“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
M K J Chathuranga
CEO / Founder
Our Amazing History
The historical period begins roughly in the 3rd century, based on Pali chronicles like the Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, and the Culavamsa. They describe the history since the arrival of Sinhalese from Northern India The earliest documents of settlement in the Island are found in these chronicles. These chronicles cover the period since the establishment of the Kingdom of Tambapanni in the 6th century BCE by the earliest ancestors of the Sinhalese. The first Sri Lankan ruler of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Pandukabhaya, is recorded for the 4th century BCE. Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BCE by Arhath Mahinda (son of the Indian emperor Ashoka).
Our Amazing Culture
The culture of Sri Lanka dates back over 2500 years. It is influenced primarily by Buddhism and Hinduism. Sri Lanka is the home to two main traditional cultures: the Sinhalese (centred in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (centred in the city of Jaffna). In more recent times, the British colonial culture has also influenced the locals. Sri Lanka claims a democratic tradition matched by few other developing countries.
What is Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital, and Colombo is its largest city and centre of commerce.
Where is it in the World Map?
Sri Lanka is an island nation located off the southern coast of India in South Asia. Sri Lanka is bordered by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar in the Laccadive Sea, and the Palk Strait, which separates Sri Lanka from India. Sri Lanka is situated to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal. As an island nation, Sri Lanka does not share land borders, but does have maritime borders with India.
Flag of Sri Lanka
* The Four bo leaves represent the four virtues of Buddhism. Mettha (loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), Upeksha (equanimity), and Muditha (happiness).
* The Kastane sward represents the authority and bravery of Sri Lanka.
* The handle of the sword is suppost to represent the elements tha make up Sri Lanka; Water, Fire, Air and Earth.
* The Gold represents the largest religion in Sri Lanka, Buddhism.
* The gold colour surrounding the other colours. Is meant to show that the Buddhists are protecting the other religions.
* The green represents the Muslims. The orange represents the Hindus. The Maroon colour represents the Singalese people, the largest ethnicity group in Sri Lanka.
* The Golden Lion, shows the Sinhalese ethnicity.
* The lion has become a symbol of these people since 486 BC, when Vijaya, the first king of Sri Lanka, brought a flag with a golden lion on it.
* Parts of the lion also stand for things. The nose stands for intelligence, the beard stands for purity of words, and the eight hairs on the lions tail represent the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.
Buddhist Flag
* The Blue symbolizes the spirit of Universal Compassion for all beings.
* The Yellow symbolizes the Middle Way which avoids all extremes and brings balance and liberation.
* The Red symbolizes the blessings that the practice of the Buddha’s Teaching brings.
* The White symbolizes the purity of the Buddha’s Teaching and the liberation it brings.
* The Orange light symbolizes the unshakable Wisdom of the Buddha’s Teaching.
* The Combination Colour symbolizes the universality of the Truth of the Buddha’s Teaching.
Emblem
The emblem features a gold lion passant, holding a sword in its right fore paw (the same lion from the flag of Sri Lanka) in the centre on a maroon background surrounded by golden petals of a Blue Lotus the national flower of the country. This is placed on top of a traditional grain vase that sprouts sheaves of rice grains that circle the border reflecting prosperity.
The crest is the Dharmachakra, symbolizing the country’s foremost place for Buddhism and just rule. Traditional Sinhalese heraldic symbols for the sun and the moon form the supporters. Sun and Moon, and Lion depicting Lord Buddha is given less prominence than cart wheel of English Buddhism, so it is in great discordance with National Scriptures
Little bit of Sri Lanka
Total Size of the Island:
The nation has a total area of 65,612 km², with 62,707 km² of land and 2,905 km² of water. Its coastline is 1,340 km (830 mi) long. The main island of Sri Lanka has an area of 65,268 km², it is the twenty-fifth largest island of the world by area. Dozens of offshore islands account for the remaining 342 km² area. The largest offshore island, Mannar Island, leads to Adam’s Bridge.
Climate:
Sri Lanka’s climate can be described as tropical, and quite hot. Its position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with year-round warm weather, moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. The average temperature ranges from a low of 16 °C (60.8 °F) in Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands.
The Rainfall Pattern:
The rainfall pattern is influenced by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal and is marked by four seasons.
The first is from mid-May to October, when winds originate in the southwest, bringing moisture from the Indian Ocean. When these winds encounter the slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains on the mountain slopes and the southwestern sector of the island. Some of the windward slopes receive up to 2,500 mm (98.4 in) of rain per month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. The second season occurs in October and November, the intermonsoonal months.
During this season, periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. During the third season, December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast, bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The northeastern slopes of the mountains may be inundated with up to 1,250 mm (49.2 in) of rain during these months. Another intermonsoonal period occurs from March until mid-May, with light, variable winds and evening thundershowers.
Population:
The current population of Sri Lanka is 21,424,810 as of Monday, August 17, 2020, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.
Clifton Longhurst
United Kingdom
Martine Francois
Belgium
