Category: Review

Arati Desai

First political unrest and then the tsunami, Sri Lanka has been ravaged over the years yet, there is a sense of peace and fortitude that prevails over this small island. For the regular traveller neighbouring countries are an obvious choice for a holiday. Sri Lanka occupies a soft spot in the hearts of many an Indian   traveller, who opt not only for its proximity and easy accessibility but also for the old world charm the country has retained.

The famous circuit of the Sri Lankan holiday normally covers Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Galle but there is so much more to this quaint country. Being an island makes it an all around the year destination. Yes, there are 2 monsoons but one for each coast, so in the Indian summer months of May and June, the east coast of Sri Lanka is the perfect holiday destination. Eastern Sri Lanka surprises with its diverse experiences – heritage, cultural experiences, world heritage sites, beautiful beaches, wildlife and surf waves.

Starting from Colombo, head straight to Dumbulla.  Dumbulla’s famed rock cave temple complex is       Sri Lanka’s largest and most well preserved temple complex. Five separate caves dating back to the 1^st century BC hold 150 Buddhist statues and paintings which are 2000 years ago. These caves bear a spiritual atmosphere which is enhanced by many epochs of Sinhala sculpture and Sinhala art, marking one of the many memorable experiences in the country.

The next day visit the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya, perched on a 200 meter tall rock plateau. Sigiriya, the lion rock, a world heritage site is truly an architectural marvel. Some of the unique features of this 5^th century fortress complex includes remains of a king’s palace, surrounded by an extensive network of fortifications, vast landscaped gardens, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains. While it served as a monastery since the 3^rd century till the 5^th century, King Kashyapa converted it into his royal residence  and it remained so for 13 years (473- 496 AD) till he died. Thereafter it returned to being a monastery till the 14^th century when it was abandoned. Apart from its splendid architecture, Sigiriya is also known for its amazing frescos dating back to till date to the 7^th-8^th century. Of these delicately painted frescos 18 are still visible. Tourists have been visiting this monumental site since hundreds of years and continue to even more so today.

Heading to the north of Sri Lanka, drive 100 kms to Trincomalee. The city, recovering from several years of civil war which ended in 2009, is now accessible to tourists. The population is a diverse mix of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. The coastal beach town of Nilaveli is a popular tourist destination peppered with several resorts and cafes. There is a lot to do here like Snorkeling on Pigeon Island, whale watching (from March to August)   and a visit to the historic Koneswaram Temple. Remnants of Tricomalee’s violent past can be seen in the war memorials. One of the most beautiful is ‘The Trincomalee War Cemetery’ which honours the British and French soldiers that fought to win this natural harbor.

From Trincomalee, leave for Arugam Bay via Passikudah. ‘Passikudah’ means green algae beach and its beach is so pristine that you feel you are in a different world all together. With hardly any hotels and even lesser tourists at this beach, it is the perfect place for solitude seekers who need just the ocean and a good book. Offering an extended shallow coastline, the beach is perfect for shallow swimming.

Arugam Bay in itself has a whole lot to explore, be it the Panama beach, the crocodile groves or the Kumana National Park or the surf waves. You will find Aussies, Germans and even Israelis coming to surf here. This leads to a great number of hotels and restaurants offering western options as well as traditional Srilankan Cuisine. You can find the best pizza in Sri Lanka over here. Arugam Bay has a sort of Goan feel about it. Foreign tourists, food joints, accommodation of different categories, good food.

The next destination southwards is Yala, one of the country’s best national parks which is said to have the largest density of leopards in the world. Yala national park has a protected area of 978 square kms   and is home to 44 varieties of mammals and 215 species of birds. Wild elephants roam the road adding to the charm of the Park which has a surreal combination of a breathtaking beach and jungle lands. The organized safaris at Yala operate twice a day. From Yala it’s back to Colombo.

On the way to Colombo one passes several quaint beach towns like Mirissa, Galle and Bentota. Mirissa is known for exhilarating whale sightings from November to April. Again hotel options range from budget to luxury. Further on one should take a short stop over at Galle. This fortified city was built by the Dutch in 1588 but fortified by the Portuguese in the 17^th century, is Asia’s largest standing fortress built by the Europeans. The fort city has a character of its own with colonial architecture, cobblestoned pavements, swanky shops, quaint restaurants, a pretty lighthouse and numerous monitor lizards.  Galle is also home to the Galle International Stadium which is considered one of the most picturesque stadiums in the world. Devastated by the 2004 tsunami, Galle has regained its glory and beauty.

The last stop of the trip is Colombo, the country capital which has something for everyone. Shopping, Casinos, restaurants, distinctive buildings like the Independence memorial hall, the Viramahadevi Park  and temples like the famed Gangaramaya Buddhist temple and the Hindu temple – Kailawasanathan Swami Devasthanam Kovil. Evenings see tourists visit Galle face green, an urban park on the sea face extending up to 500 meters.  Colombo is connected to other parts of the country by trains as well as buses. The bustling city is getting even busier with skyscrapers and other commercial developments, a contrast to the rest of the quiet and relatively less busy east coast.

