Shobhaa De - On A Flying Visit To Sri Lanka
Guys, I am off to one of my favourite destinations - Sri Lanka. Galle Literary Festival is one of the top rated Lit Fests of the World. I have been invited by the organisers for readings and book signings. Looking forward to meeting old friends and making new ones. And who knows - I may run into the newly weds - Dhoni and Sakshi - while I am there!
The pic is with the very charming and very handsome Sri Lankan cricket captain, Kumar Sangakkara,his wife (would you believe she has recently delivered twins?) and my daughter Arundhati. We ran into them in the lobby of the Hilton in Colombo, where we had gorged on one of the best Chinese meals ever at the stylish ‘WOK’.
The other pics are taken in Colombo. The first one at ‘Barefoot’ where I met readers and signed books. It is much more than Colombo’s very stylish lifestyle destination, I can tell you. It has a great cafe attached, and the most beautiful cotton sarongs in the boutique.
The saree pic is at the Galle Face Hotel just before my book reading and ‘in conversation’. The gentleman in the pic is one of the oldest employees of this historic hotel (older than Mumbai’s classic Taj Mahal Hotel, and equally beautiful). I make it a point to meet him each time I’m in Colombo.
I love this property, and the gracious owners, Sanjeev and Surekha Gardiner, who host the most elegant dinners in ‘1864’, their fine dining restaurant. The tempting lobster is what I ordered at 1864, at the special dinner organised by Sanjeev and Surekha Gardiner.
The beautiful little girl dressed in a Kandyian saree posed for Arundhati right outside her sunday morning religious class close to the Buddhist temple you see alongside. There was a magnificent Bodh tree in the courtyard, going back several hundred years.
The White House, as it is known by residents of Colombo Seven (the upmarket district of Colombo), is the Municipal building and located at the centre of town. The multiple Buddhas photographed by Arundhati are a part of the temple complex at Gangaramaya. As also is the enormous, brightly painted Buddha within the main building. We enjoyed superior Japanese at the super chic ‘Nihonbashi’ restaurant that Dharshan Munidasa runs in central Colombo. An accomplished and inspired chef, he recently hosted ‘the world’s most expensive sashimi ‘ event. What made his raw fish all that pricey? Well... he had studded the fish slivers with precious gems! When was the last time you bit into rubies?? That’s Chef Darshan himself, with Arundhati and me.
Buying jewellery is often an intimidating experience, especially in a foreign destination. But imagine being in the mecca of semi precious stones accompanied by a young daughter whose birthday looms... and resist the temptation to splurge! Impossible thought!
So, there we were at Colombo Jewellers with the supremely charming Akram, looking at the most exquisitely crafted jewels.. sighing... lusting.... till Arundhati found the perfect ring from the newly launched collection that is as flamboyant or as discreet as the customer wishes.
Shopping with Akram was an absolute pleasure. Not only is he a man of fine taste himself, but he generously shares his passion for and deep knowledge of stones with visitors. Each time Arundhati wears her birthday ring back in India, people ask her where she got it from. Take a bow, Akram!
Aren’t my local gal pals something else? Our hostess, Rashmi, the lady in white, is scarily effervescent - like the bubbly she was serving. The lady to my far left, dressed stylishly in Etro, is Samantha. She works for the World Bank and has recently relocated from Washington to Kabul ( I plan to visit!). Shyamalee (the Editor of the Hi Magazine, Colombo’s first and premier Society Magazine) to my left is popularly known as ‘Highness’ in Colombo. She pretty much runs the social scene there. Arundhati is dressed in purple satin and perched precariously on the arm of the setee.
This picture was taken just before we left to have dinner at ‘Lemon’ - Colombo’s newest and smartest rooftop restaurant, run by the divine Koluu with devilish aplomb, where we enjoyed fare fit for kings! Thank You, Lemon and Koluu!
Our friend Shyamalee Tudawe was kind enough to spend her sunday with us, even though that is perhaps the only day of the frenzied week she has entirely to herself and her wonderful family, and we had lunch at the Gallery Cafe (another Bawa property - this is where the architect used to live) - which is now run by Shanth Fernando (the undisputed emperor of style and elegance) who has changed it around and it now houses the smart Gallery Cafe,with an art gallery.
