Columbo, Sri Lanka

 Columbo, Sri Lanka

This tiny country has been buffeted by lots of crises. In just this century, it finally ended a brutal 30-year civil war, dealt with terrorism and unrest and, due to government corruption, was driven into bankruptcy in 2022. The ex-president who caused the default is deposed and despite many dire shortages, the country is struggling to regain its footing and its tourism industry. As our guide said when pointed out the country’s rich cultural heritage, “Now we are bankrupt, but once we were prosperous. We will return.”
This giant Buddha statue in Viharamahadevi Park replaced the statue of Queen Victoria which stood there when it was Victoria Park.  Guess which country controlled Sri Lanka then.
The Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple is a beautiful amalgam of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese architecture. It houses a museum, a library and educational center. There is a remarkably eclectic and odd collection of artifacts within–everything from fine ivory carvings and gold and bejeweled Buddhas, to vintage Rolls Royces, paintings, lamps and antique radios. These are mainly gifts from other Buddhist countries and individuals who come here to study and pray.

This Bodhi tree, growing inside the temple, is a sacred tree. It’s said to come from a sapling of the same tree the Buddha was sitting under when he became enlightened.

This glass casket is shaped like a stupa, which is a dome shaped structure serving as a Buddhist shrine. It  contains a relic from the Buddha, a piece of his bone.

               An example of the temples museum collection, which had a high end swap meet feeling.

Our overnight in Columbo gave us the opportunity to have a Sri Lankan dinner at the Cinnamon Hotel and see a fine local dance group do traditional dancing and music.

We visited one of the many colorful Hindu temples in Colombo. This one is dedicated to the God Shiva.

Below is a view of the National Museum in the evening. The largest museum in the country, it covers the natural heritage of Sri Lanka from its earliest days.
These intricate ivory pieces represent religious figures from Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. No one is allowed to carve ivory or even own ivory in Sri Lanka today. People were allowed to bring their ivory pieces to temples and museums where they may be displayed.

This gold throne in the museum was a gift from the Dutch to the Sri Lankan king in the 17th century. The Dutch were seeking the king’s favor for trading rights. Six kings sat on this throne, even when Sri Lanka was fighting the Dutch.

Below is the Lotus Tower of Columbo, an ambitious project now linked to the folly of the same government that drove the nation to bankruptcy. It’s one of south Asia’s tallest towers and was completed in 2019 at a cost of 113 million, most of which is still owed to the Chinese. It’s a communications tower, a restaurant and has an observation deck. It does look very pretty at night when its colored lights keep changing.

The Red Mosque of Columbo is a popular tourist attraction. About 10% of the population is Muslim.

A view looking down at the Galle Face Hotel in Columbo, the first English hotel built in Asia.

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