Oh, to be in Lanka...

It's not quite in the Southern Hemisphere to merit such a title.Neither do I have any intention of giving the country an inferiority complex,being a resident of its massive neighbour. As a regular visitor for the last 8 years, the very mention of the place keeps the spirits up. I also have a rather innocent explanation for ripping the title 'Down Under' from the Aussies.

As a young 6 year old pouring over world maps, the sight of Sri Lanka hiding below India made me believe that it was underground! Anyway, all doubts were dispelled once I set foot on the island for the first time in 1997.

I was rather fortunate that my father got posted in Colombo as the Special Correspondent for the Hindustan Times (A New Delhi based daily) and has been there ever since.

I was taken aback by the greenery and at the same time nervously twitching in my seat, thinking that we were going to land on the palm trees. One foot into the airport and the obvious thought crossed my mind, "Why can't India be like this? "You would witness a kind of efficiency at every stage which sadly seems to be lacking in our administration.

My father would certainly vouch for that. It is also among the cleaner and orderly countries in this part of the world. Now the celebrated conversation starter, "What's the weather like?" Well it's tropical, at times equitorial and the heat is not as unforgiving as Madras.

The people come across as warm and friendly, a rather good reason to visit. But looking beneath those smiles it's hard to imagine the bloody civil war which threatened to split the country for decades. Scenes from 24th July 1983, where all hell broke loose (particularly in Colombo) still rankle in the minds of the citizens and old timers.

With both warring parties refusing to budge from their respective stands, repeated interventions from third party countries (Norway and India), peace still has a huge question mark over it. My father witnessed the early days of strife, during his first trip in 1984 criscrossing the country.

After my initial trips, I was often asked the same question, "Is it safe?" I don't blame anybody for asking me that. I can honestly say that it's perfectly safe, as long as you don't intrude into the northern half. Prior to the ceasefire agreement with the LTTE, security was indeed beefed up with checkposts being a regular feature.

Carrying an ID was a must,including keeping your eyes open. Now things have eased up considerably. Tourism is a major money spinner.. the hoards of European tourists to justify that point.

It is basically restricted to the central and southern parts and the diversity within the regions is there to see. Kandy for its breathtaking lake and Tooth Relic temple, Nuwara Eliya for its Victorian architecture and European setting, the ancient Buddhist temples and the sandy beaches along the south western coast. Shunting up and down the Colombo-Galle road is enough to memorise the towns on the way. I have been fortunate enough to visit some of these places more than twice. particularly Galle (an old Dutch town). It's Sri Lanka's answer to Pondicherry.

Travel is mostly by road, although I couldn't resist the urge to catch the train (a rather rickety one) to Kandy last year. The tsunami was a bad dream. Reading first-hand accounts of survivors staying in the very same hotels I stayed in was scary. It could have easily been me, taking a morning walk along the moist sand.

Colombo has a night life to show off, sparing enough room for all types of personalities to define their way of having a good time.The one thing that needs to improve is the road traffic and discipline, something Madras has an edge over. Sri Lankans have a distinct originality of their own. A peep into a typical Sri Lankan house reveals their fondness for space, greenery and an eye for cleanliness.

Apartments are rarely seen. Guests are pampered with the traditional string hoppers, hoppers, provided nobody is allergic to a bit of extra spice. It is a very free society where showing affection in public is not a taboo. They have been absorbed by the western culture, at the same time respecting tradition. Cricket proves just how short public memory is, particularly after winning the World Cup in 1996. It's no surprise seeing two camps cheering side by side, thanks largely to a man called Murali.

A striking feature is the number of FM radio stations. Sri Lankans take a liking to retro stuff which is more my style. At times I'd tune in to Lite 89.2 (my fav station) with the lights off pretending to be asleep listening to RJ Shanika's soothing voice!

- Kanishka Balachandran