| As the fanfare of the festive season has
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| | holidays, such as the Sri Lankan New
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| died down, it is easy to feel the need to
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| | Year, celebrated every year between 12-14
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| get away from the cold British winter and
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| | April, to ensure good fortune in the
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| experience some sun. For a luxury holiday
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| | coming year. Amongst the traditional
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| offering the requisite sunrays as well as
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| | rituals undertaken, houses are spring
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| excellent cuisine, views and different
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| | cleaned, new clothes worn and newly
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| festivals throughout the year, look no
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| | harvested rice cooked in milk in new
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| further than Sri Lanka.
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| | pots. Traditional games and music are
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| Sri Lanka, officially known as the
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| | enjoyed, and passing visitors are
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| Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
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| | invariably invited to join in the
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| Lanka, is an island nation in South Asia,
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| | celebrations. These are merely some of
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| located about 19 miles off the southern
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| | the many festivals held throughout the
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| coast of India. With a population of
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| | year, with further information being
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| around 20 million, the country is a
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| | available from the Sri Lanka Tourist
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| multi-religious and multi-ethnic, with
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| | Board.
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| nearly a third of the population
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| | Apart from the festivals themselves, Sri
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| following faiths other than Buddhism,
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| | Lanka can offer travellers the sights
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| most notably Christianity, Hinduism and
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| | belying its rich heritage, such as the
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| Islam. This multiculturalism can in part
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| | Temple of the Tooth, situated in the
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| be attributed to the different rules of
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| | central city of Kandy, included in the
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| Sri Lanka, including colonisation by
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| | UNESCO World Heritage List. It houses a
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| Portugal, the Netherlands and finally
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| | tooth that came from the mouth of Lord
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| Great Britain. After peaceful
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| | Buddha, and is as a result considered one
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| negotiations with the British, the island
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| | of Sri Lanka's most holy shrines. Kandy
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| nation became independent in 1948, and in
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| | is also home to the Pinawela Elephant
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| 1972, the nation, then-known as Ceylon,
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| | Orphanage, a national sanctuary for about
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| changed its name to Sri Lanka, meaning
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| | 70 semi-tame elephants, allowed to roam
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| "Resplendent Land".
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| | freely around the orphanage, with bathing
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| As a result of the multi-religious
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| | and feeding times being highlights for
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| background, Sri Lanka is renowned for its
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| | tourists. Other cities popular with
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| many religious festivals. Sri Lanka
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| | tourists include Anuradhapura and
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| offers at least one festival each month
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| | Polonnaruwa.
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| as Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and
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| | In addition, the cuisine is considered
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| Muslims celebrate both religious and
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| | some of the finest in the region. In
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| national occasions. This month, for
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| | general the food is excellent value, with
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| example, the full-moon festival of
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| | the most expensive tourist-oriented
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| Dututhu commemorates the visit of Lord
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| | places rarely charging over the
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| Buddha to Kelankya, the temple of
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| | equivalent of US$20 for a meal. The
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| Kelania. The Hindu community meanwhile
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| | staple Sri Lankan diet consists of rice
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| celebrates the harvest festival of Thai
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| | and curry. A must-try dish is Kottu
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| Pongal, where homes are cleaned and
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| | Roti; a medley of chopped roti (bread),
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| decorated, farm animals bathed and
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| | vegetables and your choice of meat, a
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| sometimes adorned, and special dishes
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| | uniquely Sri Lankan dish and best served
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| prepared. The sizeable Muslim community
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| | when made fresh by street vendors. Please
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| celebrate the end of the fasting month of
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| | note that while Sri Lankans eat with
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| Ramadan, roughly every 11 months, with
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| | their right hands, cutlery is available
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| prayers in mosques, distribution of alms,
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| | at all eateries.
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| family-oriented celebrations and the
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| | So why not book a holiday in Sri Lanka
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| enjoyment of traditional dishes. In
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| | and see for yourself why it is referred
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| addition, there are several national
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| | to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean?
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