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For a small island, Sri Lanka has many nicknames: Serendib, Ceylon, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma, Pearl of the Orient. This colourful collection reveals its richness and beauty, and the intensity of affection that it has evoked in visitors. For centuries it seduced travellers, who returned home with enchanting images of a languorous tropical isle of such deep spirituality and serenity that it entered the Western imagination as a Tahiti of the East. Unfortunately, this is the same island that has been traumatized by a ferocious ethnic and religious conflict for over a decade. It has punctured the most willful exoticism and burned Sri Lanka into Western minds as the Northern Ireland of the Indian Ocean.
Full
country name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is shaped like a giant teardrop falling from the southern tip of the vast Indian subcontinent. It is separated from India by the 50km (31mi) wide Palk Strait, although there is a series of stepping-stone coral islets known as Adam's Bridge which almost form a land bridge between the two countries. The island is just 350km (217mi) long and only 180km (112mi) wide at its widest, and is about the same size as Ireland, West Virginia or Tasmania. The southern half of the island is dominated by beautiful and rugged hill country. The entire northern half comprises a large plain extending from the edge of the hill country to the Jaffna peninsula. The highest mountain is the 2524m (1565mi) Mt Pidurutalagala near Nuwara Eliya, and the longest river is the Mahaweli which courses from the centre and empties into the Indian Ocean at Trincomalee. The best beaches are on the south-western, southern and south-eastern coasts. Ebony, teak, silkwood and spectacular orchids are found in the dense south-western tropical rainforests. Hardy grasslands, rhododendrons and stunted forests predominate in the cool, damp highlands, and shrubs and grasslands survive in arid zones in the north. Animal life is profuse and includes the ubiquitous elephant, as well as leopards, deer, monkeys, sloth bears, wild boar, cobras, crocodiles, dugong and turtles. The island is an important seasonal home to migrating birds, including flamingoes, who flock to the lagoons, wetlands and bird sanctuaries for respite from the northern winter. The best time to see birds is between January and April. Sri Lanka's first settlers were the nomadic Veddahs. Legend relates them to the Yakkhas, demons conquered by the Sinhalese around the 5th or 6th century BC. A number of Sinhalese kingdoms, including Anuradhapura in the north, took root across the island during the 4th century BC. Buddhism was introduced by Mahinda, son of the Indian Mauryan emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century BC, and it quickly became the established religion and the focus of a strong nationalism. Anuradhapura was not impregnable. Repeated invasions from southern India over the next 1000 years left Sri Lanka in an ongoing state of dynastic power struggles. The Portuguese arrived in Colombo in 1505 and gained a monopoly on the invaluable spice trade. By 1597, the colonizers had taken formal control of the island. However, they failed to dislodge the powerful Sinhalese kingdom in Kandy which, in 1658, enlisted Dutch help to expel the Portuguese. The Dutch were more interested in trade and profits than religion or land, and only half-heartedly resisted when the British arrived in 1796. The Brits wore down Kandy's sovereignty and in 1815 became the first European power to rule the entire island. Coffee, tea, cinnamon and coconut plantations (worked by Tamil laborers imported from southern India) sprang up and English was introduced as the national language. Then known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka finally achieved full independence as a dominion within the British Commonwealth in 1948. The government adopted socialist policies, strengthening social services and maintaining a strong economy, but also disenfranchising 800,000 Tamil plantation workers. Sinhalese nationalist Solomon Bandaranaike was elected in 1956 and pushed a 'Sinhala Only' law through parliament, making Sinhalese the national language and effectively reserving the best jobs for the Sinhalese. This was partly instituted to address the imbalance of power between the majority Sinhalese and the English-speaking, Christian-educated elite. However, it enraged the Tamil Hindu minority who began pressing for a federal system of government with greater autonomy in the main Tamil areas in the north and east. The country's ethnic and religious conflicts date from this time and they escalated as competition for wealth and work intensified. Bandaranaike was assassinated by a Buddhist monk in 1959, when he attempted to reconcile the two communities. He was replaced by his widow, Sirimavo, who became the world's first female prime minister. She continued her husband's socialist policies, but the economy went from bad to worse. A poorly organized revolt by the Sinhalese Maoist JVP in 1971 led to the death of thousands. One year later, the country became a republic and made Sri Lanka its official name. In 1972 the constitution formally made Buddhism the state's primary religion, and Tamil places