HISTORY
Historically, the first settler's on the island of Sri
Lanka were a nomadic tribe called Veddahs, which according to legends were
related to the Yakkhas - demons conquered by the Sinhalese, around 5th-6th
century BC. During 4th century BC several Sinhalese kingdoms established
themselves across the island. In the 3rd century BC Emperor Ashoka sent his
emissaries to Sri Lanka, led by his son Mahindra, to spread the message of
Buddhism which became the state religion and also the focus of strong
nationalism. However repeated invasions from southern India over the next
1000 years left Sri Lanka in an ongoing state of dynastic power struggles.
In 1505 the Portuguese arrived in Colombo and gradually gained a monopoly on
the invaluable spice trade, and by 1597 they had taken formal control of the
island; they, however, were not successful in displacing the powerful
Sinhalese kingdom in Kandy. In 1658 Kandy enlisted Dutch support to expel
the Portuguese from the island but the Dutch, interested only in trade and
profits than religion or control of land, made half-baked efforts to defend
local interests. The British arrived in 1796 and by 1815 gained control of
the entire island by wiping out Kandy's supremacy. Coffee, tea, cinnamon and
coconut plantations sprang up across the island, and English was introduced
as the national language. The labour force for the plantations was brought
in from Tamil Nadu in India. Under the British the island was known as
Ceylon; it gained independence in 1948 but it was in 1972 that its official
name was changed to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka has been bestowed several
sobriquets - The Island of Dharma, Pearl of the Orient, and Serendip. As it
appears like a giant teardrop falling from the southern tip of India it has
also been called Teardrop of India. It is separated from India by the 50km
wide Palk Strait, though there is a series of stepping-stone coral islets
known as Adam's Bridge which almost form a land bridge between the two
countries.
Tour Packages
 Sri
Lanka Bike Challenge Sri Lanka is one of Asia's best kept
secrets. Lying like a teardrop- shaped jewel in the Indian Ocean, it is
the perfect place for a biking adventure. Our bike challenges offers
mountains, tea estates, tumbling waterfalls, terraced paddy fields,
rolling hills and some of the best national parks.
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 Sri
Lanka The Delightful Island An incredibly varied holiday on
the "Pearl of the Orient" - Sri Lanka. The holiday offers a
scrumptious melange of cultural highlights - Buddhist sites, wildlife
destinations and few days at leisure on a beautiful beach
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The 'Journeys' on offer are designed to make the best and most of
your time. However, they are merely indicative and should be treated as
recommendations only, so please feel free to 'mix and match' or change the
programme whichever way it suits you best. Our aim is to provide you with a
truly memorable holiday / adventure; so pick up your destination and e-mail
us your requirements and we will be happy to help you design your dream
holiday / adventure.
