Colombo City

Sri Lanka’s commercial capital Colombo is a fascinating city, not only for a comfortable blend of East & West but also a cosy mixture of the fast and present. Situated 34km from the International Airport, Colombo has been a flourishing seaport for centuries; from the time when ancient seafarers form Cathay, Persia, & Morocco traded in pearls, precious stones, elephants, peacocks cinnamon & other spices. The original trading settlers, the Protuguese, Dutch & the British have all left in their wake churches, monuments, names, religions, costumes & food…..& smattering of their languages which have been adsorbed into the Sri Lankans.

Diwali,The Feast of Lanterns

                               Diwali, is the Hindu festival held in the last days of the dark quarter of the moon in October or November. It marks the beginning of the business year,and so is to the Hindus what the Christmas and New Year holidays are to the English people. Shop keepers and traders close their accounts for the year and open new accounts for the new year. All the houses are cleaned and decorated, and at night both houses and streets are lit up with many lights.

                         Diwali lasts for four days. which are spend for rejoicing, and devoted also to the worship of certain Hindu gods. At night,fire-works are left off, and all the houses are lit up with thousands of charaghs, or small earthern lamps that makes streets almost as bright as day.The spirit of the festival is one of quiet joy and good resolutions for the New Year...

About Sri Lanka

Ancient travelers called Sri Lanka a tear drop of joy, frozen solid as it fell off the chin of its mother, sub_continent India. She has also been called many other names, Ceilon,Thambapani, Zeylan, Taprobane etc:

Few places on earth contain the variety of joyous in so small an area, only 65,610sq.km and measuring just 445 km at the broadest point. Gifted with a genial climate and altitudinal variations, within short distances, her scenery is breathtaking. Cascading waterfalls, deep valleys, rivers and streams, tea carpeted emerald hills and terraced rice field.

 Sri Lanka has inherited an unbroken history of over 2500 years of rich cultural heritage, archaeological monuments, magnificent Buddhist & Hindu shrines and Mosques, colossal man-made lakes and a grand list of fauna and flora.

 The impact of many cultures over the centuries from South India to the Moorish and that of the western colonists resulted in the country’s culture being rich & diverse. The beauty & diversity of the scenery, the warmth, friendliness & hospitality of the people have drawn visitors to the Island over & over again.