at university were reduced. Subsequent civil unrest resulted in a state of emergency in Tamil areas. The Sinhalese security forces faced off against young Tamils, who began the fight for an independent homeland. Junius Richard Jayewardene was elected in 1977 and promoted Tamil to the status of a 'national language' in Tamil areas. He also granted Tamils greater local government control, but violence spiraled out of control. When Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) secessionists massacred an army patrol in 1983, Sinhalese mobs went on a two-day rampage, killing several thousand Tamils and burning and looting property. This marked the point of no return. Many Tamils moved north into Tamil-dominated areas, and Sinhalese began to leave the Jaffna area. Tamil secessionists claimed the northern third of the country and the eastern coast. They were clearly in the majority in the north but proportionately equal to the Sinhalese and Muslims in the east. Violence escalated with both sides guilty of intimidation and massacres, now known as 'ethnic cleansing.' By 1985, 50,000 Sri Lankans were in refugee camps, and 100,000 Tamils were in exile in camps in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The economy suffered as tourism dwindled. Tea prices slumped and aid donors threatened to withdraw support because of human rights violations. When government forces pushed the Tamil Tigers back into Jaffna city in 1987, Tamil unrest in Southern India and domestic pressure on the Indian government raised concerns about an Indian invasion. Jayewardene reached a compromise with then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi whereby the Sri Lankan Army would retreat and an Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) would maintain order in the north and disarm the Tigers. What looked sensible on paper failed in practice, as Sinhalese and Muslims in the south rioted over the Indian 'occupation' and the 'sell out' of non-Tamils in the east. The Tigers attacked the Sinhalese, the IPKF attacked the Tigers and Sri Lanka became a quagmire of inescapable violence. In 1989, just as the IPKF regained a semblance of control in the north, a Sinhalese rebellion broke out in the south and the JVP orchestrated a series of strikes and political murders. The country was at a standstill when the Sri Lankan government, under Ranasinghe Premadasa, tried to cajole the JVP into mainstream politics. When this ploy failed, Premadasa unleashed death squads that killed JVP suspects and dumped their bodies in rivers. A three-year reign of terror began which resulted in at least 30,000 deaths. The IPKF, which at its peak numbered 80,000 men, withdrew from its thankless task in 1990. The Tigers had agreed to a ceasefire but violence flared almost immediately when a breakaway Tamil group unilaterally declared an independent homeland. The Sri Lankan government oscillated between political solutions and miltary offensives, neither of which ended the massacres and terrorism. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a Tamil suicide bomber in 1991 and Premadasa suffered the same fate in 1993. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga became prime minister in 1994, when the People's Alliance party defeated the United National Party in the August parliamentary elections. In 1995 Chandrika was elected President and for the second time since 1959, her mother Sirimavo Bandaranaike became prime minister. A truce agreed to in early 1995 was unilaterally broken by the Tigers. The government responded with a massive military operation that seized the Jaffna peninsula and dislodged both the Tigers and the Tamil population of the city. With government initiatives aimed at appeasing the Tamil population relatively well received and the Tigers apparently quashed, it seemed that Sri Lanka was on the path to lasting peace. But the Tigers regrouped and, by mid-1996, were able to launch damaging attacks on government troops stationed in northern Sri Lanka and terrorist strikes in Colombo. The violence renewed Sinhalese opposition to peace with the Tamils, which in turn disillusioned the Sri Lankan majority that was desperate for an end to violence. As the new millennium came and went, the Tamil Tigers were still trying to retake the Jaffna Peninsula and their suicide bombers were still blowing themselves and bystanders up all over the island, particularly in Colombo. The massacre in mid-October 2000 of 26 unarmed Tamil prisoners by a crowd of Sinhalese in the hill country town of Bandarawela showed the depth (or lack) of feeling between some of the combatants - the killings resulted in violent demonstrations and retaliatory attacks which dragged Sri Lanka's relatively peaceful central region into the conflict. Some hope was offered by Norway's attempts to broker peace talks between the government and the Tigers in Nov-Dec 2000 - in a diplomatic first, their peace envoy met individually with leaders of both groups - but it currently looks as if the only good stance in Sri Lanka is a hardline stance. Chandrika Kumaratunga, elected Sri Lanka's first female president in 1994, won a second term in office in elections in December 1999. Days before the vote, she was the target of a LTTE suicide bomber, an attack in which she lost the sight in one eye. In October 2000 elections, Kumaratunga's People's Alliance broke a deadlock caused when no single party gained a clear majority by forming government with the support of two smaller parties. The elections were marred by the deaths of over 60 people during the campaigning - further grief was caused by the death on October 10 of the country's first female prime minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who led the country's transition into a republic in 1972. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's economy is suffering from high inflation, high unemployment, poor infrastructure and corruption. A resolution to the conflict and renewed economic growth (including hopes for a resurgence in tourism) remain inextricably linked. Visas:
