Joanna James
Referred to as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is a country that is made up of beautiful beaches, lush forests and friendly people. Here 12 lesser known facts about Sri Lanka.
'Teardrop of India' and 'Pearl of the Indian ocean' are two of the most common nicknames given Sir Lanka. The island is located southeast of India and is shaped like a teardrop, hence the name 'Teardrop of India'. The nickname 'Pearl of the Indian ocean' was given to the country because of the huge biodiversity and plethora of valuable gems that are found in the country.
Surrounded by hills and lush greenery, Sri Pada is visited by Buddhist, Christian and Hindu religious devotees as each of the religions believe that the large footprint located at the summit of the mountain belongs to an important religious figure from their religions. Buddhist believe it was left there by Lord Buddha, Christians believe it was Adam as he was cast out of Eden Gardens and Hindu believe it belongs to Lord Shiva.
The origins of the Sri Lankan flag (which is also known as the Lion flag) can be traced back to 162 BC. It is said to be one of the only flags in the world that pays homage to the people from 3 main religious beliefs in the country: Buddhism represented by the bo leaves, Hinduism by orange and Islam by green.
Serendipity, a word that refers to the unfolding of events by accidents that lead to positive outcomes is derived from one of Sri Lanka's ancient nicknames: Serendip.
Sri Lanka Freedom Party's leader at the time, Sirimavo Bandaranaike won the general election in 1960 to become Sri Lanka's 6th prime minister and the world's first female prime minister.
Education is a fundamental right according to the constitution of Sri Lanka and it is given a high priority. Having a literacy rate of 92%, it holds the highest literacy rate across South Asia.
Volleyball was declared the national sport of Sri Lanka in 1991 after it was first introduced to the country in 1916 and set up its first federation in 1951.
Although volleyball is the country's national sport, cricket became the most watched sports in Sri Lanka after they won the Cricket world cup in 1996 against Australia.
The hill country of Sri Lanka is home to many of its tea estates, one of the biggest contributors towards the country's economy. If you're staying at one of the many Bandarawela hotels in the hill country similar to Bandarawela Hotel you should visit Ella waterfall, one of the most picturesque places in the country.
While cinnamon was first believed to be found in Sri Lanka in 2000BC by Egyptians, it is a major contributor to the country's economy and is used to cook most of the scrumptious dishes served in Sri Lanka.
You'll see many bars, restaurants, and cafes with the word 'hotel' used in its name as you travel through the country. Most of these hotels don't provide lodging as the word 'hotel' is used to signify a place where food is sold.
Located in Anuradhapura, one of Sri Lanka's ancient capital cities, the Sri Maha Bodhiya is said to be the world's oldest human-planted tree which is more than 2,300 years old. It was planted in Sri Lanka in 288 BC and its mother tree is believed to be the tree under which Lord Buddha reached enlightenment.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a pas...
