traditional food 
Culture and arts Hoppers, a Sri Lankan delicacy. Main article: Culture of Sri Lanka The island is the home of two main traditional cultures: the Sinhalese (centered in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (centered in the city of Jaffna). In more recent times a British colonial culture was added, and lately Sri Lanka, particularly in the urban areas, has experienced a dramatic makeover in the western mold. Until recently, for example, most Sri Lankans, certainly those in the villages, have eaten traditional food, engaged in traditional crafts and expressed themselves through traditional arts. But economic growth and intense economic competition in developed countries has spilled over to most of Sri Lanka, producing changes that might variously be identified as progress, westernisation or a loss of identity and assimilation. Traditional food kavadi by Hindu Devotess at Vavuniya Elephants at the Esala Perahera. Sri Lankans have added western influences to the customary diet such as rice and curry, pittu (mixture of fresh rice meal, very lightly roasted and mixed with fresh grated coconut, then steamed in a bamboo mould). Kiribath (cooked in thick coconut cream for this unsweetened rice-pudding which is accompanied by a sharp chili relish called "lunumiris"), wattalapam (rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon cloves and nutmeg), kottu, and hoppers ("appa"), batter cooked rapidly in a hot curved pan, accompanied by eggs, milk or savouries. Middle Eastern influences and practices are found in traditional Moor dishes. While Dutch and Portuguese influences are found with the island's Burgher community preserving their culture through traditional favourites such as Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and baked in a banana leaf), Breudher (Dutch Christmas cake) and Bolo Fiado (Portuguese-style layer cake). Festivals Main article Sri Lankan festivals Every year on or about April 13th Sinhala and Tamil people celebrate Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival, and Muslims celebrate Ramadan. Esala Perahera (A-suh-luh peh-ruh-ha-ruh) is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly-decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema'. The elephant is paraded around the city bearing the tooth of Buddha. However the new year for tamils have been established as being on January 14th from this year. History Main article: History of Sri Lanka Landing of King Vijaya depicted in an Ajanta fresco. This image is a candidate for speedy deletion. It may be deleted after seven days from the date of nomination. History of Sri Lanka series Prehistory of Sri Lanka Early Sri Lankan History Kings of Sri Lanka Colonial era Sri Lankan independence movement Independence of Sri Lanka Sri Lankan Civil War Paleolithic human settlements have been discovered at excavations in several cave sites in the Western Plains region and the South-western face of the Central Hills region. Anthropologists believe that some discovered burial rites and certain decorative artifacts exhibit similarities between the first inhabitants of the island and the early inhabitants of Southern India. Recent bioanthropological studies have however dismissed these links, and have placed the origin of the people to the northern parts of India. One of the first written references to the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which described the emperor Ravana as monarch of the powerful kingdom of Lanka, which was created by the divine sculptor Vishwakarma for Kubera, the treasurer of the Gods.[11] English historian James Emerson Tennent also theorized Galle, a southern city in Sri Lanka, was the ancient seaport of Tarshish from which King Solomon is said to have drawn ivory, peacocks and other valuables. The main written accounts of the country's history are the Buddhist chronicles of Mahavansa and Dipavamsa. The earliest-known inhabitants of the island now known as Sri Lanka were probably the ancestors of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs and numbering roughly 3,000. Linguistic analysis has found a correlation of the Sinhalese language with the languages of the Sindh and Gujarat, although most historians believe that the Sinhala community emerged well after the assimilation of various ethnic groups. From the ancient period date some remarkable archaeological sites including the ruins of Sigiriya, the so-called "Fortress in the Sky", and huge public works. Among the latter are large "tanks" or reservoirs, important for conserving water in a climate that alternates rainy seasons with dry times, and elaborate aqueducts, some with a slope as finely calibrated as one inch to the mile. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the first in the world to have established a dedicated hospital in Mihintale in the 4th century BCE. