 26th—in 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquakeswept Sri Lanka's southeast coast, killing more than 35,000 people. With a magnitude between 9.1 and 9.3, it was the third largest earthquakeever recorded on a seismograph. It lasted longer than any other recordedearthquake—between 8.3 and 10 minutes—and caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimeter.

“The most delightful [trip] it has been my good fortune to take.”

— E. JacksonPublished in The Overland MonthlySan Francisco (November 1869) ofhis road trip from Galle to Colombo.

GALLE

“...never seen anything soEden-like...nearerparadise...than ever before.”

— U.S. Navy Surgeon William Ruschenberger, M.D.about his ride to Galle, todaya UNESCO World Heritage Site.

118

119GALLE

You’ll find all varieties offoods, from Americanfast food to the Zam Zamlocal bakery to a freshfish market. You willnever go hungry.

120 GALLE — KING COCONUT

The friendly streetvendor uses hismachete to open aKing Coconut, thenshows us how to usea slice of the of theoutside shell as aspoon to scoop outthe tasty “meat.”

Both the cool coconutwater and the “meat”inside are especiallyrefreshing.

The bright yellow King Coconut is reputed to be the tastiest.

GALLE — DUTCH FORT

The “Dutch Fort” in Galle was originallybuilt by the Portuguese in 1588. It was re-built by the Dutch in the mid-17thcentury, and added to by the British afterthey colonized Ceylon at the beginning of the 19th century. A continuous stone-and-coral rampart—interrupted by 14massive bastions—encircles the old city of Galle. Inside, centuries-old colonialbuildings stand beside more recentstructures, and house private residences,shops, and government offices.

122 GALLE — DUTCH FORT

Inside the old Dutch Fort area, high-end shops sell jewelry and gemstones, wood carvings, sarongs, clothing, and handmade lace. There are also plenty of restaurants, guest houses, shell necklaces. T-shirts,

and last but not least: official licensed products of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team.

The ramparts with grass areas are a popular strolling and picnicing areas for families.

123MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Dutch warehouse building at the fort, built in 1717, was renovated under a special grant from the the Netherlandsand now houses Sri Lanka’s MaritimeArchaeology Museum.

Exhibits include salvaged boats, scalemodels of underwater marine archaeologysites, and hundreds of artifacts found in themany shipwrecks along Sri Lanka’ssouthern coast: maps, beer mugs, sailors’shoes, earthenware vessels, smoking pipes,barrels, and artillery guns. Some of theartifacts are nearly 800 years old.

124 MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

According to Ptolemy, Sri Lanka exportedrice, ginger, fruits, and honey. TheMaritime Archaeological Museumdisplayed examples of the many foodcontainers that had been pulled up fromancient shipwrecks in the coastal waters.


The Maritime Archaeological Museum displays a number of early vessels as well as carvings and pottery.

Buddha carved from a log.

126 MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM


Coat of Arms over the original entrance to the fort in 1668

This world-famous sculpture,called “The Portuguese

arriving in Ceylon under acloud,” is by Sri Lankan artistLaki Senanayake, who lives

on the outskirts of Dambulla.

Inspired by the historicalBattle of Randeniya, it depicts

the invading Portuguese armycircling upwards around the

staircase as they battle theSinhala King and his forces,

who are armed with onlyspears and bows.

GALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSEJetw

ing

128

GALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE 129


The Jetwing Lighthouse, designed by Sri Lankan architect Geoffery Bawa, was built in1997. The hotel’s management- ≠ seeks to have a positive influence in the community,from working with local schools and protecting the nearby marine environment, tohosting children’s swimming lessons and using locally sourced soaps.

130 GALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE

Western food was available, but wehad curry and coconut for breakfast,lunch, and dinner—and loved it! Sri Lankan cuisine has beeninfluenced by the country’s Indianneighbors, Arab traders, Malaynavigators, and Dutch, Portugueseand British colonizers, and reliesheavily on curry and coconut.

Most of the curries we were served(fish, shellfish, chicken, meat,vegetable) were mildly flavored fortourists, but we heated them up with the spicy sambal (crushed chilis)that came with every meal.

