Colonial Kandy

Leaving the spice garden, we also left the “wet zone” (the jungle area) for the “intermediate zone”.
“See the different vegetation, Mum?”
I nodded agreeably but, frankly, I didn’t. Do you?

The "wet zone"



The "intermediate zone"



Our destination was Kandy, Sri Lanka’s fifth largest city. (It has a population of only 111,700 -- evidence of the fact that 80% of the country’s people still live in rural areas.)
On our way, Lankesh told me a little of Kandy’s eventful past.
Throughout its early history, Sri Lanka was constantly being united when it had a strong ruler and divided when it did not. In the 16th century, Kandy became the capital of one of three Sri Lankan kingdoms that were created at that time. Soon afterwards, Europeans began to be interested in the Island because of the spice trade. First the Portuguese, then the Dutch fought and took over large parts of the Kingdom of Kandy, though the King himself remained ruler. By the early 19th century, the British, who had arrived a few years before as a new colonial rival, thought it was time for them to conquer Kandy. Since the Singhalese king of the time was very unpopular, some of his nobles cooperated with the British who promised to get rid of him. They did – and got rid of the independent Kingdom of Kandy, too, a few years later. No doubt not what the nobles had intended.
However, contrary to the other colonial powers, the British actually settled in Kandy and developed it. Lankesh told me that the Sri Lankans liked the English because of this. As we entered the city, he exclaimed “English buildings, Mum,” while gesturing towards buildings one would never see in England – although I was often reminded of Jamaica – another former British colony that I know better (and was British for much longer.)
There were vestiges of England I did recognize.



There were a number of these scattered around the city – all bearing the seal of King George VI – the monarch reigning at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence.
I was a little overwhelmed by all the cars and buildings.



That’s what four days in the jungle can do for you. Fortunately for my peace of mind, the last King of Kandy had had a lake built in the center of the city in 1807. It still brings serenity to the bustle.



Even more fortunately, my hotel was situated on this lake. I was eager to discover it.