Sri Lanka: the Pearl of the Indian Ocean

As the fanfare of the festive season has diedLankan New Year, celebrated every year
down, it is easy to feel the need to get awaybetween 12-14 April, to ensure good fortune in
from the cold British winter and experience somethe coming year. Amongst the traditional rituals
sun. For a luxury holiday offering the requisiteundertaken, houses are spring cleaned, new
sunrays as well as excellent cuisine, views andclothes worn and newly harvested rice cooked in
different festivals throughout the year, look nomilk in new pots. Traditional games and music are
further than Sri Lanka.enjoyed, and passing visitors are invariably invited
Sri Lanka, officially known as the Democraticto join in the celebrations. These are merely some
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island nation inof the many festivals held throughout the year,
South Asia, located about 19 miles off thewith further information being available from the
southern coast of India. With a population ofSri Lanka Tourist Board.
around 20 million, the country is a multi-religiousApart from the festivals themselves, Sri Lanka
and multi-ethnic, with nearly a third of thecan offer travellers the sights belying its rich
population following faiths other than Buddhism,heritage, such as the Temple of the Tooth,
most notably Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Thissituated in the central city of Kandy, included in
multiculturalism can in part be attributed to thethe UNESCO World Heritage List. It houses a
different rules of Sri Lanka, including colonisationtooth that came from the mouth of Lord Buddha,
by Portugal, the Netherlands and finally Greatand is as a result considered one of Sri Lanka's
Britain. After peaceful negotiations with the British,most holy shrines. Kandy is also home to the
the island nation became independent in 1948, andPinawela Elephant Orphanage, a national sanctuary
in 1972, the nation, then-known as Ceylon,for about 70 semi-tame elephants, allowed to
changed its name to Sri Lanka, meaningroam freely around the orphanage, with bathing
"Resplendent Land".and feeding times being highlights for tourists.
As a result of the multi-religious background, SriOther cities popular with tourists include
Lanka is renowned for its many religious festivals.Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.
Sri Lanka offers at least one festival each monthIn addition, the cuisine is considered some of the
as Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslimsfinest in the region. In general the food is excellent
celebrate both religious and national occasions. Thisvalue, with the most expensive tourist-oriented
month, for example, the full-moon festival ofplaces rarely charging over the equivalent of
Dututhu commemorates the visit of Lord BuddhaUS$20 for a meal. The staple Sri Lankan diet
to Kelankya, the temple of Kelania. The Hinduconsists of rice and curry. A must-try dish is
community meanwhile celebrates the harvestKottu Roti; a medley of chopped roti (bread),
festival of Thai Pongal, where homes are cleanedvegetables and your choice of meat, a uniquely
and decorated, farm animals bathed andSri Lankan dish and best served when made
sometimes adorned, and special dishes prepared.fresh by street vendors. Please note that while
The sizeable Muslim community celebrate the endSri Lankans eat with their right hands, cutlery is
of the fasting month of Ramadan, roughly everyavailable at all eateries.
11 months, with prayers in mosques, distributionSo why not book a holiday in Sri Lanka and see
of alms, family-oriented celebrations and thefor yourself why it is referred to as the Pearl of
enjoyment of traditional dishes. In addition, therethe Indian Ocean?
are several national holidays, such as the Sri