Visitors from the USA, most western European countries, Australia,
New Zealand, Canada, Israel, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong do not
require visas. Automatic entry for between 30 and 90 days is given
on arrival. Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
Sri Lanka is still a pleasantly economical country to travel around. Shoestring travellers can exist comfortably on less than US$20 a day by staying in basic share or double rooms, getting around by bus and not lashing out at flash restaurants. Up the scale a bit, add US$5 or $10 for kipping down in delightful rest houses, or plan on around US$100 a day if you want the full five star treatment. You'll have no problem changing travellers' cheques at most major banks. Banks will give you a slightly better rate for travellers' cheques, but it's convenient to have some cash for times when you can't get to a bank (there are plenty of money changers in Colombo and Hikkaduwa). US dollars are best. ATMs are becoming a common sight, especially in major cities, but other than in Colombo and Kandy, they're unlikely to accept international cards. Credit cards are widely accepted; Visa and MasterCard cash withdrawals are possible at major banks. A 10% service charge is added to nearly every accommodation or eating bill in the middle and top ranges, so there's no need to tip, even though those serving you are unlikely to see much of it. Nor is there any need to top up taxi or three-wheeler fares. Hotel porters normally get Rs 10-20 per heavy bag. On the whole, prices are very negotiable in Sri Lanka, but bargaining shouldn't be seen as a battle to the death. Find out what the approximate cost is and then come to a mutually acceptable compromise. Losing your temper or shouting won't get you anywhere. The tragedy of Sri Lanka stems from its ethnic intolerance and militant readings of religious philosophy. The Sinhalese are predominantly Buddhist, the Tamils mainly Hindu, and there are sizeable Muslim and Christian Burgher (descendants of Dutch colonists) minorities. The Sinhalese speak Sinhalese, the Tamils and most Muslims speak Tamil and the Burghers often speak English. The Muslims are scattered all over the island and are thought to be descendants of early Arab or Indian traders. They have largely steered clear of the civil conflict, though there have been clashes between Muslims and Tamils in the east. The Tamils in the hill country are recent low caste arrivals brought in by the British to work on the plantations. They share little in common with the Tamils of the north who have been in Sri Lanka for over 1000 years. The hill country Tamils have generally managed to avoid being drawn into the current ethnic conflict. Sri Lanka's classical architecture, sculpture and painting is predominantly Buddhist. Stupas sprinkle the countryside, and there are several extravagantly large Buddhas sculptures, notably at Aukana and Buduruvagala. Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa have the most impressive archaelogical legacy, but Kandy is the most thriving cultural centre today. Colonial remnants include Dutch forts, canals and churches and British residences, clubs and courthouses. Galle is the finest colonial city on the island. Sinhalese dancing is similar to Indian dance but relies on acrobatics, nimbleness and symbolism to unfold its narratives. Kandy is a good place to see 'up-country dancing', but Colombo or Ambalangoda are the places to witness the ritualistic exorcism of 'devil dancing'. Folk theatre combines dance, masked drama, drumming and exorcism rituals to vividly recreate Sri Lankan folklore. Woodcarving, weaving, pottery and metalwork are all highly developed crafts, and Sri Lanka is especially renowned for its gems. Ambalangoda is the best place to see Sri Lankan masks; Ratnapura is the centre of Sri Lanka's gem trade. Rice and curry - often fiery hot - dominate meal times and usually include small side dishes of vegetables, meat and fish. Indian curries such as vegetarian thali, delicately flavoured biriyani and kool, a boiled, fried and dried-in-the-sun vegetable combo, are also available. Hoppers are a unique Sri Lankan snack, similar to a pancake, served with egg or honey and yoghurt. Coastal towns have excellent fish and most travellers are happy to live on the delicious local tuna. There's plenty of tropical fruits to choose from, the tea is terrific and the beer acceptable. Sri Lanka has an enormous range of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim festivals. The Kandy Esala