Jaffna, the biggest city in the north of Sri Lanka; and being the historical base of Tamils in Sri Lanka, had suffered much from the 1983-2009 civil war, though one can hardly tell walking around. Just one notable building, a Dutch Colonial building (1st below) used by both militaries during the war, has been left unrestored.
The civil war in Sri Lanka has much in common with late-20th century conflicts in Cyprus and Ireland. Colonial rule based on divide and conquer had sown deep seeds of distrust and resentment. Yet divide and rule has become a modus operandus for swaying voters in democratic elections around the world.
At the moment Jaffna seems very peaceful. In the evening locals enjoy the sunset from the promenade by the fort (2nd and 3rd below).
There are a number of Hindu temples in Jaffna. The huge Nallur Kandaswamy Temple (1st below, no photos allowed on the grounds) was fascinating. Besides the usual no shoes rule, all men must take their shirts off.
We have rather liked going around to Hindu temples in Sri Lanka. They are very welcoming. We could go wherever other people go, unlike many Hindu temples in India which are rather restrictive. There, either we weren't allowed in, or there were too many people around, I couldn't see what's going on.
However, at the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple (in the course of two hours) we got to see all sorts of rituals, such as arti (waving of fire lamp around deities), bathing or dousing deities with buckets of water, chanting, music (drumming and wind instruments), processions, bonfires, prostrations, and more.
There are more Hindus in the north of Sri Lanka than in the south; thus more cows roam the streets as seen below on our bus ride from Trinco to Jaffna.
Jaffna Railway Station has been restored from almost total ruin.
Giant fruit-eating bats are common in Sri Lanka. We spotted this colony roosting while sitting in a park. Yikes! Cool!
Folks in Jaffna were friendly.
St. Mary's Cathedral is huge with three perpendicular naves and a bell tower.
A Tasty South Indian lunch at Vijitha Cafe
Jaffna's Clock Tower (1882) may be the most pleasing ever.
And how about the Public Library?
Hindu Temple at Night. Near our hotel.
John & Sun-Ling
Wander the Earth
Wander the Earth
Sun-Ling and John have been traveling the earth since 2008 while blogging, eating vegetarian and vegan, and riding public transportation. We love uphill day hikes, 20th-century architecture, Roman ruins, all bodies of water, local markets, shopping for groceries, aqueducts, miradors, trip planning, blablacar, and more.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Sri Lanka: Trincomalee
Trincomalee, on the east coast of the island, is the least touristed city of our Sri Lankan tour. There are beach resorts a few kilometers to the north, but the town itself does not see many tourists. And it's a nice town to visit!
The city is set on a peninsula, with further peninsulas and promontories jetting out, so there are all manners of beach and waterfront promenades. Over the weekend we were there, they were enjoyed by many local people.
The spiritual well being of the populus is also well catered for. There are a multitude of churches, mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples. We could see a Hindu temple from our window (1st below).
The highlight is supposed to be the much vaunted Kandasamy Hindu Temple, set at the end of the promontory. We timed our visit to the late afternoon ritual, and ran into a special ceremony welcoming an important dignitary.
What I was surprised to find was the Kali Temple. While the outside (1st below) is very typical South Indian style, the inside is a fantastical riot of figures and shapes. John and I struggled to recall whether or how many times we have seen such wonders in India, if ever.
The city is set on a peninsula, with further peninsulas and promontories jetting out, so there are all manners of beach and waterfront promenades. Over the weekend we were there, they were enjoyed by many local people.
The spiritual well being of the populus is also well catered for. There are a multitude of churches, mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples. We could see a Hindu temple from our window (1st below).
The highlight is supposed to be the much vaunted Kandasamy Hindu Temple, set at the end of the promontory. We timed our visit to the late afternoon ritual, and ran into a special ceremony welcoming an important dignitary.
What I was surprised to find was the Kali Temple. While the outside (1st below) is very typical South Indian style, the inside is a fantastical riot of figures and shapes. John and I struggled to recall whether or how many times we have seen such wonders in India, if ever.
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Sri Lanka: Dambulla
Based in Dambulla, we had three activities.
The walk to Pidurangala Rock trailhead follows the Sigirya moat.
Once again SL booked us into a hotel with a very nice pool.
The bus route to Auvkana (Giant Standing Buddha) followed the bank of one of the largest reservoirs in Sri Lanka. Video, second below.
A few extra Buddha shots.
- Cave Temples: a series of five temples built by enclosing a rock overhang. The site is said to have had continuous buddhist activity since the 3rd century BCE. While the artifacts may be as recent as the last renovation and refurbishing in the 18th century, the overall effect is impressive enough. While the frescoes are reminiscent of Christian art, the statues are decidedly Buddhist.
- Foregoing the exorbitant admission of $36, and crowded climb to Sigiriya (Lion Rock: a rock fortress dates back to the 5th century), we opted to climb Pidurangala, another rock (sans fortress) a couple kilometers to the north with a view of the lion's head. Most people go for sunset or sunrise, so it was not crowded. At the top there are excellent views back to Sigiriya (1st and 2nd below), and the surrounding countryside.
- Auvkana Buddha, tallest standing ancient Budha after Telaban blew up the Bamiyan Buddha in Afghanistan. While the status was compelling enough, I was taken with the big stone blocks of the enclosure. I later realized that the rocks may be just veneers over brick. They were remarkable nevertheless. This site had more Sri Lanka visitors than international visitors.
The walk to Pidurangala Rock trailhead follows the Sigirya moat.
Once again SL booked us into a hotel with a very nice pool.
The bus route to Auvkana (Giant Standing Buddha) followed the bank of one of the largest reservoirs in Sri Lanka. Video, second below.
A few extra Buddha shots.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Most Recent Post
Sri Lanka: Jaffna
Jaffna, the biggest city in the north of Sri Lanka; and being the historical base of Tamils in Sri Lanka, had suffered much from the 1983-20...
Most Popular Posts of Last 30 Days
-
Instead of the usual single loop, our whole Sri Lanka tour is in the shape of an 8 all because of Navam Maha Perahera at the Gangaramaya Tem...
-
After a "Melaka City Tour" route on local bus #17 we arrived at Melaka Sentral Bus Terminal and in a few minutes - no time for a t...
-
In order to guarantee a hassle-free speedy trip from from St Ignacio, Belize to Tikal in Guatemala we eschewed public transport and paid for...
-
Everything happened smoothly with our Galapagos trip. We had really good weather, two full days of sun and a couple of partly cloudy day in...
-
Polonnaruwa is an archeological site in north central Sri Lanka. Between the 11th and 13th century Polonnaruwa was the capital of the island...
-
On the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year, we flew from HCMC to Colombo via Kuala Lumpur. From the airport we took a transfer directly to Galle, ...
-
According to the Tooth Relic Temple website , on Wednesdays there is a ritual of tooth washing, in addition to daily rituals. What we had no...