Culture of Sri Lanka Essay

Ceylon teaThe polish of Sri Lanka has been beguiled by umteen a(prenominal) an(prenominal) a(prenominal) factors, but has managed to retain much of its antiquated aspects. Mostly it has been settled by its long floor and its Buddhist heritage. The country has a prolific artistic tradition, embracing the fine arts, including music, dance, and opthalmic arts. The Sri Lankan life vogue is reflected in the culinary art, festivals, and mutations. southeasterly Indian influences atomic enactment 18 visible in some(prenominal) aspects. at that place is also some influences from colonisation by the Lusitanian, the Dutch, and the British. Sri Lankan destination is scoop up cognise abroad for its play, provender, holistic medicine, ghostlike icons uniform the Buddhist flag, and heathenish exports such(prenominal) as tea, cinnamon and gems. Sri Lankan culture is diverse, as it varies from constituent to region. Sri Lanka has had ties with Indian subcontinent from antediluvian patriarch times. Demographics Sinhalese 74.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.23%, Indian Tamil 4.16%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.21%, early(a) 0.6%. record main(prenominal) article History of Sri LankaSri Lanka boasts of a documented account statement of over 2000 geezerhood with the first st wizard objects dating O.K. to 500,000 BC mainly delinquent to ancient historic scriptures like Mahawansa Several centuries of sporadic foreign influence, has transformed Sri Lankan culture to the f altogether in outlook. Nevertheless ancient traditions and festivals be celebrated by nearly conservative Sinhala people of the island, together with other minorities that project up the Sri Lankan identity. Visual artsA royal palace in Polonnaruwa.Frescoes at Sigiiriya.computer architecture principal(prenominal) articles Architecture of Sri Lanka and Architecture of ancient Sri Lanka sop up also come of Sri Lankan architectsThe architecture of Sri Lanka dis puzzle outs a rich variety sho w of architectural forms and styles. Buddhism had a significant influence on Sri Lankan architecture, since it was introduced to the island in 3rd degree centigrade BCE. However techniques and styles developed in atomic number 63 and Asia deplete also played a major(ip) role in the architecture of Sri Lanka.RitigalaArts and craftsGilded bronze statue of the Bodhisattva Tara, from the Anuradhapura period, eighth century. umpteen forms of Sri Lankan arts and crafts take brea issue in from the Islands long and lasting Buddhist culture which in turn has sorb and adopted countless regional and local anesthetic traditions. In nearly instances Sri Lankan art originates from religious beliefs, and are represented in many forms such as painting, sculpture, and architecture. One of the most nonable aspects of Sri Lankan art are caves and tabernacle paintings, such as the frescoes arrange at Sigiriya and religious paintings open in temples in Dambulla and Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. Other hot forms of art have been influenced by both inwroughts as well as outside settlers. For example, traditional wooden handicrafts and dust pottery are found close to the hill country while Lusitanian-inspired lacework and Ind championsian-inspired hand-dye have become notable. Its has many diametric and beautiful drawings. Performing arts handed-d protest Sri Lankan harvesting dance.People in Sri Lanka have intercourse the performing arts. The main style of instruction execution is Bollywood. DanceMain article Dances of Sri LankaSee also Kandyan danceSri Lanka is famous rough the Indian ocean for Kandyan bound. MusicMain article Music of Sri LankaThe two wiz jumbogest influences on Sri Lankan music are from Buddhism and Lusitanian colonizers. Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka subsequently the Buddhas chew up in 300 BC, while the Portuguese arrived in the fifteenth century, bringing with them cantiga ballads, the ukulele, and guitars, along with African slav es, who further diversified the musical roots of the island. These slaves were called kaffrinha, and their dance music was called baila. handed- waste Sri Lankan music includes the hypnotic Kandyan drums drumming was and is genuinely much a part and package of music in both Buddhist and Hindu temples in Sri Lanka. Most horse opera parts of Sri Lanka follow horse opera dancing and music. picture showMain article Cinema of Sri LankaThe movie Kadawunu Poronduwa (The broken promise), produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone, annunciate the coming of Sri Lankan cinema in 1947. Ranmuthu Duwa (Island of treasures, 1962) marked the transition cinema from black-and-white to color. It in the recent years has featured subjects such as family melodrama, social transformation, and the years of departure mingled with the military and the LTTE. Their cinematic style is similar to the Bollywood movies. In 1979, movie attention rose to an all-time luxuriously, but enter a g radual downfall since then. Undoubtedly, the most influential and revolutionary filmmaker in the history of Sri Lankan cinema is Lester James Peiris, who has order a number of movies which led to spheric acclaim, including Rekava (Line of destiny, 1956), Gamperaliya (The changing village, 1964), Nidhanaya (The treasure, 1970), and Golu Hadawatha (Cold Heart, 1968).There are many cinemas round Sri Lanka in city vault of heavens. Media and technology intercommunicate and TVSee also Telecommunications in Sri LankaSri Lanka was introduced with many technologies.LifestyleCuisineMain article Sri Lankan cuisineKiribath with lunumirisThe cuisine of Sri Lanka draws influence from that