Perahera (July/August) is the country's most important and spectacular pageant, with 10 days of torch-bearers, whip-crackers, dancers, drummers and elephants lit up like giant birthday cakes. It climaxes in great procession honouring the Sacred Tooth Relic of Kandy. Second in importance is the Duruthu Perahera (January), held in Colombo, which celebrates a visit by Buddha to Sri Lanka. Other celebrations include National Day (February), which is celebrated with parades, dances and national games; New Year (March/April), celebrated with elephant races, coconut games and pillow fights; Vesak (May), a sacred full moon festival commemorating the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha; the Hindu Vel festival (July/August) in Colombo, where the ceremonial chariot of Skanda, the God of War, is hauled between two temples; and the predominantly Hindu Kataragama festival (July/August) in Kataragama, where devotees put themselves through the whole gamut of ritual masochism. Sri Lanka is a typically tropical country with distinct dry and wet seasons, but the picture is somewhat complicated by the fact that it is subject to two monsoons: the Yala season (May to August), when the south-west monsoon brings rain to the southern, western and central regions; and the Maha season (October to January), when the north-east monsoon brings rain to the north and east of the island. Temperatures in the low-lying coastal regions are high year round but they rapidly fall with altitude and in the hill country, where it feels like perpetual spring. The highest temperatures are from March through June, while November to January is usually the coolest time of the year. Rainfall is heaviest in the south, south west and central highlands; the northern and north-central regions are very dry. The best time to visit the west, south coast and hill country is between December and March. May to September is best on the east coast. Climatically the driest and best seasons are from December to March on the west and south coasts and in the hill country, and from May to September on the east coast. December to March is also the time when most foreign tourists come, the majority of them escaping the European winter. Out of season travel has its advantages - not only do the crowds go away but many airfares and accommodation prices go right down. Nor does it rain all the time. Reefs may protect a beach area and make swimming quite feasible at places like Hikkaduwa, which during the monsoon can be quite pleasant. There's good swimming at any number of beaches along the south-western coast. Excellent scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing are found at Hikkaduwa, there's pleasant snorkelling at Unawatuna, and sailing, windsurfing and water skiing on the Bentota River. For trekking, try climbing Adam's Peak or walking across the strange silent plateau of Horton Plains near Nuwara Eliya to see the 700m (2296ft) drop at World's End. Colombo, the island's largest city, is noisy, frenetic - and just a little crazy. Thankfully, the breakdowns, snarled traffic and power cuts are received with a shrug and a smile. 'No problem' might be the national motto; it's certainly the one phrase everyone knows and can say. While the city holds less obvious interest than many other parts of the island, it's still a colourful enough place and worth a visit to see what makes Sri Lanka tick. Colombo is a relatively easy city to find your way around. To the north is the Fort district, the country's business centre, which has department stores, book shops, airline offices and is the site of the Central Bank which the Tamil Tigers blew up in January 1996. There are also ample sights such as the clock tower, a former lighthouse, the president's residence (known by incorrigible traditionalists as Queen's House), and a cluster of colonial buildings which lend the district an aura of bygone Empire. Immediately south of here is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green graced by cricket games, kite flyers and trysting lovers. Cinammon Gardens, further south, is Colombo's most fashionable neighbourhood, with elegant mansions, tree-lined streets and the city's largest park. East of the fort is the pungent Pettah bazaar district. Walk through and marvel at the riot of goods - fruit, vegetables, meat, gems, gold, silver, brass and tin junk. Culture buffs shouldn't miss the National Museum, which has a good collection of historical works, the Art Gallery, which focuses on portraiture and temporary exhibits by local artists, and the city's many mosques and Buddhist and Hindu temples. After familiarising yourself with Sri Lankan culture, check out the island's fauna at the Dehiwala Zoo. The highlight here is an afternoon elephant show. The closest real beach is at Mt Lavinia, a faded resort 10km south of the city. Budget accommodation, cheap food and the best shopping can be found in the Fort and Pettah districts. Nightlife is moribund, though a visit to the cinema in the Fort district is an experience. The laidback 'capital' of the hill country, and the historical bastion of Buddhist power, is built around a peaceful lake and set in a picturesque bowl of hills. It has a distinctive architectural character thanks to its gently sloping tiled roofs and the town centre is a delightful