Re-visiting Colonial Ceylon continues to be a rich heritage for the visitors to the resplendent island Sri Lanka.
Colonial Ceylon still beckons visitors who like to discover the island’s rich tapestry of heritage – from red post boxes reminiscent of England to plantations dotted with neatly kept bungalows, Sri Lanka’s legacy of its colonial past offers fascinating glimpses.
Revisiting colonial Ceylon is a trip undertaken for the initiated – those who love the past glory days of the Raj and the 19th century opulence that was so evident in the colonies everywhere. In colonial Ceylon, just as in other colonial outposts, life went on at a slower pace, the British were in government and Colombo. the capital city was known as a sprawling garden city with its own unique charm.
Revisiting colonial Ceylon is an experience off the beaten path. Check out our ideas that would make a great visit for those looking for glimpses into the past.
Look for the landmarks –
Revisiting colonial Ceylon means looking for those places that give off a strong flavour of early 20th century vibes. The Colombo Museum is one such building with its uniquely colonial architecture. Among Sri Lanka’s iconic hotels, you will find Mount Lavinia Hotel down in Mount Lavinia, southern Colombo, Grand Oriental Hotel that used to be a British Army Barracks, Galle Face Hotel, the well known sea side hotel in the heart of Colombo and The Stuart, restored to its colonial legacy once again.
There are other landmarks that take you back – the Post Office building opposite the President’s House in the centre of Colombo city and the Selfridges equivalent of Colombo, Cargills Millers which used to be and still is a distenguishable building in brick red, standing all amidst the busy traffic of the 21st century.
Revisiting colonial Ceylon means going in search of the estates –
Sri Lanka’s heritage of plantations means that there are pockets of colonial legacy still intact among the plantations in the hills. The tea plantations where British and Scottish planters grew tea for well over a century, were an ecosystem of its own. With sundown parties and tennis on the lawn, typical estate life means lavish dinners served by an army of retainers, cooks and servants. Gardens were abloom with roses and carnations while large and spacious bungalows were neatly decorated to reflect impeccable English taste.
Most of those bungalows have been restored and are today available as high end rentals, complete with high tea on the lawn and roaring fireplaces in quaint bedrooms.
Choose your locations – from Colombo to Galle –
Revisiting colonial Ceylon means going in search of locations where the past still exists.
Colombo is full of such locations – you can start with the graveyard where many interesting tombstones from the past lives lived and died here in Sri Lanka, can be found.
There are also churches such as the Dutch Church in Galle Fort where so much of Sri Lanka’s colonial history is recorded. Wolfendhal Church in Colombo is one of the oldest churches in the island and is a treasure trove of quiet contemplation and a visit to the past.
The famous Galle Fort is packed with colonial insights – from architectural delights such as the All Saints Church and the garrisons and the colonial hot spots where the images of the times still linger.
Colonial Ceylon was a time when life was at a leisurely pace and people had plenty of time for leisurely pursuits. It was a time when Ceylon was a part of the large colonial picture with focus on its famous exports such as tea and gems of value.
