Fulwood NWR was recently treated to a fascinating talk by our member Ann, who has travelled widely in Sri Lanka during the cold Sheffield winters.
With its coconut palms and white sand beaches it’s obvious why Sri Lanka is such a popular holiday destination but when Ann’s photos showed us much more than this:-
History. 5th century AD Buddhist granite carvings, Hindu temples, Colonial architecture.
Highland and coastal scenery. In the Highlands Ann and Dave climbed the 2000+metre sacred Adam’s Peak mountain at night just for the view of the 6am sunrise!
Wildlife (elephants and monkeys), Flowers (orchids in Kandy Botanical gardens) and birds (eagles and ibis)
Agriculture (rice fields-they dry the rice by spreading it out on the tarmac road. Now I know why they suggest washing rice before cooking)
Tourism (wonderful food, hospitality, plentiful UNESCO World Heritage sights)
Fishing (coastal fishing villages with colourful fishing boats and drying fish)
And just a few of the many facts we learned:-
- Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is a mainly rural island roughly the size of Wales, with a population of 22 million, situated off Southern India.
- The majority of the population are Sinhalese, mainly Buddhists, with a smaller minority of Hindu Tamils, and Muslims. Buddhism is the main religion and cultural influence today.
- After centuries of Colonial rule ( due to its tea, coffee and rubber plantations) Sri Lanka gained independence in 1965.
- Longstanding conflict between the Buddhist Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils (who want their own independent state) since independence has led to the loss of 10,000+ lives
- Since 2009 a peace settlement has led to increased prosperity for the island both in terms of Chinese and Indian investment as well as increasing Western tourism.
Ann’s talk was fascinating and her enthusiasm for Sri Lanka, clearly one of her favourite places, was infectious. A very successful meeting!