compendium of old shops, noise, buses, markets and hotels. Its standout attraction is the octagonal Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth), a temple which houses Sri Lanka's most important religious relic - the sacred tooth of Buddha. There are daily ceremonies of homage to the Tooth Relic, each attracting white-clad pilgrims carrying lotus blossoms and frangipani. During the frenetic Kandy Esala Perahera celebrations, a replica of the shrine is carried through the city on an elephant. Other sights include the small but excellent National Museum, the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens, and the Udawattakelle Sanctuary, a peaceful haven for birdlife. There are plenty of lovely scenic walks around Kandy, one of which leads to the Mahaweli, where you may see elephants being bathed. The Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre beside the lake has good displays of local crafts and an auditorium for popular dance performances. Kandy is just on 100km (62mi) north east of Colombo and although the town lacks an airport, there are any number of buses and trains running between the two destinations. Anuradhapura is Sri Lanka's first capital, a potent symbol of Sinhalese power, and the most extensive and important of Sri Lanka's ancient cities. It became a capital in 380 BC and for over 1000 years Sinhalese kings ruled from this great city. Its impressive remains were 'discovered' in the early 19th century and have been in the process of restoration ever since. They lie to the west and north of the modern town of Anuradhapura. The Sacred Bo-Tree is the city's holiest site, and was grown from the tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment. The Thuparama Dagoba, the oldest of many temples in Anuradhapura, is believed to contain the right collar-bone of Buddha. The Jetavanarama Dagoba is the largest remaining structure and may once have been over 100m (328ft) in height and housed an estimated 3000 monks. There are also museums that invite exploration, marvellously restored twin ponds which were used by monks as ritual baths, and immense tanks built to provide irrigation water for the growing of rice. The best way to explore the area is by bicycle. The remains of the ancient lakeside city of Polonnaruwa, 75km (46mi) south-east of Anuradhapura, date mostly from the reign of the Indian Chola dynasty in the 11th and 12th century, but they cover a more compact site and are in an excellent state of repair. Anuradhapura is 250km (155mi) north of Colombo. There are plenty of Colombo-Anuradhapura buses each day; you can either catch an older style bus for around US$0.60 or lash out and spend an extra US$0.70 for a ride in an inter-city airconditioned bus. Trains also go to Anuradhapura but are dependant on the security situation in the north. The spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya is an impregnable fortress, a monastic retreat, and a rock art gallery. Built in the 5th century AD to fend of a feared invasion, it is situated atop a 200m (656ft) high rock, and at the height of its glory must have been akin to a European chateau plonked on top of Ayers Rock. There are water gardens, 5th century rock paintings of well endowed damsels, a 1000-year-old graffiti wall recording visitors impressions of the pin-ups, a couple of enormous stone lion paws and tremendous views. To get to Sigiriya from Colomba, hop on a bus that stops at Dambulla, and from there catch any of the hourly buses going to the rock fortress, a total of 191km (118mi) away. Hikkaduwa is the island's most developed beach resort, though it's looking rather forlorn these days. It has a range of accommodation, good restaurants and pleasant cafe-lined beaches. There's good snorkelling at an attractive and easily accessible coral sanctuary, scuba diving at a number of wrecks in the bay, tours by glass-bottomed boats and pretty good surfing. It's a relaxed place, similar to many Asian beach resorts popular with Western travellers. There are also plenty of handicraft shops catering to tourist whims, a Buddhist temple, a nearby lake with abundant birdlife and some pretty dangerous traffic hurtling down the main road. Frequent buses run the 87km (54mi) down the coast from Colombo, or there are four daily express trains that are worth considering. There are a few slow trains as well but these can take up to three or fours hours. The port of Galle, thought by some to be the Biblical city of Tarshish, splendidly illustrates the solidity of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka. The 36-hectare (89 acre) Dutch Fort, built in 1663, has withstood the ravages of time. Its massive ramparts surround the promontory that forms the older part of Galle, and shelters within its walls sturdy Dutch houses, museums and churches. This area has a quiet, relaxed atmosphere that seems almost detached from the flow of history. The New Oriental Hotel, built for Dutch governors in 1684, is a colonial gem with a wonderfully atmospheric bar. Nearby is a tiny sliver of a beach suitable for a dip, though most travellers prefer to head along the coast to the fine beaches at Unuwatuna, Weligama and Tangalla. Plenty of public and private buses run up and down the 107km (66mi) stretch between Colombo and Galle, as well as any number of daily express