There is something special about Sri Lanka apart from its tea and that’s its people. The simplicity of the people and vibrancy of their smiles runs through the country. The colours of the sea and the lovely green expanse radiate serenity. With speed limits on the highway set at a maximum of 70 kmph for cars and buses, you are sure to look out of the window and learn to see again. Due to its long civil conflict, Sri Lanka was not always a tourist destination but today it enchants its visitors, making them promise to return again.

Eminent Senior Artist Vinod Shah’s recent retrospective exhibition held at the Sarjan Art Gallery, Vadodara (From 24th Sept. to 15th Oct.) was a visual treat for the viewers.

Country landscapes, urban scapes in light pinks and several tones of blue with pencil drawings, touches of brush strokes were sensitive renderings of abstract art.

Forms of women set in rural landscape as well as the city home interiors were presented with utmost grace. Still life and architectural forms were simple visuals seen composed in magical, serene and quietly exuberent colours. A rich aura of lyricism dominated all the visuals.

Speaking about Vinod Shah’s works Late eminent artist Shri K.G. Subramanyan said “A kind of fluid poetry is the hallmark of Vinod Shah’s paintings. It alters the characters of whatever media he puts to work. It also reorders the anatomy of whatever subject of theme he works around”

Another senior artist, Prof. Jyoti Bhatt said :

“Vinod Shah has worked using various mediums including serigraphy, oils and collage in which he has often used three dimensional forms. But his real forte is the transparent and translucent water soluble mediums, namely water colour and acrylic paints”.

Eminent Artist N.S. Bendre used to be Vinod Shah’s teacher at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda. He once asked his students to define a good work of art. No one could answer this question. Prof. bendre then answered his own question.

He said ‘What happens when one throws a pebble in a still lake? Ripples are created in the water and that is exactly what should happen when you look at a good work of art. There should be ripples of joy created in your heart.’ This is exactly happens when one looks at Vinod Shah’s works. There are ripples of joy created in one’s heart and much more, as arresting visuals linger on in one’s memory forever.

Image Courtesy: WikiMedia

Shantanu Samanta

I visited Kufri in December 2016, in its peak of snowing. We faced no problem in finding accommodation. Kufri is the lifeline, the heart and soul of Shimla. Our drive was exhausting because of so much traffic. However, when we reached there, all our tiredness went away, it is a wonderful place, full of adventures! We did bungee jumping, rope climbing and what not! Also the horse and the yak rides were fabulous! You will have to buy a ticket of 400 rupees for horse riding. The ride is for one hour. It is a very crowded place. You can also buy various traditional items from there like Himachali caps, woodcraft items, Shimla shawls, etc. The best thing about the place is the evenings. Honestly, the beauty of the place gets enhanced manifolds and adds a romantic touch to your stay. The people of Kufri are also very awesome, and it is an overall safe place. In case you decide to go in summers, you will not find any snow, but it will still be beautiful and peaceful. Unlike Shimla which is overcrowded, the temperature of Kufri is usually low because of its height. I highly recommend a trip to Kufri, especially if you are planning to go to Shimla.

Shaili Nagpal

We visited Kufri during the first week of November, 2015. We had to take horses in order to reach the destination. Each will get an individual horse, which is a good thing. But the path is risky since there are steep slopes on either side of the roads and there is no proper fencing. We felt nervous to travel by horses. When we did reach there after a long, dangerous ride there was nothing interesting to see. A total waste of time and money. Kufri is basically a very barren land where all you can see are yaks, and you can only click pictures with them. The local daily-wage workers seeking to maximize profits may try to dupe you by selling a ride on khacchars (mules). Do not take them as they will ask for almost Rs. 350 to Rs. 400 saying the distance is a very long one. When you reach you will see it was hardly 2-3 kms. And by the way they don’t even care about their animals. I will recommend you to go up by walking as it is a fairly smooth and easy trail and it will take you maximum half an hour to go. And beware of the khacchars as they are not in control of their owners, they may mistakenly push you over. If you have a lot of time then maybe you can go otherwise there are many places to visit in Shimla. The weather was very chilly but we were disappointed to not see any snow. The place was also really dry. There are many small eateries there. You can take photos by wearing different costumes for rent. They will take you to some place telling there is an apple garden. There is nothing like that.

Accessibility was not that tough as Kufri is well connected to cities like Shimla and Kalka with quality transportation. Hotels were very cheap as well, but the services offered by them dashed all my hopes of having quality accommodation. People were good and the city is very safe even at nights.

However, in my honest opinion, I did not like Kufri.