Refreshingly Sri Lanka 1: Kandy

by Puru

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Dec 20, 2011

Refreshingly Sri Lanka 1: Kandy 1

This weekend took us to a whirlwind trip of the beautiful Island nation of Sri Lanka, a place of astonishing beauty and serenity. For an Indian, Sri Lanka is a unique nation, so similar to our own when looked at superficially but so subtly different when you observe closely. We had been planning this trip for a long time. Names like Anuradhapura and Sigiriya were itched in my mind since childhood and it was time to live the dream.

So one fine Thursday morning, we boarded a flight from Chennai and landed in Colombo in another 55 minutes. Since our destination was Kandy we decided to give a slip to Colombo and head to the mountains straight away. We had already booked a Hotel through Travelers Point and asked for pickup.

When we arrived in Colombo, the cab driver Suresh (who was going to be our trustworthy and ever cheerful companion throughout the trip) was already waiting for us in the Paging area. As we had no foreign currency, we took some cash in Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) from a nearby People’s Bank ATM and started for Kandy in a great Toyota Towner. The fare came to LKR 6600.

The road to Kandy passed through scenic mountain roads (which were quite congested with traffic) and it started getting progressively cold as we ascended. Soon it started raining and we went into a rethink over not bringing any warm clothes to keep the bags light. Fortunately the cold remained pleasant and we were spared from freezing.

Perched cozily amidst green mountains, Kandy is a beautiful city. The last bastion of the Sinhalese dominion before the British took over the entire island in 1815, the city has managed to preserve much of its culture and traditions and hence is known as the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. So you will find an interesting mix of the Kandyan style of living with Colonial buildings and roads. The streets are clean and there is whiff of freshness in the air. It is hard not to like this city instantly once you reach there.

Our hotel, curiously named Blink Bonnie Inn, was located atop one of the hills directly overlooking the Kandy Lake. The view from our balcony was breathtaking; we could see almost all of the city, the tourist places and Pagodas and a Giant statue of Buddha atop a nearby mountain. A word about the Hotel Management, I have never met such friendly and hospitable people. The owner of the hotel, Stefen personally took interest in our trip, got us made a nice itinerary and even went all the way to the Railway Station to get our return Train tickets.

Kandy dancer

A Kandyan Dancer

Coming back to the trip, since it was already evening, we had limited choice of the places to see. The first place we went to was the Kandyan Cultural Centre to see the famed Kandyan Dance. The show happens every day from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM and the ticket costs LKR 500 per person. It was an amazing showcase of the local culture, the dancers were wonderful and the overall experience was very good.

The Temple of Tooth Relic

The Temple of Tooth Relic

Our next stop was the most famous monument of Kandy, Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Tooth Relic. Located in the Royal Palace complex of Kandy, this World Heritage Site contains the tooth relic of Lord Buddha. As we took the tickets (LKR 1000 each) and went in, we were lost in the surreal beauty of the place. A milky white building with tiled roofs, the temple was a majestic sight to behold.

Mystic Archway

Mystic Archway

The whole building was illuminated beautifully and stood majestically over tall ramparts. Inside, in a main hall, priests were doing the evening prayers as monks sat meditating. All around there were intricate wood carved terraces and balconied and walls adorned with beautiful paintings. More than the words, the photographs we have come back with will help you assess the beauty of the place.

Tooth Relic

The Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha

As we entered the main chamber, evening prayers were being offered and there were many devotees with offerings of flowers (lotus being the most prominent) and other things. If one word could explain the overall feel of the place, it would be ‘Peaceful’.

Kandy city at night

Kandy city at night

After spending a lot of time in the Temple, we returned to the Hotel. From our balcony, we could see a beautiful sight – the stars in the sky and the city below us glittering like the mirror image. This trip was going to be a memorable one!

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Kandy, a set on Flickr.
Kandy dancerKandy dancerKandy danceKandy dancerKandy dancerKandy drummer
Kandy drummerKandy drummerThe Temple of Tooth RelicThe Temple of Tooth RelicRampartsMystic archway
Priests Tooth RelicLord BuddhaThe Temple of Tooth RelicLord BuddhaLord Buddha
Paintings on WallsThe Temple of Tooth RelicThe Temple of Tooth RelicKandy city at night
Refreshingly Sri Lanka 1: Kandy 2
Refreshingly Sri Lanka 1: Kandy 2

 

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About the Author

Puru

Puru is an IT Project Manager from Pune, India and an avid blogger. He is passionate about travel, photography, cinema and books. He blogs on Shadows Galore, Art House Cinema, The Mutinous Indian and Antarnaad.

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17 Comments

  1. Arnab

    Excellent post! Kandy will be definitely on my itinerary when I visit Srilanka, thanks to you! My fav photo from this is surely the mystic archway, its looking really enticing!

    Reply
    • Puru

      Thanks Arnab, there are many more places to visit in Kandy. Stroll along the lake and see the palace, and do not forget to visit the Botanical garden. We were really short on time hence couldn’t go there. Watch out for more on Sri Lanka, Kandy was just the first part 🙂

      Reply
  2. Ekta

    The trip was a memorable one..!! Miss it already…

    Reply
    • Puru

      Deepak: Don’t let your hatred get the better of you.

      Reply
  3. Ekta

    The trip indeed was a memorable one..!! Miss it already…

    Reply
    • Puru

      You will have many more like this .. keep watching 🙂

      Reply
  4. subhorup dasgupta

    Lovely pics, and a very interesting read, loved the Lord Buddha (the one behind the veil through an arch) pic in the set.

    Reply
    • Puru

      Thanks Shubhorup. This particular Buddha looked so peaceful sitting in a corner 🙂

      Reply
  5. meena

    wow this is awesome. we see places of interest in sri lanka during cricket matches but with your post it seems we all are on this journey with u..

    beautiful and thanks for sharing this

    Reply
    • Puru

      Thanks for the kind words Meena, your comments are always an inspiration. Do enjoy the journey with us 🙂

      Reply
    • Puru

      Thanks ! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Arti

    Absolutely wonderful! I love Sri Lanka and its people, they come across as very humble human beings. It is one of my dream destinations. I loved the tooth relic temple, the stars and the sky… oh! I am in love with this place even before I am there! Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Puru

      I agree to each of your words about the people of Sri Lanka. I found them very friendly and polite, there are a lesson or two we can learn from them in being tourist friendly. As far as going there is concerned, its pretty easy. You will not even feel that you have made an overseas trip 🙂

      Reply
  7. sedated

    SriLanka is a must watch country

    Reply

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