The other pic is of the handsome and polite attendant (wearing the store’s trademark batik sarongs - aren’t they gorgeous?) posted outside one of the world’s most artistic home stores called Paradise Road, another first by Shanth.
The magnificent images are of the historic Keyts’ murals inside the family temple built by the Periera family. These wonderful murals depict the life of Gautama Buddha, and we were lucky to see them on a Sunday, thanks to the benevolence of the monks who unlocked the temple gates and allowed us in. Shyamalee is not known as ‘Highness’ for nothing!!
Galle
In case you want to see a pic of my current hero Ravi, raise your hands!! Okay... so here’s a pic of TopGun Ravi just before we took off on the first leg of our chopper ride across the emerald isle that I so love. This was right next to the Galle Fort, which is truly magnificent. We had spent two incredible days at The Dutch House (a converted orphanage, built in 1712 and now run as a boutique hotel by Geoffrey Dobbs, who had generously given me the same suite as the one Sting had occupied). Our Indian cricketers may party there when they play in Galle - it is a jewel of a place, with a great resident chef. But to get back to Ravi, he is a man with nerves of steel, I can tell you. Throughout that ordeal flying in the blinding rain, he kept up a cheerful banter with three nervous ladies on board, and joked about our co-piloting skills being terrible! Now that he has us as founder members of his fan club, I am sure his repertoire of wisecracks will get still better!
And finally, there’s the shot of our chopper balanced precariously on the edge of the sea where Topgun Ravi had deftly landed the bird . The view from 10,000 feet above sea level is predictably breathtaking.
Our chopper pilot ‘Top Gun’ Ravi, landed on the edge of the sea. This was just the beginning of an adventure that saw the Deccan Aviation chopper fly us through an electric storm with visibility levels dropping so dramatically, Ravi had to fly at a perilous 300 metres above sea level at one point and follow the headlights of cars in the far distance to get his bearings. But... we made it! And if someone were to ask whether I would do it again - the answer is a big ‘yessss’. Provided Ravi (he proudly told us he had flown two previous Presidents) is in command.
Here we are in Bentota inside a gorgeous antique store crammed with amazing Dutch Colonial furniture. I’d do anything to acquire one of those gigantic teak chests - large enough to host a party in!
I have some more lovely, lovely images that tell a vivid story about our many discoveries in and around Galle. Especially the one which saw us wading into thigh high water in order to get to our stunning lunch destination at Taprobane island. It is the only way to access this incredible, lush and gorgeous property, which miraculously survived the Tsunami without any damage. When it was time to wade back to the shore, we thought we’d become absolute experts at negotiating the swirling waters. Perhaps we had. The Villa Bentota was designed by Sri Lanka’s legendary architect Geoffrey Bawa, and now redone as a charming boutique hotel by Shanth Fernando, Kadju House, is an eco- friendly boutique hotel run by Vikram Mathur.
The top shot of me was taken by Arundhati at Kadju House, an eco- friendly boutique hotel run by Vikram Mathur (an Oxford don, no less, plus a keen environmentalist). Set amidst cashew plantations, it’s a tiny piece of heaven with real cinnamon stick window grills and a herbal spa.I enjoyed the most delicious orange coconut water here - of course, the coconut came from his estate. an Oxford don, no less, plus a keen environmentalist). Set amidst cashew plantations, it’s a tiny piece of heaven with real cinnamon stick window grills and a herbal spa.I enjoyed the most delicious orange coconut water here - of course, the coconut came from his estate.
I think these images provide a reasonably good insight into my enchantment for this beautiful destination. My current grouse is that I have yet to travel up north to Trincamolee or even to Anuradhapura. But I am determined to get there soon. I also want to go see the leopards in their natural habitat..... visit the elephant orphanage.... come back during the whaling season. Oh.... so many new discoveries!
Text: travel Blog of Shobhaa De @ shobhaade.blogspot.com Photos: Arundhati De, Shyamalee Tudawe & Manoj Ratnayake