28/09/2023
Food, Culture, Art and Life
Despite the passage of time, Sri Lanka remains a living culture, whose Food, Arts, Language, Religion, Customs and Culture still retain its links with the ancient past. Even after 2,000 years these links are still alive today. After China and then India, Sri Lanka is one of most Ancient Living Cultures in the World.
Laid out on two rocky outcrops, Ridi Vihare has its origins in caves on the hillsides which were hollowed out of rocks and boulders. During the 3rd century BC these caves were inhabited by men and women from all walks of life. Inspired by the teachings of the Buddha, they retreated into caves in their search for the truth. They believed that they could win freedom from earthly desires and that in doing so, they would find the path to salvation. Surrounded by the forest, they passed their lives in contemplation maintained by the community who provided their food and looked after their wants. Over time the caves in which they lived became places of worship and were beautified with paintings and sculptures. This is the story of Ridi Vihare.
History tells us the temple has its beginnings in the story of food and the act of eating. The oldest building in the complex is named the Varaku Velandhu Vihare “The place where the Jak Fruit was offered.” It is a story that dates back to the 1st century Before Christ (161 -137 BC0.
A microcosm of Sri Lanka’s unbroken past, the temple is a living treasure trove of art, architecture, sculpture, ivory and metalwork. Beginning with the ancient past, it evolves through the middle ages, flowering brilliantly during the Kandyan period (1594-1815 AC). Ridi Vihare is also the heart of a living society, which maintains and practices many of the customs and rituals of the ancient past.
Sustained by the temple and the village, this experience will focus on the cave. It will be centred around the traditional food of the community and the surrounding environment. The intention is to create an integrated and reflective experience through which we can understand and explore the Art, Culture and Environment of one of the world’s oldest living societies.
Travel is an eye-opening experience that allows us to gain a fresh outlook and draw on new cultures and surroundings. Experiencing, Listening, Feeling and Tasting is a form of Understanding, Learning and Knowing. Food is an integral part of this experience. Deriving from the surrounding culture and environment, it shapes our attitudes to life.
Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture""
Mark Kurlansky, Choice Cuts: A Savory Selection of Food Writing from Around the World and Throughout History (2002)