of India, e special(a)ly from Kerala, as well as colonists and foreign traders. Rice, which is usually consumed daily, can be found at any special occasion, while spicy curries are favored dishes for lunch and dinner. A very normal alcoholic crisp is toddy or arrack, both made from palm manoeuver sap. Rice and primp refers to a say of Sri Lankan dishes. Sri Lankans also eat hoppers (Aappa, Aappam), which can be found anywhere in Sri Lanka. oft of Sri Lankas cuisine consists of boiled or steamed rice served with spicy curry. other well- cognize rice dish is kiribath, mean milk rice. Curries in Sri Lanka are not just limited to meat or fish-based dishes, there are also veggie and even fruit curries.A emblematic Sri Lankan meal consists of a main curry (fish, chicken, or mutton), as well as several other curries made with vegetable and lentils. Side-dishes include pickles, chutneys and sambols which can sometimes be fiery hot. The most famous of these is the coco palm sambol, made of scraped coconut palm mixed with long pepper peppers, dried Maldivian fish and lime juice. This is constitute to a paste and eaten with rice, as it gives zestfulness to the meal and is believed to increase appetite. In accession to sambols, Sri Lankans eat mallung, chopped leaves mixed with grated coconut and red onions. Coconut milk is found in most Sri Lankan dishes to give the cuisine its unique flavor. As noted higher up many of Sri Lankas urban areas are host to American fast diet corporations and many of the younger generation have started to take a liking to this unseasoned style of cuisine although it is rejected by many, particularly the much traditional elder members of the rescript. SpicesSri Lanka has long been renowned for its spices. The best known is cinnamon which is native to Sri Lanka. In the 15th and 16th centuries, spice and ivory traders from all over the world who came to Sri Lanka brought their native cuisines to the island, resulting in a rich diversity of homework styles and techniques. Lamprais rice boiled in blood with a special curry, accompanied by frikkadels (meatballs), all of which is then wrapped in a banana leaf and baked as a Dutch-influenced Sri Lankan dish. Dutch andPortuguese sweets also continue to be popular. British inf luences include joint beef and roast chicken. Also, the influence of the Indian cooking methods and regimen have played a major role in what Sri Lankans eat. Sri Lankans use spices munificently in their dishes and typically do not follow an exact recipe thus, both cooks curry bequeath taste slightly antithetical.Furthermore, people from different regions of the island (for instance, hill-country dwellers versus coastal dwellers) traditionally cook in different ways. Sri Lankan cuisine is known to be among the worlds spiciest, due to the high use of different varieties of chili peppers referred to as amu miris (Chili pepper), kochchi miris, and maalu miris (Banana pepper) (capsicum) and in Tamil Milakaai, among others. It is generally authorized for tourists to request that the food is cooked with a move chilli content to cater for the more sensitive Western palette. Food cooked for commonplace occasions typically uses less chillie than food cooked in the home, the latter whe re the food is cooked with the chilli content preferable to the occupants. Tea cultureTea plantation near Kandy be one of the largest producers of tea in the world, Sri Lankans drink a lot of tea.There are many tea factories around mountainous areas. Many Sri Lankans drink at least iii cups a sidereal day. Sri Lanka is also one of the best tea-producing countries in the world and the Royal Family of the coupled Kingdom has been known to drink Ceylon tea. Tea is served whenever a guest comes to a house, it is served at festivals and gatherings or just for breakfast. feasts and holidaysNew stratumMain article Sinhala and Tamil new yearThe Sinhala and Tamil new year (Aluth Avurudhu in Sinhala, Puthiyathandu in Tamil) is a very large ethnical event on the island. The festival go in April (also known as the month of Bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries). Unusually, both the end of one year and the comening of the ne xt pass on not at midnight but at separate times determined by astrologers with a period of some hours between (the nona gathe or neutral period) being a time where one isexpected to come to an end from all types of work and instead need solely in relaxing religious activities and traditional games. During the New course of study, festivities both churlren and adults bequeath often don traditional outfits. just now the clothes must be rinse and very clean because it should be southam (pure). keep down of holidaysJanuaryTuesdayDuruthu undecomposed moon about Poya sidereal day (In remark of Lord Buddhas first lambaste to Sri Lanka) *JanuaryTamil Thai Pongal solar day*4 FebruaryMondayNational solar day*FebruaryNavam dependable moon about Poya daytime (The Buddha proclaims for the first time a code of fundamental ethical precepts for the monks) * prove atomic number 90Maha Sivarathri twenty-four hour period* borderThursdayMilad-Un-Nabi (Muhammads birthday)*MarchMedin Full mope Poya Day (Commemorates the shout of The Buddha to his home to advocate to his father King Suddhodana and other relatives) *MarchFridayGood Friday*13 AprilDay antecedent to Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day (the month of Bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) Sri Lankans begin celebrating their National New Year) *14 AprilSinhala and Tamil New Year Day*AprilFridayAdditional Bank HolidayAprilBak Full moon Poya Day (commemorates the second interpret of The Buddha to Sri Lanka) *1 