HISTORY OF SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka’s   civilization goes back well over 2,500 years. The majority of whom are  Sinhalese & are descendants of the Aryan tribes that first came from North India around 500 BC and settled in the dry north-central provinces.

3^rd-12^th centaury. Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa in particular was noted for its ingenious construction of water tanks (reservoirs) and irrigation channels and its patronage of Buddhism, which was brought over from India by Mihindu Thero in 307BC

KANDY. The last bastion of the Sinhala Kings houses the tooth relic of Lord Buddha in the Maligawa.(Temple of The Tooth),which was brought over from India by Princess Hemamala & Prince Dhantha   in 4^th Century AD.

1505. Arrival of Portuguese spice traders and colonizers who ruled for 300 years.

1656. Arrival of the Dutch & the start of the Dutch East India Company in Ceylon.

1796  Arrival of the English. Although the   coastal belt, was taken, Kandy remained the last bastion of the Sinhala kings until 1815, when treacherous actions by the kings ministers led to the fall of the Kandyan kingdom & the signing of the Kandyan convention in 1815.

1948. Ceylon won her independence peacefully from the English.

1972  Ceylon changed her name to Sri Lanka.

Coffee came around 1823, then, tea in 1860(after the coffee blight in 1860). Rubber and coconut plantations, worked by Tamil labourers from South India, sprang up.

Ethnic Conflict

With the signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement in February 2002, the ethnic conflict in the northeastern areas  which were formerly out of bounds to tourists has been re-opened.

FOOD

The staple food is 'rice and curry’. Needs no explanation!

TAPWATER(here too same applies)

Should be avoided. Bottled water is available in shops and most hotels.

Arrack the distilled essence of the fermenting sap of the coconut flower is the local drink! You may see large black pots high up in the coconut trees, being used to collect the basic ingredient, 'toddy'. Drink arrack neat, on the rocks, with coca cola, ginger ale or served with gin,’ .For a luscious cocktail try Helga’s Folly special’, which is fairly intoxicating, but - oddly - does not take long to sober up! The local beer is excellent,& Helga’s Folly has an interesting wine list .

HOLIDAYS 72 DAYS IN ALL.

All-important Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian and national festivals are all celebrated.

Every full moon (Poya day) is a Buddhist holiday. Public places of entertainment and most shops are closed. You will be unable to get alcohol as all bars are closed.

FESTVALS

January

Duruthu Perahera

Held on Poya day (Full moon day) in January at the Kelaniya Temple in Colombo and second in importance to the huge Kandy Perahera in July/August, this festival celebrates a visit to Sri Lanka by Buddha.

February

National Day

4th February sees Sri Lanka celebrate independence and features parades, dancers, and national games all over the country.

Navaam

On the February Poya Day the Navaam perahera involving about 50 elephants is held around Viharamahadevi Park and Beira Lake in Colombo.

April

Madin

Sinhala and Tamil New year falls in mid April is celebrated by the Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus. Most shops and markets are closed for almost a week.

May

Vesak

Commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha this 2-day festival (Poya Day and the day following) sees villages decorated with huge pandols and panels showing the life of Buddha. Paper lanterns and oil lamps are lit around the island and puppet shows and open-air theatres take place. The Adam's Peak pilgrimages ends at this time.

June

Poson Poya

This full moon day celebrates of the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Asoka's son, Mahinda. Anuradhapura and Mihintale, where Mahinda met and converted the Sinhalese king Tissa. Thousands of white clad pilgrims climb the stairs to the summit of Mihintale to celebrate the occasion.

JULY/AUGUST

(Depending on the Esala moon).Esala Perahera  in Kandy. The most important festival of the year, extending over 10 days, climaxing on the Esala full moon. This is the most spectacular pageant in Sri Lanka when elephants extravagantly dressed, temple chieftains, Kandyan dancers, fire walkers & spinning plates- honors the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Golden Temple ( Maligawa in Kandy,which is around the Kandy lake.). The biggest parades are during the final 3 days.

Helga’s Folly is a short stroll away from the parades,& overlooks the lake, Maligawa & city of Kandy.A very busy time for us.

Hindu Vel

Held in Colombo, the gilded chariot of Skanda, the God of war, complete with his 'vel' (trident) is ceremoniously hauled from a temple in Sea St., Pettah to another at Bambalapitiya.

Kataragama – Down south.

Hindu devotees put themselves through a whole rangeof ritual masochism. Some thrust skewers through their tongues and cheeks, others tow heavy carts or suspend weights from hooks piercing their skin. The grand finale is the fire walking ceremonies, as the devotees prance barefoot across beds of red-hot embers.

October/November

Deepavali

In late October/November the Hindu festival of lights takes place. Thousands of flickering oil lamps celebrate the triumph of good over evil and the return of Rama, after his period of exile, and welcomes Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

December

Adam's Peak

Pilgrimage season to climb Adam's Peak starts during this period.

CHILDREN

Srilankan people love them,& responsible babysitting services is available at the Folly.

