Joanna James
For an island that has over 2000 years of history ingrained into the earth, Sri Lanka offers travellers a glimpse into a world that cannot be found anywhere else. Whether this is in the form of a greeting to the elaborate rituals practised at religious occasions, there is much to be learnt!
There are few nations that have the luxury of claiming that they have never had to endure the turmoil and upheaval of colonial rule. Sri Lanka has not fared well in this regard either, with the nation having to undergo the churning effects of colonialism three times by three different countries.
To start with, the first colonials' rulers of Sri Lanka were from Portugal. With their arrival in 1517 till their departure in 1638, the nation underwent major changes, some of which can still be seen today. There are various other remnants of this time such as the highly prevalent 'short eats.
Another occupation that took place was when the Dutch entered into the fray and opted to battle it out with the Portuguese and winning. Today, there are many descendants of the Dutch people thriving in Sri Lanka wand fall under the 'Burgher' community.
Last but certainly not least, the nation was overwhelmed one last time, but the English who took over the island in 1796 and remained until 1948!
Amidst the back and forth of colonial occupiers, the nation was soon embroiled in a dizzying and harrowing civil war that lasted several decades and had a severe impact on the nation's tourism economy.
However, once this period concluded, a steady growth in the tourism industry was clear to see.
Whether you are staying in one of the hotels in Kandy or in an accommodation in Jaffna, you are likely to never be far from a place of worship. Sri Lanka as a small nation is amazingly diverse, with Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and Hindus all living in one landmass.
For the most part, all communities enjoy living in harmony and the older generations values can slowly be seen to be replaced with a more progressive younger generation. If you are spending your time in Sri Lanka, at an accommodation such as the Earl's Regent Kandy be sure to visit an epicentre of Buddhism that is the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
The main language that is used by most of the island is Sinhalese and this is followed by Tamil and English. One of the convenient aspects of the nation is that even if you are a foreign visitor, you will be able to explore the island as many of the street signs are labelled in English, and the language is used often as well.
While it may seem bizarre to some, the island has close to 30 holidays during the year. This means that is it one of the nations with the most holidays in the world.
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 passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
