Sri Lanka | Image Resource : worldbank.org
 

Exploring new places has been one of my favourite hobbies since childhood. Living in Chennai for the last five years, I have become accustomed with the way of life in this part of the country. Recently, I travelled to Sri Lanka for a short trip with my family. The journey by the Sri Lanka Airlines was a smooth one. We took a bus from Colombo to Kumbukkandanwela. Our hotel was located in one of the prime locations of the city.

The hotel was well connected with major attractions such as Sigriya Rock and Golden Temple of Dambulla. We rested for the day to get over the tiredness caused by the long journey. Here are some of the major events which made our Sri Lanka trip worth treasuring for a lifetime: -
 

Dambulla Golden Temple | Image Resource : wikimedia.org

Visiting the major attractions around the city

The next day, we went out to visit the major attractions in and around Kumbukkandanwela. Our first destination was Sigriya. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this place was utilised as a Buddhist monastery till the 14th century. King Kashyapa built a fortress and palace here during the 5th century AD.

Our next destination was the Dambulla Golden Temple. A place of pilgrimage for 2200 years, this cave monastery is home to several Buddhist mural paintings and houses 153 statues of Lord Buddha. The paintings on the walls of the cave include the demon Mara’s temptation and Buddha’s first sermon.

This temple complex was built between the second and third century BC. One of the largest monasteries in the country, it is widely believed that Valagamba of Anuradhapura converted the caves into a temple in first century BC. We also visited the National Museum in Colombo. We came across numerous works of art, carvings, swords, paraphernalia and guns from the colonial period.
 

Green Paradise Resort | Imgae Resource : cloudfront.net

Dining Experience at Green Paradise Resort

We returned to the Green Paradise Resort during the afternoon. The Fish Ambul Thiyal, which is a type of sour fish curry was served to us as the main course of the meal. The fish was sautéed using cinnamon, garlic, black pepper, turmeric, pandan leaves and curry leaves. Its unique sour tang left a lasting aftertaste in our mouth. We followed it up with some Kukul Mas Curry which is a type of chicken curry.

Cooked using fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon sticks, it had a unique aroma. The use of pandan leaves, lemongrass, curry leaves and coconut milk added a distinct taste to the curry and helped us to enjoy a hearty meal.

Returning to Chennai

We stayed in Sri Lanka for a week during which we visited all the major attractions in and around Colombo. What I personally found unique about the country was the reverence of age old traditions by the people. The natives by and large are friendly and hospitable. The Portuguese, Dutch and British who came here primarily for trading purpose left behind an indelible mark on the country’s culture. I intend to visit the country once more during my lifetime.