Milk Rice Red Green Gram Pol Rotyi

Chicken Red Curry Fish Curry Sambaru

131GALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE

String Hopper White String Hopper Red

Cashews—imported by thePortuguese from Brazil, where theyare a native plant—are often addedto curries, and one popular currydish is made entirely from boiledcashews, coconut and spices. We also enjoyed roasted cashewstossed with hot pepper and salt,served warm.

Laurie’s favorite condiment is polsambol (also called coconut sambol),made from grated coconut, a littledried fish for flavor, hot pepper andlime juice; it's so delicious you caneat it alone. Jim’s favorite dish isBroccoli mallum—chopped cookedgreens seasoned with coconut andspices. See recipes on page 87.

At left, clockwise beginning at upperright: Grated coconut, SinhalaAchcharu, Katta Sambol, crushed red chilis. Center: Coconut Sambol.

Onion Tempered Dhal Curry Kiri Hodi

132ON THE ROAD TO COLOMBO

From bicycles to tuk-tuks to late-model automobiles,there are many modes of transportation in Sri Lanka.

133ON THE ROAD TO COLOMBO

Common sights along theroadway: beautiful oceanviews, rice fields (or“paddyfields” as they’recalled in Sri Lanka),Buddhas, and 24/7 petrol stations.

Forget to pack someclothing? No worries—there’s shopping just about everywhere.

MOUNT L AVINIA HOTEL

www.mountlaviniahotel.com

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of M

ount

Lav

inia

Hot

el

The Legend of Lavinia and SirThomas Maitland: A Love Story

In 1805 Sri Lanka, known to theBritish as Ceylon, was ruled byEngland and governed by Sir ThomasMaitland. Also known as “KingTom,”Maitland was described in a biographyas “a great human force, controlled byan iron will.”

At the welcoming party held in hishonor Maitland, a 46-year-oldbachelor, was captivated by an extra-ordinarily beautiful native dancernamed Lovinia (Lavinia) Aponsuwa.

Maitland was smitten by Lavinia’ssmile and charms, and soon foundhimself obsessed, taking everymeasure possible to see more of her.Maitland even chose the scenicbeachside location six miles south ofColombo for his country residenceafter spotting Lavinia bathing nearby in the sea.

When his mansion was being built,the governor gave instructions toinclude a secret tunnel to Lavinia'shouse, which was located close to his new residence. One end of thetunnel opening was inside thedrinking water well building atLavina's housing compound and theother end was in a wine cellar insidethe Governor's mansion.

Secrecy was necessary because it wasinappropriate for a British officer toassociate with a “half-caste” likeLavinia, who was of mixed Portugueseand Sinhala ancestry.

Lavinia continued to dance, performingfor Maitland and his guests at thegovernor's parties—grand affairs filledwith flowing evening gowns, men in tophats, and masked revelers. The governorand the dancer enjoyed their relationshipfor five years, with Lavinia squeezingthrough the small tunnel in secret to bewith her lover.

But the affair was eventually discovered,and “King Tom” was quickly recalled toEngland. Later, theBritish ForeignOffice sent SirThomas Maitlandon a “routine”transfer to theMediterraneanisland of Malta,where he “lived anddied as a bachelor.”

Little is known ofLavinia, but we doknow that it was Governor Maitlandwho passed a law permitting lower-castewomen in Ceylon—such as his lover—to cover the upper torso of their bodies.The village that surrounded thegovernor's mansion developed into thecity now named Mount Lavinia in honorof the mestiza dancing girl.

The mansion was made into anenchanting British Colonial heritage

hotel and aptly named "MountLavinia"—a living legacy to thesecret romance between the SirThomas Maitland and his lover.

During World War II the hotel was used as a military hospital by the British Army. Following the war, the Mount Lavinia Hotel wasre-established in 1947. Later, scenes in the movie “The Bridge on theRiver Kwai” were filmed at the hotel.

A railway linehas cut thesecret tunnelinto twosections, and itwas sealed uparound 1920.Part of the stillexists beneaththe MountLavinia Hotel,though, and itis sometimesused for special

events. The old wine cellar serves asthe main kitchen of the hotel.

The legendary romance has made theMount Lavinia Hotel—now a five-star property—one of SriLanka’s most popular venues forweddings and other elegant affairs.

134

135MOUNT L AVINIA HOTEL

Photos courtesy of Mount Lavinia Hotel

Dining on the beach—what a treat!

