My Point Of View on Culture and Traditions of Sri Lanka
Travel inquisitive person is well aware of the picturesque beauty of Srilanka; the Island nation in the northern part of the Indian Ocean. However along with all those ‘not to miss places’, from scintillating Adam’s peak to all those exotic beaches all around the perimeter; there lies an unfathomable varieties of traditional realm in this small, yet very big cultural nation. The ‘serendipity’ of the best travel perception in Srilanka is highly probable, with the word ‘serendipity’ itself derived from “serendip”; thanks to the early Arab traders who uses this name for Srilanka, an Exquisite Island.
In my visit to Srilanka this August, the month being the best time to visit, the array of traditional culture kept me dazed and speechless. The Sinhalese and the Tamil, the major folklore culture, along with vast colonized influenced culture maintains the eco-diversity in this alluring Island. One can throng with the crowds in nightly Kataragama or at the same time, can be the part of ages old Kandyan dance. The culture of this exotic Island is surely going to take one’s breath away. The county boast upon the ages old history of art and craft. Most of them influenced from Buddhist religion, which started after the visit of Buddha in this Island in 3rd century BC, in the form of sculpture, painting and architecture with notable cave paintings. One such example being spectacular frescoes found at Sigiriya dating back almost half a million days.
Luscious cuisine and the imperial Tea Apart from the art enthusiast, the country is also renowned for the foodaholic like me. The food culture in this part of the world is very famous; let’s not forget to mention the antiquity of species whose aroma is keeping its legacy since the ancient time of Silk Route when this Island nation was used for harbouring. Boiled rice and meatballs wrapped in banana leaf and baked along with the barbecue in the beach side is the best dining experience one can ever have. The country at the same time is also famous for the tea of which prestigious Ceylon tea still being served in the Royal family of the United Kingdom.
Courteous folks The Srilankan people are considered as the friendliest people around the globe. This can be felt from the very first step in the land with exchange of smiles and easy chitchat with the welcoming stranger thanks to the widely spoken English language. This camaraderie will get enhanced when you are there at the festive season. Kandy Esala Perahera is one of such festivals in the Srilanka. The large collection of attired Elephants with dancers waltzing in the Kandyan drum beats, this festival has still maintained its status of being one of the spectacular festivals of the largest continent in the planet, Asia.
Look out for the Srilankan Visa Ranging from its the cricketing culture to the tranquil music, influenced from the Buddhist and the Portuguese colonizers, every bona fide visitors have plenty of action to etched in their memory. Apart from the friendly culture, the comity is there even for the Sri Lankan Visa. The country’s hospitality toward its prospect visitors was demonstrated when the nation implemented online visa system, ignoring almost the universal criticism.
Author Bio
Flora, a passionate traveler and blogger who shares her thoughts on various topics she came across. As a solo traveler shares her stories on many blogs. Presently she is working for Sri Lankan Visa which is a visa service provider.
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