Sri Lanka – The Pearl of the Indian Ocean
Where is Sri Lanka situated?
Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean situated off the southern tip of India. Washed by the waters of Arabian Sea to the West, Indian Ocean to the South and Bay of Bengal to the East, it is separated from India by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar. It sits proudly amidst rich waters that harbour various fish and sea creatures. These have been lavishly providing the island with food and materials for various crafts, like pearls, sea shells and corrals to name a few. Although the latter is now protected to preserve the habitat of the shore line sea dwellers, especially after 2004 devastating tsunami, which almost entirely destroyed the coral reef barrier off the eastern coast line.
The shape of the island resembles a tear drop or a water droplet, sometimes attributed to reflect its perilous history. However, such outlook is far off from the reality. Sri Lanka is naturally a very rich country in every aspect. Overall it has tropical climate due to its placement just five degrees to the north of the equator. But at the same time, it has varying climatic zones within its boundaries ranging from dry to wet, and hot to cool to windy, creating the landscapes and sceneries from semi dessert to rain forests, and from hot plains to misty mountains and everything in between. Its rich soil with several valued deposits and abundant warm waters contributes to its vast green diversity that supports land, water and air fauna abundance. And to match the natural wealth of their country, Sri Lankans are good craftsmen and ingenious inventors endlessly adapting these gifts of nature to enrich their lives.
Thus, the local population sees its homeland as a precious “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” rather than a land of tears. And history, up to the present day, supports this outlook with ancient ruins of engineering marvels that perplexed many modern engineers and scientists when discovered. All these show the true care of the locals to their country, their urge to sustain and develop its natural resources and a rare gift of building their lives in-tune with nature making most of the abundance of their land. This may be the secret to mesmerizing wide open smiles the locals use to greet all the visitors from the welcome to the moment of parting.
Early history
Known history of the island runs back some 3 thousands of years. It has been populated even longer with first known settlement dating back to at least 38,000 years. Transfer from tribes to kingdoms begins with arrival of Prince Vijaya and gradual establishment of the first Kingdom of Tambapanni, which transformed to the island’s first Kingdom of Anuradhapura under Sinhalese king. Division of the people into various kingdoms, early urbanisation and development of agriculture starts from then onward. Frequent disputes between the local kingdoms brought on attacks by South Indian warlords and rulers. These pushes the Sri Lankan kingdoms to various new places in the island, thus gradually developing them, although not all previous achievements were preserved.
Colonial era
The trading with Eastern, Arabic and South Asian neighbours effected the development of the island to a certain extent. Major changes began with colonisation initially by Portuguese in 1505, then Dutch and finally British. Only the British managed to colonise the island fully, ending the rule of Sinhalese kings. However, their predecessors significantly affected the lives of the locals by driving the trade with focus on spices. They also introduced some of their life styles and customs to the locals, which can still be found in language, songs and cuisine. Compared to the previous colonists, the British completely took over the country heavily developing it to run their plantations of coffee and then of tea. The latter one put the island on the map for the entire world under Ceylon Tea brand, which is still popular and revered to this day. Other plantations of spices, rubber and coconut were also developed, although to a much lesser degree. World wars I and II, however, have pushed the expansion of rubber plantations, as Sri Lankan rubber proven to be the best natural one in the world.
From independence to present day
In 1948 Sri Lanka got its partial independence from the British rule, but remained a Dominion of the British Empire. And only in 1972 the island got its complete freedom becoming a Republic with its present name Sri Lanka.
Much has changed since that memorable date. The country has been developing in many direction, but remained a proud agrarian country in respect to its roots. Light industrialization was the major driving force at the initial stages after the regaining of the independence. Over the time the attention to agro trade has been growing and developing. The world-wide trend to healthy living and return to natural and clean products opened up new opportunities to Sri Lankan potential. Virgin nature and general local habit of living along with nature helped to preserve Sri Lanka’s natural renewable resources. And the island proudly shares these gifts of nature with the entire world, having adapted them to modern needs, customs and lifestyles using traditional know-how and ingenious state-of-the-art technologies, as they have been doing over the centuries.
Therefore, you can now enjoy much more than just tea, rubber or plain desiccated coconut and coir. Many fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants, substantial number of them being true superfoods and healthier substitutes for chemical medicines, are now opened up and easily available for you regardless of where on this planet you are. This are the true gifts the people of Sri Lanka ever so happy to share with you from their kind depth of hearts and bright warm smiles.