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the world's leading exporter of cinnamon, which was exported to Egypt as early as 1400 BCE. Sri Lanka was also the first Asian nation to have a female ruler in Queen Anula (47–42 BC) Sri Lankan coin, 1st century CE. Since ancient times Sri Lanka was ruled by monarchs, most notably of the Sinha royal dynasty that lasted over 2000 years. The island was also infrequently invaded by South Indian kingdoms and parts of the island were ruled intermittently by the Chola dynasty, the Pandya dynasty, the Chera dynasty and the Pallava dynasty. The island was also invaded by the kingdoms of Kalinga (modern Orissa) and those from the Malay Peninsula. Buddhism arrived from India in the 3rd century BCE, brought by Bhikkhu Mahinda, who is believed to have been the son of Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Mahinda's mission won over the Sinhalese monarch Devanampiyatissa of Mihintale, who embraced the faith and propagated it throughout the Sinhalese population. The Buddhist kingdoms of Sri Lanka would maintain a large number of Buddhist schools and monasteries, and support the propagation of Buddhism into Southeast Asia. Sri Lanka had always been an important port and trading post in the ancient world, and was increasingly frequented by merchant ships from the Middle East, Persia, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The islands were known to the first European explorers of South Asia and settled by many groups of Arab and Malay merchants. A Portuguese colonial mission arrived on the island in 1505 headed by the Lourenço de Almeida the son of Francisco de Almeida. At that point the island consisted of three kingdoms, namely Kandy in the central hills, Kotte at the Western coast, and Yarlpanam (Anglicised Jaffna) in the north. The Dutch arrived in the 17th century. Although much of the island came under the domain of European powers, the interior, hilly region of the island remained independent, with its capital in Kandy. The British East India Company established control of the island in 1796, declaring it a crown colony in 1802, although the island would not be officially connected with British India. The fall of the kingdom of Kandy in 1815 unified the island under British rule. Sigiriya Rock Fortress. European colonists established a series of tea, cinnamon, rubber, sugar, coffee and indigo plantations. The British also brought a large number of indentured workers from Tamil Nadu to work in the plantation economy. The city of Colombo was established as the administrative centre, and the British established modern schools, colleges, roads and churches that brought Western-style education and culture to the native people. Increasing grievances over the denial of civil rights, mistreatment and abuse of natives by colonial authorities gave rise to a struggle for independence in the 1930s, when the Youth Leagues opposed the "Ministers' Memorandum," which asked the colonial authority to increase the powers of the board of ministers without granting popular representation or civil freedoms. Buddhist scholars and the Teetotalist Movement also played a vital role in this time. During World War II, the island served as an important Allied military base. A large segment of the British and American fleet were deployed on the island, as were tens of thousands of soldiers committed to the war against Japan in Southeast Asia. Following the war, popular pressure for independence intensified. The office of Prime Minister of Ceylon was created in advance of independence on 14 October 1947, Don Stephen Senanayake being the first prime minister. On February 4, 1948 the country won its independence as the Commonwealth of Ceylon. On July 21, 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike took office as prime minister, and became the world's first female prime minister and the first female head of government in post-colonial Asia. In 1972, during Sirimavo Bandaranaike's second term as prime minister, the country became a republic within the Commonwealth, and the name was changed to Sri Lanka. The island enjoyed good relations with the United Kingdom and had the British Royal Navy stationed at Trincomalee. Since 1983, there has been on-and-off civil war, predominantly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a separatist militant organization who fight to create an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island. Economy The World Trade Centre in Colombo. Sri Lanka's well-known export, Ceylon tea (black) Main article: Economy of Sri Lanka In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Sri Lanka became a plantation economy, famous for its production and export of cinnamon, rubber and Ceylon tea, which remains a trademark national export. The development of modern ports under British rule raised the strategic importance of the island as a centre of trade. During World War II, the island hosted important military installations and Allied forces. However, the plantation economy aggravated poverty and economic inequality. From 1948 to 1977 socialism strongly influenced the government's economic policies. Colonial plantations were dismantled, industries were nationalised and a welfare state established. While the standard of living and literacy improved significantly, the nation's economy suffered from inefficiency, slow growth and lack of foreign investment. From 1977 the UNP government began incorporating privatisation, deregulation and promotion of private enterprise. While the production and export of tea, rubber, coffee, sugar and other agricultural commodities remains important, the nation has moved steadily towards an industrialised economy with the development of food processing, textiles, telecommunications and finance. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of export, and further declined to 16.8% in 2005 (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments have reached 63%. The GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% during the early 1990s, until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000, with average growth of 5.3%. The year of 2001 saw the first recession in the country's history, as a result of power shortages, budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Signs of recovery appeared after the 2002 ceasefire. The Colombo Stock Exchange reported the highest growth in the world for 2003, and today Sri Lanka has the highest per capita income in South Asia. Arugam Point at the Arugam Bay beach an attractive place for tourists. In April 2004, there was a sharp reversal in economic policy after the government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party was defeated by a coalition made up of Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the leftist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna called the United People's Freedom Alliance. The new government stopped the privatization of state enterprises and reforms of state utilities such as power and petroleum, and embarked on a subsidy program called the Rata Perata economic program. Its main theme to support the rural and suburban SMEs and protect the domestic economy from external influences, such as oil prices, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. See also: Tea industry of Sri Lanka and Tourism in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, with an income per head of $1,350, still lags behind some of its neighbors including Maldives and Mauritius but is ahead of its giant neighbor India. Its economy grew by an average of 5% during the 1990s during the 'War for Peace' era. According to the Sri Lankan central bank statistics, the economy was estimated to have grown by 7% last year, although inflation had reached 20%. It should be noted that Sri Lanka's central bank statistics have been called into question over allegations of political interference and institutional decay [6]. Parts of Sri Lanka, particularly the South and East coast, were devastated by the 2004 Asian Tsunami. The economy was briefly buoyed by an influx of foreign aid and tourists, but this was disrupted with the reemergence of the civil war resulting in increased lawlessness in the country [7] and a sharp decline in tourism Religions Buddhism is followed by about 70% of the population The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Jaffna is an important place for Hindus in Sri Lanka Main article: Religion in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka has a multi ethnic and multi religious population. Buddhism constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the population of the island,[31][32] most of whom follow the Theravada school of Buddhism.[33] According to traditional Sri Lankan chronicles, Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in the 2nd century BCE by Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiyatissa.[33] During this time, a sapling of the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment was brought to Sri Lanka and the first monasteries were established under the sponsorship of the Sri Lankan king. The Pali Canon (Thripitakaya), having previously been preserved as an oral tradition, was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka around 30 BC.[34] Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any Buddhist nation,[33] with the Sangha having existed in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction in the 2nd century BCE. During periods of decline, the Sri Lankan monastic lineage was revived through contact with Thailand and Burma.[34] Periods of Mahayana influence, as well as official neglect under colonial rule, created great challenges for Theravada Buddhist institutions in Sri Lanka, but repeated revivals and resurgences — most recently in the 19th century — have kept the Theravada tradition alive for over 2000 years. The Jami Ul Alfar mosque in Colombo. Islam was brought to Sri Lanka by Arab Merchants Sri Lanka religiosity religion percent Buddhism 70% Hinduism 15% Christianity 8% Islam 7% The second largest religion is Hinduism. Hinduism was primarily established in Sri Lanka by migrants and often invaders from southern India,[35] and Hindus now constitute seven to fifteen percent of the population,[32][36] mostly of the Shaivite school.[citation needed] Followers of Islam comprise approximately eight percent of the population,[32] having been brought to the island by Arab traders over the course of many centuries[37] European colonists introduced Christianity to the country in the 16th century,[38] and the religion has been adopted by around six percent of the population.[32] There also was a small population of Zoroastrian immigrants from India (Parsis) who settled in Ceylon during the period of British rule. As a result of emigration, few remain, yet they have played a significant role in the growth of the country. The former finance minister of Sri Lanka, Nariman Choksy, was a Parsi. Other famous Parsi families in Sri Lanka include the Captain family and the Pestongee family. Religion plays an important part in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. The Buddhist majority observe Poya Days, once per month according to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe their own holidays. There are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and many mosques, Hindu temples and churches across the island, especially in areas where respective communities are concentrated. Buddhists are distributed across most parts of the island except in the north. Hindus are concentrated in north, east, and central high lands. Christians, particularly Roman Catholics are mainly concentrated along the western coastal belt. Muslims are concentrated in several pockets along the coast and in interior. All religious communities are represented in western province and in other urban centers in sizable numbers. Transport Main article: