Maiden Flight to Sri Lanka – Part II
Back to my story after a long time. As I was busy with my school schedule, I didn’t complete this. Let me cut this short.
On intervening days of my trip, we went around some other locations in Kandi like the Ramar Seetha temple and Lord Hanuman temple, which were so delightful to see and get blessed. We moved towards Nuwara Eliya, another highland. There also we saw a lot of Buddha’s graven image. It was enthusiastic to go around the Botanical Garden. We bought a few medicinal lubricants and cosmetics after listening to their demo. Some things were exorbitant. It was a wonderful climate since we have never experienced one in our place. Then on day 3 we were at Beruwala, a beachfront. Actually we stayed in a 4-star hotel where we had a swimming pool inside. Looking at that, our children were vigorous to play in the pool. Almost we spent a lot of time in the pool. So we didn’t go near the beach. Later on, we went to a spot with cluster of islands. Each and every island was unique, and very few were living there. Their main business was making cinnamon sticks. At one spot, a man came with a baby alligator as a pet. He gave us the alligator to hold for some time. Then we enjoyed being in a fish spa.
We went around the city centre; there we saw lots of places like monuments, forts surrounded on 4 sides, the biggest cricket court, an old airport-turned-exhibition centre where the army planes and vehicles were exhibited, and so on. It was a mesmerising view for us. I don’t think I will ever get a chance like this. They were all disciplined and kind.
Last but not least, it was a metropolitan city of Sri Lanka, Columbo. Their construction and architecture were so amazing and high-rised. We lifted our heads up to see the entire structure of the building. People in those buildings were busy with their own work even in the early morning. We saw their president’s and prime minister’s residency without even a single problem.
As the economy of their lifestyle differs from ours. They preferred the beauty of their structures. But still, few people from India, they were working there as slaves, and they didn’t get a chance to escape from there. I could see the pain in their eyes. Last but not least, we went around Tamilan’s bazaar to buy toys for our kids.
The day we returned, I realized that I lived in a fantasy world. But my return made me to realize that the place I live is a real paradise. We may travel to wherever we want. We can get only experience and memories. Both never die and give us a great lesson.
‘Things end, but memories last forever.’
Suganya V
Teacher of Std III
Mahatma KK Nagar