Colombo: For the culture vultures

Colombo- the largest city of Sri Lanka is famous as the commercial and Industrial hub. This capital city is rich in cultural heritage, so for those who love experiencing the culture of the place, when they visit, Colombo might be the place for you.

The biggest festival celebrated here is Buddha’s birth, which takes place around May. It gets very crowded at this time, so you need to make sure you plan ahead of time as well as keep in check the dates. It is usually celebrated on the first full moon date in May. The festival is the vibrant sort, with tonnes of entertainment and events taking place all over. There are areas where they decorate the streets with lights, but when you view it from a distance, they actually show the story of his life. There won’t be a minute you would sit down- the festivities will keep you preoccupied. From live music to lantern competitions, there’s always something in your itinerary.

Buddha’s birthday Celebrations (Vesak Day) (Photo courtesy: http://www.templenews.org)

July and August are considered the festival season- Esala. Head to the nearby city of Kandy, where they celebrate this festival with great pomp and procession. The carnival brings out all kinds of talents- dancers, musicians, even animal trainers. It is a 10 day long festival starting around the end of July. On the last day of the festival there is a procession, led by a statue of Buddha being carried down the street, followed by a 100 elephants, dancers and musicians.

Esala Perahera Festival (Photo courtesy: http://www.mghglobal.com)

Both these festivals attract thousands of visitors each year and while they are extremely enjoyable, it does get very crowded and can be quite tiring. Luckily, Colombo is a place where you can still have a quiet holiday, resting under the sun and sight-seeing a number of the historical sites the place has to offer. For those who want to spend their time lazing around, head down to Mount Lavinia. It is known for its “Golden Miles” of beaches, with plenty of sun and sea to calm you down. To add on to the charm of this beautiful seascape, is a rich history to the place, with various myths and legends attached to its name. 

Mount Lavinia, Colombo (Photo courtesy: www.panoramio.com)

The place has a number of hotels right in front of the beach in which you can book your rooms and head down to the beach to sunbathe in the afternoon.

But if you look for something closer to nature, Talangama Wetlands are just an hour away. Here, you will find a landscape of green, stretching out for miles and miles. For nature photographers as well as wildlife enthusiast, this place is golden. The birdlife here is something that one must experience; not only are there over a hundred species of local birds, but around winter, a number of migratory birds also flock here. Experience the beauty of Mother Nature here with Sri Lanka’s flora and fauna.

Flamingos found at Wetlands, Colombo (Photo courtesy: http://www.sundayobserver.lk)

There are two places worth mentioning when it comes to history buffs- The National Museum and the Old Town Hall. The National Museum is the largest museum in Sri Lanka, and contains some of the most historically significant artefacts in Sri Lankan history, including the crown of the Kandyan monarchs. The Old Town Hall is meant for those who have a passion for all things old. The Hall itself is something of an architectural beauty and the relics inside give you the feel of times gone by. Colombo flights connect Colombo to all major destinations.

The National Museum (Photo courtesy: www.enidhi.net)

Old Town Hall (Photo courtesy: http://www.colombojumbo.com)

Read More

Colombo Highlights

The Sinhalese city of Colombo is the capital of the island country, Sri Lanka. It is the largest city of the country and is an industrial, cultural and commercial center. It lies adjacent to the Jayawardenapura Kotte suburb, the parliamentary capital of Sri Lanka. The culture and cuisine of Colombo spread far beyond its borders. Its multi faceted interests make it an attractive tourist destination, conveniently accessible by air. 

Beira  Lake in Colombo (Photo Courtesy:ceylonroots.com)

Beira  Lake in Colombo (Photo Courtesy:flickr)

In the heart of the city lies the Beira Lake, which was pivotal to the country’s defense in the colonial period. It still remains one of the most popular tourists spots in the city as one can see and visit the Seema Malakaya Temple and the Gallery Island from here. The most beautiful festival of the city is known as Vesak and celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. The city is covered with lanterns and a dancing array of lights and activities. The celebration brings together the different groups of people within the city, who represent larger cultural domains. 

The city of Colombo, much like the rest of Sri Lanka, contains a mixture of ethnicities and traditions. Around 41% of the population is Sinhalese and the remaining are made up of Sri Lankan Tamils, Sri Lankan Moors, Indian Tamils, Malays, Chettys and a number of other communities. Sinhala and Tamil remain the official languages. The city’s culture is deeply influenced by languages from India, Maldives, Malaysia and Portugal making making it a contemporary hub of people and cultures.  

Vesak Festival, Colombo (Photo Courtesy: shellcoastresort.com/maj/)

Buddhist Monks during Vesak Festivals  (Photo Courtesy: onthegotours)

The diverse population gives rise to an equally diverse range of delicacies. Sri Lankan cuisine is sought after by thousands of people all over the world. The staple diet of the people is considered to be rice with tangy curries. Some other popular dishes are string hoppers, kiribath, lamprais and koththu roti. Every Sri Lankan household cooks food that has striking resemblance to the diet of Kerala, probably because of the geographical or agricultural proximity. The food is infused with a variety of spices and the food itself tantalizes the taste buds. Sea food consisting of prawns, crabs, lobsters etc. is a primary component of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine. Pickles, chutneys and ‘sambols’ are the aromatic side dishes served with lunch and dinner.