trains. From December to April, pilgrims converge to climb the 2224m (7295ft) Adam's Peak. At the top is a huge 'footprint', claimed by Muslims to belong to Adam, who stood there in expiation of his sin in the Garden of Eden. Never mind that Buddhists believe it to be the mark of Buddha or that Hindus hold the print to have been made by Lord Shiva, the fact remains that it is has been a place of pilgrimage for over 1000 years. The view from the peak at dawn is enough to shock the most cynical agnostic into a state of reverie. It takes about four hours to climb to the top from the town of Dalhousie. Reaching the base of Adam's Peak is simple and if you're making a night ascent, you've got all day to arrive. Buses run to Dalhousie from Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Colombo in the pilgrimage season. Otherwise you need to get first to Hatton or Maskeliya. If you're really running late, taxis will take you to Hatton or Dalhousie. You'll need to cover 220km (136mi) to get there from Colombo. Once the favourite hill stations of the British, Nuwara Eliya, still retains the vestiges of Empire: a blend of Tudor and Georgian architecture, gabled roofs, immaculate lawns with rose bushes and moss-covered gravestones. Soak up the quaint atmosphere by visiting the Hill Club - by jove, there's a golf course, tennis courts, even copies of Country Life here - or visit the botanic gardens and tea plantations in the surrounding hills. Buses going to Nuwara Eliya leave Colombo almost hourly, and from Kandy with regular frequency. You can catch a train, although you'll need to get off at Nanu Oya and catch a connecting bus, or taxi, to Nuwara Eliya itself as it does not have a train station of its own. Yala West is one of the few Sri Lankan national parks still open to travellers. It covers almost 1000 sq km of scrub, lagoons and rocky outcrops in the country's south-east and is a particularly good place to see elephants. There are also leopards, bears, deer, crocodiles, wild boar, monkeys, buffalo and wild peacocks. It's best to hire a jeep and driver in Tissamaharama and be in place near a waterhole at dawn or dusk. Nearby Bundala National Park is Sri Lanka's best spot for birdwatching. Yala West is closed in September and usually part of August and October too. But when it's open the best way to get there is to catch a bus to the coastal town of Tissamaharama, 241km (149mi) from Colombo, and then hire a jeep and a driver. If you have your own four wheel drive you can just drive up to the front gate and pay the entrance, insurance and tracker fees. The only way to enter Sri Lanka is by flying. Colombo is the international gateway for direct flights from Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. There are cheap flights available between Colombo and Madras, Trichy, Trivandrum and Bombay. Departure tax is US$10. There are no domestic passenger flights in Sri Lanka, which leaves buses and trains as the dominant modes of transport. Buses, ranging from smoke-spewing monsters to modern private coaches, are cheap, plentiful and always overcrowded. Train travel, while slower, is infinitely more comfortable. Motorbike and self-drive car hire are becoming increasingly popular, though motorists often run an obstacle race around cows and dogs - many of the latter significantly three-legged. It's common to rent a car with a driver for a day-trip or a few days' tour of the island; prices are reasonable if you're with a few friends. Local transport consists of buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws. Use your nonce and agree a fare beforehand. An idiosyncratic insight into the country can be found in the touching and disarming Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje. The Canadian writer returned to explore his Sri Lankan roots in 1978. William McGowan's Only Man is Vile: The Tragedy of Sri Lanka is a brilliant and indeed tragic account of the country's recent ethnic troubles, mixing travelogue, history and reportage. Dr K M De Silva's exhaustive A History of Sri Lanka provides the comprehensive overview. Leonard Woolf's A Village in the Jungle, written in 1913, is a sombre and deeply observant account of village life in the early part of this century. Young Sri Lankan writer Romesh Gunesekera has achieved modest international literary success with Monkfish Moon and Reef. The conflict in Sri Lanka hangs like a menacing black cloud over most of his stories. Sri Lanka has some fascinating literary connections. Robert Knox, who was held captive by a Kandyan king for 20 years in the 17th century wrote a memoir called An Historical Relation of Ceylon. This was one of the sources used by Defoe for Robinsoe Crusoe. Pablo Neruda lived in Colombo in the 1930s and many of the poems in Residence on Earth were written in Ceylon. Paul Bowles owned the island off Weligama for a short time and wrote much of The Spider's House there. Arthur C Clarke has spent many years on the island, and wrote The Fountains of Paradise, a futuristic fable with a setting that bears an uncanny resemblance to Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan-born author Karen Roberts has woven a sensitive tale of unlikely connections and fated relationships in her debut novel, The Flower Boy. |
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