Old photograph of the Governor’s Mansion.

136 COLOMBO

Colombo has many tall modern buildings, plus some brightly colored ones.

Many buses have remarkable art painted on the back, front and sides. The typography is f lowing and beautiful.

Colombo, with its temperateweather and natural harbor, is the commercial, industrial andfinancial capital of Sri Lanka.

With a population of about752,993, it is also the country'slargest city, and is home to swankynightclubs, five-star hotels, severalperforming arts centers, thestunning Jami Ul Alfar mosqueand Murugan Hindu temple, the National Museum, andbeautiful Beira Lake.

138 COLOMBO — BAREFOOT SHOPPING

Below is the inner courtyard of the old Hospital—now filled with shops

Visitors will find every type of food here,even veggie burgers

During the Dutch rule of Ceylon,from 1658 A.D the Hospital wasused by the Dutch East India Company as a convenient location forpatients from ships coming intothe Colombo port. Today,wonderful shops in the oldhospital building offer crafts,fabrics and fine places for lunchor dinner.

139COLOMBO — SEMONDU

Centuries older than the Dutch Hospital building, the name of the restaurant“Semondu” is derived from the wordSimoundou, an ancient name for Sri Lankagiven by Ptolomy, the famous Romanmathematician, astronomer, geographer,astrologer, and great poet.

Semondu’s interior has a modern fusiontheme, in keeping with its cuisine, and setsthe mood for an exotic adventure in anambiance of leisure and relaxation.

“Our theme at Semondu is fusion; fusioncuisine, blending East and West and fusion of ambience, from colonial charm to modern magic.”

—Chairman, Sri Lankan Airlines,Nishantha Wickramasinghe

The glass f loor changed colors throughout the spectrum.Notice the green floor below at the same table.

Lunch was quite extensive with many curry toppings

This lunch consisted of rice, fruit and three types of meat on skewers,shrimp, lamb,and pork

140 GALLE FACE GREEN & HOTEL

“The drive through the town and out to the GalleFace by the seashore, what a dream it was oftropical splendors of bloom and blossom...thatradiant panorama, that wilderness of rich color,that incomparable dissolving-view ofharmonious tints...”

— Mark Twain, from his book Following the Equator: A JourneyAround the World.

Galle Face Hotel, the grandame of Asian hotels, was founded in 1864, five years before the Suez Canal opened. This is the Regency Wing.

Looking towards Galle Face Green

www.gallefacehotel.com

Galle Face Hotel

141GALLE FACE HOTEL

Restaurant and Wine Lounge

Dining room wall

The Regency suite also overlooks the oceanThe swimming pool overlooks the ocean.

This gentleman will greet you at thefront of the hotel.

Gal

le F

ace

Hot

el

Galle Face Hotel

Galle Face Hotel

142 NATIONAL MUSEUM

The National Museum, built in1877, houses a 1600-year-oldmeditating limestone Buddha; a crown, throne, and other regaliafrom the Kandian kings; frightfulceremonial masks; Hindubronzes; gaily dressedmarionettes; flags from ancientkingdoms; religious objects; and everyday artifacts from early civilizations.

143NATIONAL MUSEUM

These images symbolize the footprints of the Buddha. Notice the toes at the front, heels at the top, andthe mandala in the center of each foot. The worship of the footprints decorated with auspicious marksof the Buddha continues in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other Theravadic countries.

The sign accompanying this exhibit says: The phallus emblemconstitutes the main object of veneration in the Siva temples of the Hindu world. The linga symbolizes virility and creativityand is obviously connected with the phallic cult of the past. The Yoni also serves the purpose of the base of the phallus vvto let out the oil poured onto the phallus by the devotees.

This natural filter consisted of a porous stone bowlsuspended above a catchment container. It took about 24 hours for water to drip through.

144 NATIONAL MUSEUM

These are flags from the early kingdoms of Sri Lanka.

The flag of Uva Province, with the sun, moon, and two lotuses painted at the four sides of the

central swan figure. Another version of the Uva province f lag, with a swan—thisone holding a spray of lf lowers in its beak—surrounded by

the sun, moon, and two birds.

This Hasti Kodiya (Elephant Flag) is used in theKandy procession by the chieftain in charge

of the procession.