Transport in Sri Lanka Colombo-Galle Face Green Most Sri Lankan cities and towns are connected by the Sri Lanka Railways, the state-run national railway operator. The first railway line was inaugurated on April 26, 1867, linking Colombo with Kandy. The total length of Sri Lankan roads exceeds 11,000 kilometres (6,840 mi), with a vast majority of them being paved. The government has launched several highway projects to bolster the economy and national transport system, including the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the Colombo-Kandy (Kadugannawa) Expressway, the Colombo-Padeniya Expressway and the Outer Circular Highway to ease Colombo's traffic congestion. There are also plans to build a major bridge connecting Jaffna to the Indian city of Chennai. The Ceylon Transport Board is the state-run agency responsible for operating public bus services across the island. Sri Lanka also maintains 430 kilometres (270 mi) of inland waterways. It has three deep-water ports at Colombo, Trincomalee and Galle. There is also a smaller, shallower harbour at Kankesanturai, north of Jaffna. There are twelve paved airports and two unpaved airstrips in the country. SriLankan Airlines is the official national carrier, partly owned and operated by Emirates Airline. It was voted the best airline in South Asia by Skytrax. SriLankan Air Taxi is the smaller, domestic arm of the national carrier, while Expo Aviation and Lankair are private airline companies. The Bandaranaike International Airport is the country's only international airport, located in Katunayaka, 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Colombo.SRILANKAN AIRLINES History Air Lanka was set up by the Sri Lankan Government in July 1979 following the closure of Air Ceylon in 1978. It initially operated two Boeing 707s which were leased from Singapore Airlines. During the 1980s, the airline increased the number of destinations it serviced and made additions to its fleet. In 1990 Air Lanka served 26 destinations. In December 1992 the airline purchased its first Airbus A320. Air Lanka Boeing 747-200 at Basle Airport (1984)Air Lanka, which was state owned, was part-privatized to the Dubai based Emirates Group in 1998 when Emirates and the Sri Lankan Government signed an agreement for a ten year strategic partnership. This agreement would include exclusive rights for all ground handling and airline catering at Bandaranaike International Airport for a ten year period. Emirates bought a 40% stake worth US$70 million (which it later increased to 43.6%) in Air Lanka, and sought to refurbish the airline's image and fleet. The Government retained the majority of the stake in the airline but gave full control to Emirates for investments and management decisions which saw the introduction of Peter Hill as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In 1998, the Air Lanka brand was retired and SriLankan airlines was born. SriLankan acquired six Airbus A330-200s to complement its fleet of A340-300 and A320-200 aircraft. The A330-200s joined the airline between October 1999 and July 2000. The company’s fourth A340-300 arrived at Colombo painted in the airline’s new corporate livery. SriLankan also upgraded its existing A340 fleet into a two-class configuration (business and economy) whilst overhauling the interior to reflect the new corporate image. SriLankan has suffered from environmental problems and acts of terrorism. These have included the SARS outbreak, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, a civil war within Sri Lanka and a terrorist attack which destroyed four aircraft and damaged two, writing off half of its fleet. SriLankan then took the decision to recreate Colombo as a new hub for flights to Asia. An example of this is the expansion into regional markets such as India. It is now the largest foreign carrier into India with 100 flights a week to 11 destinations. New Lounge at SriLankan's HubWhilst continuing expansion in the region, SriLankan also conducts flights to Jeddah, its third destination in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Dammam. Jeddah was the airline's 51st destination in 28 countries and increased to nine the number of destinations in the Middle East. As part of its strategy it has also developed nonstop flights from Malé (the Maldives) to London, Paris and Tokyo. In 2008 Sri Lanka government had notified the Emirates that they will not renew the management contract[2] which then expired on March 31, 2008, The flight attendant's uniform has remained unchanged since its inauguration with Air Lanka. The stewardesses' uniform is a Kandyan-style sari in green with a peacock feather print, while the stewards' uniform is a red/maroon jacket, white shirt and black trousers.
Sri Lankan 'Monara'SriLankan Airlines corporate logo features the peacock bird ('Monara' in Sinhala) from the mythical Dandumonara Yanthra (flying machine similar to a peacock) built according to Sinhalese folklore by the mythical king Ravana. SriLankan Airbus 340-300There was much animosity to the name change and new logo, in Sri Lanka and from Sri Lankan expatriates. 