The city has abundant restaurants that cater to authentic Sri Lankan taste as well as multi cuisines. Heritance Kandalama is an award winning restaurant that serves mouth watering dishes cooked by expert chefs. The Tisawewa Grand Rest House makes some of the spiciest coconut sambols savoured by the people of the city. The Ceylon Hotels Corporation Rest Houses are renowned for the traditional rice and curry dishes. Agra, Navratna and Mango Tree are brilliant restaurants that serve exclusive Indian delights as well as local food. After food drinks such as thambli are served to cleanse the bowels and act as a substitute to buttermilk. Ceylon Tea is one of the specialities of Sri Lanka and is widely available in Colombo. 

Heritance Kandalama, Award Wining Hotel in Colombo (Photo Courtesy: travel.aol)

Ceylon Hotels Corporation Rest Houses, Colombo (Photo Courtesy:ceylonhotelscorporation)

Colombo has a tropical monsoon climate and receives heavy rainfall from May to August. October to February has much lesser precipitation. The rest of the year is relatively warm and sunny.

Colombo flights are frequent and are the primary mode of transport from Chennai, Bangalore, Tiruchirapalli and other Indian cities. International flights from Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore etc. also find their destination in Colombo.

Read More

Srinagar: Romance Personified

Capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar has always been the Venice of the East. It has not only been a popular location for Bollywood movies but also a preferred honeymoon destination. With it’s picturesque views of lakes and gardens against the backdrop of snow capped mountains of the Himalayas, this has been one of the all time favourite getaways. Srinagar, in short, is romance personified.

Srinagar, Draped in Snow (Photo Courtesy: indianruminations)

Srinagar is also rich in history; it was founded over 2,000 years ago by King Pravarasena ll and throughout it’s history, it has been known by different names. At the time Srinagar was founded, it was known as Parvasenpur and was part of the Maurya Empire.  Around 960 C.E., it became the capital of Kashmir. Situated on the banks of the Jhelum, it has been host to many emperors of India in the past. Srinagar has imbibed many of the religions from these rulers and kings as well, such as Buddhism from Ashoka and Islam from the Mughals. 

Srinagar is known for many things which are now tourist attractions. There’s of course the Dal lake which covers about 18 kilometres, and is known as “Srinagar’s Jewel”. 

The Beauty of Dal Lake (Photo Courtesy: kashmirtraveller)

On the Dal Lake is another very popular tourist attraction - the house boats. Surrounding the lake are lush gardens from the Mughal era. Some of the must-see gardens and parks include:

- The Mughal Gardens

- Shalimar Bagh

- Nishat Bagh

- Nehru Garden

 Chashmashahi

 Besides these, Pari Mahal, Hazratbal Mosque, Shankaracharya Mandir and Ziarati Hazrati Youza Asouph are some of the must-see sights. There are also many places of worship that are worth a visit, such as the Jama Masjid, the Kheer bhawani, Humza Makhdum and Hari Parbathill. 

Houseboats add to the charm of Srinagar (Photo Courtesy: himalayanexpeditions)

If you tire of strolling through these beautiful gardens and past these beautiful sights, you can take a break to shop. Kashmir is famous for its handicrafts and dry fruits. So while you pop a pista into your mouth, pick up the beautiful Kashmiri shawls, rugs, carpets, papier-mâché products and other handicrafts. 

When in Kashmir, also try the traditional green tea recipe from Kashmir - kahwah. The food is also great, and if you want to do what the locals do, try some “tekh” which is a type of grilled mutton available here. 

Breathtaking locales of  Srinagar(Photo Courtesy; gandharatrails)

If you haven’t already been to Srinagar, this is the place to visit for some breathtaking sights, great photography opportunities and best of all, it’s a fabulous romantic getaway. Fresh food, fresh mountain air and some of the best sights India has to offer. What more could one want? All you need to do to experience this beautiful place is hop on one of the Srinagar flights and lose yourself in the beauty of the city.

Read More

Places to Visit in Colombo

The Emerald Island does what it’s best at and none better than it’s commercial capital - Colombo. Situated just off the coast of South India, Sri Lanka has oodles to offer to the discerning tourist. Be it abundant natural charisma or a generous dose of history or a soulful of spirituality, Colombo has everything for all.

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka and is an enchanting amalgamation of old and new cultures and flavours. If you’re on a Sri Lankan holiday, start off your journey with Colombo.

Historically, Colombo served as a natural harbour to the Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, the Dutch and the Chinese. The location of the city played a pivotal role in ensuring that Colombo was on the map of international trade and relations. This definitely helped and is continuing to help flourish the economy of the region. Today, Colombo is connected to all major cities of the world. From India, few major airlines have frequent flights to Colombo.

Here are a few places, among many, that your Sri Lankan itinerary should ideally contain -

The Fort: The Fort started life as its namesake but over the years, the Fort turned itself into an establishment of commercial interest. With a bevy of offices, hotels and restaurants, the Fort is now a popular destination for the tourist. 

Mount Lavinia: Just 12 km from Colombo is Mount Lavinia, a beach whose natural beauty is famous even from the colonial times. The Mount Lavinia hotel has an important bit of history attached to it. Back in 1805, the Governor House was built was since converted to a guest house and the hotel soon after. 

Dehiwala Zoo: This zoo houses some of the most intriguing fauna from around the globe. The zoo is spread across an area of 11 acres and is famous for the Elephant Show that is held every evening.

  

National Museum: The house of Sri Lankan culture and history, the National Museum is home to over half a million books, more than 4000 archaic palm leaf manuscripts, rock sculptures, demon masks and more intriguing artifacts that date back to the 17th century.

Colombo is truly a destination for the discerning tourist. Hop over to the Emerald Isle for a great vacation. 

Read More