HEALTH-Pre DEPARTURE

 Check polio, tetanus, typhoid , Hepatitus A, anti-malaria medication with your local GP or International Medical Centre. Malaria is in very small jungle areas only, and haphazard in its presence. Citronella oil is the best repellant and Helga’s Folly provides this to all her guests.

TO BRING

Antibiotics, diarrhea “blockers”, antiseptic cream or insect sting relief, lip balm, sunscreen, Tampax (unavailable).

Narcotics – Drugs are illegal in Sri Lanka.

HOSPITALS

There are good private hospitals around most of the country. Major towns have well stocked pharmacies with qualified English speaking staff. Doctors’ prescriptions are not always needed.

There are also many good herbal medicines, & auyvedic doctors around.

TIPPING is always’ welcome! Most hotels & restaurants add a service charge to the bill, however if you feel that you would like to pay any extra that is up to you,& will be most welcome!

Touts,& guides may be a nuisance but if accepting a service’ remember’ that they have to make a living,& will receive a commission from the shop/restaurant/hotel to which they lead you to.

Helga’s Folly does NOT give commissions; hence you may find ‘difficulties’ getting here!

PHOTOGRAPHS & CUSTOMS

Do not pose in front of or beside a religious statue, it is disrespectful.

Do not photograph (or attempt to shake hands with) a Buddhist Monk (in orange robes) or a Muslim family (especially the women).’Our’ way is ‘hands together as if in prayer’.

GIFTS

(Giving or receiving - When gifts are received it is very impolite to open them at the time.

Blowing your nose in public is considered rude.

WHAT TO BRING & WEAR

Cotton clothes. Swimming gear. Sweater or shawl for the mountains. Pair of walking shoes & some socks (useful for visiting temples). Cotton clothing can be bought cheaply in the island. Something special to wear in the evenings, or have something fun made up here.

RELIGIOUS SITES

Women should cover their shoulders and legs. All visitors to Buddhist & Hindu temples should remove shoes & hats. You may be asked to make a donation- if you chose to. Put it into the donation box.

VISA/TRAVEL

It is recommended that you safely carry your passport at all times and ensure that it is valid for 6-months beyond the date of travel. A visa valid for 30 days is issued on arrival at no cost for travelers from Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. These can be extended for a fee in Colombo at the Visa Council next to Majestic City (photographs sometimes required).

INSURANCE

A policy to cover theft, loss and medical issues is a good idea. You may also wish to check out cover for activities such as diving, white water rafting, cycling or any activities that you may choose to do.

DRIVING LICENSE

International driving license is valid for only 3 months and must be obtained in your home country. To extend it to Sri Lankan travel, you must attend the RAC office in Central Colombo. You will require 2 photographs.

JUST IN CASE!

It is a good idea to photocopy all relevant documents - passport, travel, insurance policy etc., and leave one copy at home. Carry another copy with you separate from the originals.

SHOPS IN KANDY

ANTIQUES

Waruna Jayasinghe, 761 Peradeniya Road, Kandy. Tel: 081 4 470925

BOOKSHOPS

Vijitha Yapa, Kotugodalla Veediya, Kandy

Lake House Bookshop, Kotugodalla Veediya, Kandy.

M.D. Gunasena, Yatinuwara Veediya, Kandy.

There are stores in Colombo where you can buy ‘ready to wear’ designer clothes at a fraction of their price in Europe.

OdelsUnlimited, 5 Alexandra Place, Colombo 7

Barefoot, 704 Galle road, Colombo 3

Paradise Road Gallery, 2 Alfred House Road, Colombo 3

Cotton Collections,  26 Flower Road Colombo 7.

Arena, 338 Darley Road, Colombo 10   

Sri Lanka is the home to many beautiful gems, sapphires, rubies, aquamarine, moonstone, garnets and topaz.Diamonds are usually imported. There is a Gem testing center in Galle (310 Galle Road, Kollupitya).

Although the tourist rate is probably higher than the local rate, compared to ‘costume jewellery’in Europe it is still very cheap.

Telephone Country code is 94, outgoing International code :00.

Fax: Available in most hotel receptions

Internet: There is a growing number of internet cafés and hotels with Internet facilities.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes about 7 days

Electricity : 230-240 V AC, 50Hz. A voltage stabilizer is obtainable from a good electrical store.

The local currency is Sri Lankan Rupees. Currency can be exchanged in Sri Lanka only so you would be best to bring sterling, US dollars or euros. Travelers cheques are received but the commission can be higher.

The banks are open Mon - Fri 8am - 3pm and closed at the weekends and Poya Days. The main banks are Bank of Ceylon, HSBC, Peoples, Hatton national and Commercial.

Credit cards (Mastercard, Visa ) are commonly accepted in hotels and restaurants and many shops, but do check first. Cash points are in most major towns but careful as they attract a lot of beggars.

GUIDES

Guides are best hired at the sightseeing destination. They are very knowledgeable on their given subject. Most English speaking drivers will have a general knowledge as you travel about.

Telephone: 0094 81 2234571, 0094 814474314 Fax: 0094 814479370 Email: chalet@sltnet.lk

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