'Air Lanka' had proved to be a loved name amongst a large community who did not want it to change. Due to folklore and superstition, some Sri Lankan's believe that the new Sri Lankan logo, which shows the peacock flying away from the aircraft, would bring misfortune to the airline, as opposed to the old logo, which showed the peacock facing the direction of the aircraft in flight. SriLankan's CEO, Peter Hill, talked about the new logo in an interview with Travel Weekly: "In order to change the image, it was felt the airline needed a new name that truly reflected the country. So SriLankan Airlines comes with a modern fleet, a new look and an updated Monara (peacock) on the tails of the aircraft. The new logo reflects more graceful and flowing images of today as opposed to the rather angular and square designs of the 70s." Destinations Main article: SriLankan Airlines destinations SriLankan currently serves to 28 destinations (51 thorough codeshare) to 15 countries (28 countries through codeshare).[3] SriLankan Airlines A340-300 Passenger As of June 2007 SriLankan Airlines has an all Airbus fleet. Emirates Airline had stated that it planned to double SriLankan's fleet in the proceeding five years if the management contract was extended:[4] SriLankan Airlines Fleet Aircraft Total Passengers (Business/Economy) Routes Notes Airbus A320-200 5 144 (12/132) Short haul India and Pakistan, routes Airbus A330-200 4 287 (12/275) Medium-long haul South Asia, Mid-East, and Europe; India routes Chennai, Bangalore, and Kozhikode (Calicut) only Airbus A340-300 2 313 (18/295) Short-ultra long haul South Asia, Mid-East, and Europe; India routes, Chennai, Bangalore, and Thiruvananthapuram only. Airbus A340-300 3 314 (18/296) Medium-ultra long haul South Asia, Mid-East and Europe; and a few Indian routes Cargo The SriLankan Cargo Fleet consists of the following aircraft as of November 2006:[5] 2 Antonov An-12 The SriLankan cargo fleet consists of two all cargo Antonov An-12s. In addition SriLankan carries cargo in the belly hold of its passenger fleet.[6] SriLankan's average fleet age is 12.1 years as of April 2008.[7] Cabin On board, SriLankan provides an individual video player that includes 18 movies and 22 radio channels (economy class) and over 30 movie titles in different languages (business class). Both classes are given the option of a "Satcom" satellite phone. Satcom also gives the option of calling anyone in another seat free of charge. SriLankan also gives their passengers the opportunity to reserve their meals for travelers who have particular dietary requirements due to medical or religious reasons. Business Class passengers have the option of pre-ordering any of the special meals available. Catering SriLankan Catering, although a 100% owned subsidiary of SriLankan Airlines, is a standalone operation responsible for its own economic infrastructure, management and profitability. Under the guidance of its chief executive officer, the company’s prime responsibility is the preparation of in-flight meals for SriLankan Airlines. It also caters for a number of foreign airlines, among which are Gulf Air, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Emirates. SriLankan Catering can produce 15,000 meals each day.[8] Entertainment New movies from Hollywood, old classics and some films from India are available on SriLankan Airlines. There are also comedies, dramas, arts, sports and children's TV. The drama and arts section contain stories of current interest, including features on celebrities. There are channels for sport that include highlights of tournaments and that discuss sporting moments. The "Quest" channel provides exploration of the world and documentaries about space and the sea. CTV is SriLankan's channel for children. It contains programmes such as comedies and cartoons. SriLankan also has 22 radio channels to provide music from around the world. SriLankan's radio channels cover the European charts, Golden Era, Classical and Jazz and popular music selections from Sri Lanka, Arabia, India and Japan. 16 new games have been added, including puzzles, playing cards and classic board games.[9] FlySmiles FlySmiles is the new frequent flyer programme of SriLankan Airlines. It ceased to be a part of Emirates' Skywards frequent flyer programme when the partnership between the two airlines was terminated on 31 March 2008.[10] Incidents & Accidents Main article: Air Lanka Flight UL512 On 3 May 1986, a bomb planted by the Terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) exploded on board Flight UL512 prior to takeoff at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport. The bomb, which had been timed to explode inflight went off while the aircraft, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar (London Gatwick - Zurich - Dubai - Colombo - Maldives), was still on the ground killing 14 of 128 passengers. Officials believe the bomb may have been concealed in crates of meat and vegetables being freighted to the Republic of Maldives. Other reports believe that the bomb was hidden in the aircraft's 'Fly Away Kit'. Main article: Bandaranaike Airport attack On 24 July 2001, the LTTE (an organization devoted to creating a separate section of Sri Lanka for the tamils) launched a suicide attack at Bandaranaike International Airport damaging or destroying 26 aircraft that were on the ground. Four aircraft were written off which included an Airbus A340-300 destroyed by an explosive charge and an Airbus A330-200 destroyed by a rocket fired from the control tower. In addition, an A320-200 and an A340-300 were damaged in the assault. In total six Sri Lanka Air Force people, one commando and eight members of the LTTE were killed.[11] Awards In March 2003 the Skytrax Research Agency’s worldwide passenger survey voted SriLankan, for the third consecutive year, Best Airline of the Year for Central Asia. In that same year Travel Trade Gazette (Asia) voted SriLankan Best Airline in South Asia. In 2001 the UK’s Wanderlust magazine placed SriLankan eighth in its Top Major Airlines travel award category.
