Sri Lanka - Kandy NuwaraEliya and Colombo - 1

Good day to all, this time bringing you my experience of travel to Sri Lanka, 

The day was fixed and finalized for 6 to 9th September, and not that haven’t been to Sri Lanka earlier, but this travel was different, traveling as a tourist and taking advantage of being a travel and tourist agent too. The tour program was arranged by Mrs. Lakshmi Gunarathana running the Company of Heavenly Tours as Managing Director a young and enthusiastic lady looking for good expansion in the business.

6th early morning taking a flight to Colombo by Srilankan airlines, leaving Mumbai at 3.20 am and departed right on time from Mumbai to reach at morning 5.35 at Colombo, Bandaranaike international airport, lovely experience of hospitality from Srilankan Airlines, giving me whole day to explore in their country.

Once reached and out after showing visa copy at immigration and

clearing customs without hesitation passed through green channel, found Mr. Duminda, Tour Guide cum Driver waiting with the garland of Flowers. A pleasant personality himself. Felt all things were going good, feeling was positive about the tour. 

Leaving airport, going straight towards Kandy first, around 120kms, was looking forward to have a nice travel of about 2-3 hours, as per the condition of roads in Srilanka. On the way to Kandy, took a stop at Pinnawala, 

for a visit to the elephant orphanage, started in 1974 or 1972 as per the guide, it has been accommodating about 90+ elephants, either found after accident with rail roads or being orphans in wild, taken care here, being fed milk to small baby elephants of few months till they are grown and still taking care of them for feeding and washing them and taking their care, something must be seen.

Pinnawala Elephant orphanage starting at morning 8.30am and costing about 500 Srilankan Rupees for SAARC country citizens and other foreigners about 2000 should be seen, for feeding them, enjoying those elephants in their natural habitat and feeding the baby elephants milk and then at about 10 am taking elephants to the nearby river for bath in the river.

Elephant dung can be used to make the natural paper… here its called “elephant poo paper”, the Elephant dung is collected, treated by putting in boiling water, whatever is received after the boiling and killing bacteria, adding it with colours and then making a pulp out of it by leaving in water then kept  to dry and paper is ready to be pressed for smooth finish, then it can be used to print or bind as diary or calendar etc and to be sold as souvenir. There are few other things also made out of it, such as dolls and sculpture so various animals such as Elephants. Expensive items to buy, but surely suggest to take a souvenir; just to support them and remembrance of natural products.

Once out from here at about 11 am, it took another 30-45 minutes to reach Kandy, entered Mahaweli Reach hotel, checked in took rest for about 2 hours, and were out again…. saw local market, and at around 6 pm went to see the dance show of Traditional Kandyan and Low Country Dances of Srilanka at Kandyan Cultural Centre Hall in Kandy.

At this show, after traditional welcome dance, it was Pooja Dance for the Teachers of Dance and then various dance forms such as anteru Natum, Cobra Dance, Mask Dance, Mayura Wannama, Raban Dance and finally Ves Dance.

After that the National Anthem of Srilanka was played and followed by Fire Dance and Fire Walking, all a treat to eyes and under one roof taking about hour and a half for whole show to complete.

After the lovely show, just a walking distance is the Tooth Relic Temple, The Dalada Meligawa, it is said that the Lord Buddha’s after his nirvana, his tooth has been saved here after searching the safe and right place from the other religious predators. It proclaims not only the Tooth of

Buddha, but also a lot of manuscripts of ancient time written on tree leaves, the temple is lovely place to visit and very sacred for Buddhist people. The Entrance fee to the temple is Srilankan 500 Rupees and it’s same for all foreigners. One good guide to give a detailed explanation about the temple, an hour can be spent to see the whole place and it sure is peaceful feeling.

Returned back to hotel, ordered some food, well, even in 5 star hotel, food did not cost more than 15 USD with 3 chapati/paratha, raita, paneer masala, potato vegetable, daal makhani, papadam and basmati rice with pickle. It was an early retreat to bed as not able to sleep previous night during travel from India to Sri Lanka.

Next day morning after breakfast, checked out of hotel, and Duminda was waiting to take out to Batik manufacturing unit, Wood Carving factory and Gem Factory in Kandy and then travel towards Nuwara Eliya, but friends let me give you that experience in next blog to come. Meanwhile, please do enjoy the dance show saw in Kandy.