Culture of Sri Lanka: traditions, features
Sri Lankan culture
The distant island of Ceylon, on which the Republic of Sri Lanka is located, "drifts" off the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. The culture of Sri Lanka was undoubtedly influenced by the customs and national characteristics of a large neighbor, and therefore painting, music, architecture and folk crafts of the inhabitants of the island are in many ways reminiscent of Indian traditions.
Tooth from the past
The culture of Sri Lanka has more than one millennium, because archaeologists have proven that the first people existed on the island already during the Stone Age. Then Ceylon was settled by the Sinhalese tribes who arrived here from India around the 6th century BC. Three hundred years later, Buddhism penetrates the island, and it is this religion that becomes one of the main ones and leaves a serious imprint on the culture of Sri Lanka.
In the city of Kandy in a Buddhist monastery, the most important relic is kept - the tooth of the Buddha. According to legend, it was brought to Ceylon in the 4th century, where a temple was later built specifically to store the shrine. The relics are credited with healing properties and magical powers, and the fact of its existence serves as a guarantee that Buddhism will remain on the island as the main religion..
UNESCO and its list
Several objects of Sri Lanka were included in the list of World Cultural Heritage:
- Sigiriya rock fortress, carved into the rock in the 5th century. Its main value was the mirrored hall with frescoes. Their height reached 40 meters, and their length was more than 140 meters..
- The golden cave temple of Dambulla, known since the 1st century BC. Its importance in the culture of Sri Lanka is enormous, because it has been a place of pilgrimage for more than two millennia. The sacred temple complex is called the largest cave structure in South Asia..
- The medieval capital of Ceylon, Polonnaruwa, with a Stone Temple and four 12th century Buddha statues. The colossal size of the statues did not prevent the sculptors from conveying the realism and human features of the deity.
Tea plantations
The culture of Sri Lanka is also its famous tea plantations, excursions to which are offered to travelers by numerous travel companies of the country. It is Ceylon tea that is considered one of the highest-grade, and its varieties allow gourmets and collectors to get real pleasure during their holidays or vacations in Sri Lanka..
Gems are also an important export item on the island. In the culture of Sri Lanka, they have always held a place of honor. Jewelry served as adornments for the national dress of the nobility, and their extraction brought untold profits to the owners of the mines.