Sri Lanka - Culture

If you think that Sri Lanka only has glorious history then you are absolutely wrong as this glorious past is equally complemented with rich culture. Sri Lanka is the perfect assortment of rich and varied culture and this scenic island is the home of two main traditional cultures that are the Sinhalese and the Tamil. Talking about the Sinhalese’s first they are mainly centered in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura whereas Tamil is centric to the city of Jaffna.

Jaffna is the same city where the public library that was destroyed in 1983 which was the world centre of Tamil archives and scholarship. But seeing the recent years a British colonial culture was added and lately Sri Lanka, particularly in the urban areas, has gone through a remarkable conversion in the western mold. This is the evidential from the fact that the most Sri Lankans primarily residing in the villages have eaten customary food, engaged in traditional crafts and expressed themselves through traditional arts.

Talking about the economic culture, herein the economic growth and intense economic competition in developed countries has spilled over even to much of Sri Lanka. This is the reason why they have made array of producing changes that can be variously identified as progress, westernization or a loss of individuality and integration. If you think that’s enough on western influence then you are wrong as majority Sri Lankans have further added western influences to the traditional diet such as rice and curry. In fact their customary diet pittu, the mixture of fresh rice meal, very lightly roasted and mixed with fresh grated coconut, then steamed in a bamboo mould is also affected.

Same can be mentioned for ‘Kiribath’, which is cooked in thick coconut cream for this unsweetened rice-pudding which is accompanied by a sharp chili relish called lunumiris; wattalapam, rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon cloves and nutmeg, kottu, and hoppers, batter cooked rapidly in a hot curved pan, accompanied by eggs, milk or savories.

Also it is said that Sri Lankan food has Dutch and Portuguese influences. This is the reason why the island's Burgher community preserving this culture through traditional favourites such as Lamprais, Breudher and Bolo Fiado. Like food religion also plays an important part in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. It is said that the Buddhist majority observe Poya Days, once per month according to the lunar calendar. And same is done by the Hindus and Muslims who observe their own holidays.

Also you’ll be amazed to know that there are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and many mosques, Hindu temples and churches all across the island. Moving in the North and the East of the island, you will find that there are many mosques and Hindu temples because a large Tamil and Muslim population resides in those areas. But in the interior of the island is mostly Buddhist, and indeed there are many Buddhists in all parts of the island.

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