13/08/2025
ABOUT SRI LANKA
A Tradition of Welcome - "Ayubowan" is the traditional greeting in Sinhalese meaning "MAY YOU ENJOY LONG LIFE." The palms clasped together and a gentle bow of the head accompanies the "Ayubowan", Sri Lanka's gentle gesture of welcome and respect. It is the age-old greeting of our people, and the chances are you will be greeted this way, wherever you happen to travel throughout the island.
Sri Lanka - the Paradise Isle in the East Because of her position at the southern tip of the Indian Sub-Continent Sri Lanka is often referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. In recorded history for over a thousand years travelers from all over the world came upon Sri Lanka or made the happy discovery by accident. Thus, this Island Paradise was also called SERENDIP giving rise to the word 'serendipity' meaning 'making happy discoveries by accident'.
In the more recent times the strategic position of Sri Lanka (or Ceylon) became a magnet of attraction for the Western traveler or explorer to visit Sri Lanka. In the early 16th century the Portuguese were the first European power to realize the importance of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka became a center of the spice trade between the East and the West and the Portuguese were the first Europeans to set up their trading posts in Sri Lanka.
They came in as explorers and traders and in due course schemed their way into becoming the masters of the coastline or the maritime areas of the Island. The Dutch followed them in the 18th century, but both these European nations could not capture or control the whole of the Island. The core or heart of the Sri Lankan nation survived the onslaught of these two European powers until the beginning of the 19th century.
It was only the British who came in the late 18th century and replaced the Dutch, were able to take control of the whole island in 1802. Thus Ceylon became the first Crown Colony of the British Empire in the East.
The British established complete control over the island with the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815. They ruled for 150 years before the country regained independencein in 1948.
" Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean is located to the south of the Indian subcontinent. It lies between 5O 55' and 9O 55' north of the equator and between the eastern longitudes 79O 42' and 81O 52'. The total
land area is 65,610 sq. km. and is astonishingly varied. A length of 445 km. and breadth of 225 km. encompass beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all tastes. The relief features of the island consist of a mountainous mass somewhat south of the center, with heights exceeding 2,500 meters, surrounded by broad plains. Palm fringed beaches surround the island and the sea temperature rarely falls below 27OC.
