So there I was, in an Airbus A320, flying over the emerald Indian ocean on a relatively less time consuming journey to a historic land from a different time - I was going to Lanka..
Lanka, where palaces were made of pure gold; where Kuber, the Lord-of-wealth himself established a kingdom of unimaginable riches; wealth whose lust drove his half-brother Ravan into planning a coup and usurp the throne..
The witnes to one of the fiercest battles in history resulting in annihilation of the entire nexus of evil by Lord Rama in a previous age.. while flying over the Indian Ocean, I could almost imagine the terror that Sitaji must have felt, flying for the first time in the Pushpak Vimaan!!
The witnes to one of the fiercest battles in history resulting in annihilation of the entire nexus of evil by Lord Rama in a previous age.. while flying over the Indian Ocean, I could almost imagine the terror that Sitaji must have felt, flying for the first time in the Pushpak Vimaan!!
When I was first asked to visit Lanka, I knew it would be a great adventure.. of course there was a lot of work to be done but the amateur historian in me would not have missed the chance to visit one of the most important places in the history of our culture at any cost..
The short two and a half hour flight dropped me at the Bandarnaike Airport in the early hours of the morning where I was picked up by one of our partners in SL. The hour's drive to Colombo was quite re-ensuring and the city seemed to be a decent place to spend a week in..
There has been a lot of damage to the country in the fight for the Tamil Elam but it was heartening to see signs of progress and opening up of economy everywhere..
The city landscape is changing and is set for yet another makeover pretty soon; the population is manageable and does not put a drain on the resources; the air is clean and the beaches quite inviting. Indeed I saw droves of tourists from Middle-East and Europe lining the shores. Indians and Chinese form a major chunk of visitors to the islnd nation and you get a mixed crowd at most good hotels.
Workwise the visit was quite fruitful as our partners have done a great job of establishing our brands in the country. It was actually a pleasure working with most people from the team which comprises of a dedicated and diligent bunch of guys..
I could enjoy Colombo more this time thanks to my German friend Gustavo meeting whom was quite literally a blessing for me! Thanks a lot buddy for taking me around the city and introducing me to the delightful eateries spread all over the city :o)
Sri Lanka offers so many possibilities for the tourists.. there are mountains and hill-stations as well as beaches and temples to entice all sections of the traveling populace.. There are 8 world-heritage sites in this tiny little island (!) and a rich dose of history and culture to capture your imagination.
From the hill-stations of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya to the beaches of Mirissa and Unawatuna, there's a lot to keep you occupied. There are plenty of National Parks and abundant opportunity to spot animals in the wild especially the Asian Elephant and my favorite place was the Elephant Orphanage on the way to Kandy..
The country has an abundance of forests and caves and ancient ruins with some impressive cave-paintings and Buddhist relics thrown in to complete the picture. I wont bore you with my writing and let my pictures do the talking here!!
The country has an abundance of forests and caves and ancient ruins with some impressive cave-paintings and Buddhist relics thrown in to complete the picture. I wont bore you with my writing and let my pictures do the talking here!!
This time when I visited the southern provinces of the country, it was a completely different feel from the cool mountains of the central regions. The beaches in the South are especially pretty with clean sand and clear blue water. with the waves of the Indian Ocean lapping up the Lankan shores, it just creates a supremely relaxing environment around..
I also discovered a place almost on the southern edge of the island which is supposed to have formed from a fallen piece of the mountain that the legendary monkey-god Hanuman had carried from the Himalayas to Lanka when he couldn't locate the herb to revive Lakshman on it!!!
The hillock of Rumassala figures prominently in this legend. The Prince’s life could be saved only if certain herbs could be fetched from the Himalayas. Speed was of high essence and hence Hanuman insted of wasting time looking for the herbs, decided to uproot the entire mountain and take it along with him to Lanka!!
Shri Rama. Lakshman and Sita with Hanuman at their feet
Hanuman lifting the mountain
When it was time for him to return Mount Gandhmadan back to its original location, he heaved and picked it up dislodging a huge chunk in the process which fell at the place known as Rumassala.. even today, the beach next to it is called Unawatuna which derives from ‘Onna-wetuna’ (There, it fell).
There are fruit groves in Rumassala which, only those travellers who genuinely lose their way, would come upon. Among precious herbs, in the Rumassala region, recording to folk-lore, is Kalu-nika, a medical plant with life-giving properties.
Today, there exists a Buddhist Peace Pagoda at the place at the entrance to which is the statue of Hanuman caarrying the mountain in his hand :o)
Today, there exists a Buddhist Peace Pagoda at the place at the entrance to which is the statue of Hanuman caarrying the mountain in his hand :o)
The rock that Hanuman left behind
It is interesting to note in this context, that, when Arthur C. Clarke, one of my favorite authors, had first come to Sri Lanka, he had made Unawatuna his first home.
The mystery associated with the Rumassala area, may, in all probability, have intrigued him. Apparently, he has also stated that, this region does not come within the magnetic field that envelops the whole earth and that the exhausted geo-stationary satellites end up high above this place around Unawatuna, and keep on milling above it.
The mystery associated with the Rumassala area, may, in all probability, have intrigued him. Apparently, he has also stated that, this region does not come within the magnetic field that envelops the whole earth and that the exhausted geo-stationary satellites end up high above this place around Unawatuna, and keep on milling above it.
Myth or fact, Sri Lanka offers you a host of opportunities to unwind and immerse yourself in the aromas of history and culture and rejuvenates you to help you cope up with the usual grind back home..
Add to it the fascination we Indians have to unearth the linkages with the legend of Ramayana, it offers a fascinating journey down memory lane reminding you of stories narrated by Grandma over sleepy afternoons. I personally always wanted to see the 'Bridge-over-the-Sea' built by Lord Rama's Vanar entourage!!
Rama's Bridge/ Sri Rama Setu
The Rama-Setu still links this 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean' to the Indian mainland like an umbilical cord.. Even the spread of Buddhism, which is the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, is the result of Emperor Ashoka's emmissaries being sent out to spread the faith outside Indian peninsula..
We should never sever this bond despite the politicaly motivated divisive rhetoric we tend to hear from time to time especially from certain sections of the Tamil polity. Now that terrorism has been effectively wiped out from the island, let's hope our relationship only gets better with the coming years..
Bohoma Istuti Sri Lanka for this refreshing trip :o)
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