145

Notice the plumb lines above, which aresimilar to those used by ancient sculptors to create precision Buddhas.

The Buddha images of the Anuradhaopura and Pollonnaruva periods were sculptedusing the Navatala measurement system, so that 1) the height between the hairline andthe feet, 2) the diagonal between the right shoulder and the left knee, 3) the diagonal between the left shoulderand the right knee, and 4) the horizontal line between the two knees are all of thesame measurement.

In the example here, that meaurement is 38.5 inches.

18th century decorative slab of gneiss:soldier holding a dagger and shield.

NATIONAL MUSEUM

146 NATIONAL MUSEUM

Sword of Buvanekabahu of Yapahuva.

Ancient Buddhists were apparently very concerned with sanitation, as the remains of urinals and toilets—some elaborately carved from hard stone—were found in many early monasteries.

Check out this ancient midriff-baring blouse on the Goddess Durga, from 10th century Anuradhapura.

NATIONAL MUSEUM 147

If these masks look somewhat gruesome—well, that’s the point. Theywere traditionally used in exorcisms designed to dispel demons. Todaypeople sometimes hang a mask—or a whole scarecrow-like figure—outside a building for protection.

Negombo fishing boat

NEGOMBO FISHING BOATS 149

150 NEGOMO — JET WING BLUE

151NEGOMO — JET WING BLUE

Jetwing Blue is not only beautiful andluxurious; it’s eco-friendly, too. Since the2004 tsunami, the hotel has instituted waterrecycling, solar energy, a biomass boiler forhot water, energy-monitoring keycardsystems, and energy-saving light bulbs.

The outdoor soaking tub—overlooking the beach—is a special treat.

View from the bar. The bartenders make one good martini, shaken, not stirred.

The living room featured some remarkable oil paintings;more fine art is spread all around the hotel.

Getting out of the sun while staying in the pool is easy


152JET WING BLUE — EGG HOPPERS

Egg hoppers are native to Sri Lanka,served mainly for breakfast, and oftenaccompanied by lunu miris, a mix of redonions, capsicums, and spices. Hoppersare made from a batter of rice flour,coconut milk and a dash of palm toddy,which lends a sour flavor. The batter isleft to rise, then cooked in a wok-likeskillet or bowl. Hoppers became one of our favorite foods.

Hopper chef Shirani Devika Hopper-making utensils

The open kitchen at Jetwing Blue

Adding rice f lour batter to the pan

Swirling to thin and spread batter Adding one egg

Adding some special spices Sliding out of bowl onto a plate Ready to fill and eat—delicious!

Scrambling the egg (optional)

Jetwing

“It may well be that each of Ceylon’s attractions is surpassedsomewhere on Earth; Cambodia may have more impressive ruins, Tahitilovelier beaches, Bali more beautiful landscapes (though I doubt it),Thailand more charming people (ditto). But I find it hard to believe thatthere is any country which scores so highly in all departments.”

— Island Ceylon epilogue by Arthur C. Clarke, who made Sri Lanka his home.

AyubowanMay you have the gift of long life.

We learned much of the information in this journal from our exceptional tour guide, Shantha. We have not confirmed historical accuracy.

All photographs are by Jim Shubin and Laurie McAndish King,except where credits are indicated.

www.destinationinsights.com [email protected]

Laurie McAndish King—award-winning travel writer and photographer—has beenpublished in Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic affiliate iExplore.com, the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Travelers’ Tales’ The Best Women’s Travel Writing, and other venues. www.LaurieMcAndishKing.com

James Shubin—Publisher, Graphic Designer, Photographer—has been designing andproducing custom travel books since 2005. He has also taught college-level design and photography, and is the owner and principal at a San Francisco advertising agency.www.ShubinDesign.com

Destination Insights journals are available in three formats: print at www.lulu.com,e-books, or downloadable PDF formats. www.DestinationInsights.com

© 2013 Laurie McAndish King and Jim ShubinAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage andretrieval systems, without written permission from the authors or the publisher, Destination Insights.

Laurie McAndish King and Jim Shubin, t he authors and photographers, at

their greeting upon arrival in Sri Lanka.

sri lanka, destination insights

Documents

sri lankas20

hoppers6sri lanka

sri lankaworld heritage

square miles

miles wide

miles of coastline

ankasri lanka fast facts

miles of shallow sea