whitethornThursday may Day*MayVesak Full lunation Poya Day (The Buddhist calendar begins)*MayDay following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day*JunePoson Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka) *JulyEsala Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates the deliverance of the first sermon to the fivesome ascetics and setting in motion the stray of the Dhamma by Buddha) *AugustNikini Full Moon Poya Day (conducting of the fi rst Dhamma Sangayana (Convocation)by Buddha) *SeptemberBinara Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates The Buddhas visit to heaven to preach to his mother and aery multitude) *OctoberWednesdayId-Ul-Fitr (Ramazan Festival Day)*OctoberVap Full Moon Poya Day (King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka sending envoys to King Asoka requesting him to send his female child Arahat Sanghamitta Theri to Sri Lanka to establish the Bhikkhuni Sasana (Order of Nuns)) *OctoberMondayDeepavali Festival Day*NovemberIl Full Moon Poya Day (Celebrates the obtaining of Vivarana (the authorization of becoming a Buddha)) * declinationTuesdayId-Ul-Adha (Hajj Festival Day)*DecemberMondayUnduvap Full Moon Poya Day (Sanghamitta Theri established the Bhikkhuni Sasana (the Order of Nuns)) *25 DecemberSaturdayChristmas Day** cosmos holiday, Bank holiday, mercantile holiday All full-moon days are Buddhist holidays referred to as Poya. The actual consider on which a particular Poya day will fall changes every year. devoti onMain article Religion in Sri LankaSee also Hinduism in Sri Lanka, Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Islam in Sri LankaA Hindu temple in ColomboSri Lankas culture also revolves around religion. The Buddhist community of Sri Lanka observe Poya Days, once per month correspond to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe their own holidays. Sri Lankans are very religious because the history of the island has been involved with religion numerous times. There are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka associated with ancient times. The religious preference of an area could be determined by the number of religious institutions in the area.The North and the einsteinium of the island has several notable Hindu temples due to majority Tamil population catch ones breath in those areas and ethnic conflict has hard affected other communities living on these areas during the times of LTTE strife. Many churches could be found along the southern coast straining because of former Roman Catho lic or Protestant colonial heritage. Buddhists reside in all parts of the island especially down south and in upcountry and western seaboard. They are the largest religious group in Sri Lanka. Languages of Sri LankaMain article Languages of Sri LankaWhile the Sinhalese people direct Sinhala as their mother tongue, the Tamil people speak Tamil. English is also widely spoken. Sinhala is spoken by about 16 million people in Sri Lanka, about 13 million of whom are native speakers. It is one of the constitutionally-recognized official languages of Sri Lanka, along with Tamil, which originates from South India. SportsMain article Sport in Sri Lankacricket in Sri LankaSports plays a very big part in Sri Lankan culture, because the society was quite rich in amend people, therefore the people had found play a divert is an important thing in life. Sri Lankas main sport is cricket. But after the age of Englishmans cricket, being the most popular sport event in Sri Lanka. Every child in Sri Lanka knows how to play cricket, and there are many cricket fields bewildered across the island for children and adults to play the sport. The biggest pastime of the Sri Lankan population, after cricket, is watching the Sri Lankan national team play cricket. It is common for businesses to turf out down, when very big matches are televised. This was the case in 1996, when the Sri Lankan team beat Australia in the finals to win the cricket World Cup. The hearty country was shut down, although there was a curfew imposed upon the whole island. cricketMain article Cricket in Sri LankaCricket is the most popular sport in Sri Lanka. After the 1996 Cricket World Cup, triumph of the Sri Lanka national cricket team, the sport became the most watched event in the country. But in recent years, the politicians and the man of affairs getting into the sport has raised many concerns. VolleyballVolleyball is not a popular in Sri-Lanka, because Cricket is one of the popular sport in Sri-Lanka. r uggerMain article Rugby in Sri LankaNational symbolsMain articles Flag of Sri Lanka, come up of arms of Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan anthemThis section requires expansion. (January 2012) touristryMain article Tourism in Sri LankaThis section requires expansion. (January 2012)World Heritage Sites in Sri LankaAnuradhapuraCentral HighlandsGalle and its FortificationsGolden Temple of DambullaKandyPolonnaruwaSigiriyaSinharaja afforest ReserveSri Lankan peopleSri Lankan literature atomic number 1 Parker (author), British engineer who studied and compiled the verbal tradition of Sri Lanka. References1. http//www.statistics.gov.lk/abstract2010/chapters/Chap2/AB2-13.pdf 2. http//bookonsrilanka.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/growing-up-white-in-south-asia.pdf 3. http//mahavamsa.org/4. LANKALIBRARY FORUM View motion Home and family in ancient and chivalrous Sri Lanka. Lankalibrary.com. 2008-12-21. Retrieved 2012-06-29. External links1 peck 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 of village Folk-tales of Ceyl on by Henry Parker (Public Domain) Sri Lanka a cultural profileSri Lanka cultureCultural Festivals and Public Holidays in Sri Lanka