A Calm and Simple Life

Leave behind the worries and hubbub of the weary rat race as you step into a new life of calm and serenity. The Sri Lankan life is simple. A good harvest of paddy, blessed by good weather, a small mud hut, a family with a beautiful village wife and kids is the slice of heaven the average Sri Lankan strives for. People here have cultivated a culture of helping each other, building meaningful relationships, and working together, which has enabled them to persevere through all trials and tribulations with a peaceful state of mind.

In terms of culture, economy, food, and religion, Sri Lanka is a highly diverse country. In the southern half of the country are the Sinhalese, hardened by the fishing trade and blessed with lush paddy fields. On the eastern and western coasts, Muslim culture thrives, with mosques, delicious Muslim food, and wealthy trade. Central Sri Lanka is the heart of Kandyan Sinhalese or Upper Country (‘Uda Rata’) culture, where traditions, clothing, and mannerisms are preserved from the time of ancient Sri Lankan kings and queens. Moving from the hill country to the north, you will see the remnants of millennia-old civilizations of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Due to the harsh environmental conditions, the people have become accustomed to a man-made reservoir-based economy with the entire region dotted by hundreds of tanks and canals built in the times of ancient kings and queens. The ways of life are very different from the rain-fed paddy cultivation of the south. You can find extremely rural villages, some that have not even had contact with the outside world; you’d think it was out of a storybook. Moving further up north, you will see the thriving Tamil culture. The food, way of life, mannerisms, and language are completely different. Ancient Kovils, delicious food, and culture heavily inspired by the neighboring Indian subcontinent can be seen here.

Regardless of this diversity, all Sri Lankans bear a sense of unity and self-sufficiency. They look for a simple life. Living hand in hand with nature, taking and giving back, the Sri Lankan life revolved around the concept that regardless of who you are, your religion, where you’re from, the average citizen, the policeman, the wealthy, the elephants, and the birds all live in harmony and share the same road.