Galle Face Green:

Pastures of paradise

Jayanthi Liyanage

At four in the evening on a weekday, Galle Face Green is warm and hazily drowsy, with few people trickling in. However, within an hour, the place looks like as if a massive swarm of bees have been let loose over it.

A bus has just emptied a large number of school boys and girls, brought in by teachers who thought Galle Face Green would be an ideal venue to close their trip. The couples who have found a refuge and anonymity under umbrellas near Galle Road edge have not budged.

There is still time for them to continue enjoying their love tryst until the reddish sun dips into the darkening sea. Although other visitors to the Green such as families, friends and tourists would get a kick out of saying something outrageous to a newspaper, couples shake their heads if you ask them a question. We respect their privacy.

All enjoyment on Galle Face Green depends on not being pelleted with rain shafts. It looks like as if visitors to the Green consist mostly of outstation people, coming to Colombo on various personal errands and finding the Green a cooling spot to enjoy a brief respite from their daily cares. They sit on the stone seats and gaze at the rolling sea and their cares whittle away with every burst of foam against the sand.

Although the waves look fierce, some people have no fear of an impending danger, letting the foam cover their feet with children in their arms.

“There are no life guards here to rescue sea bathers if they fall into trouble,” said Mahinda, the ball kite seller. “I have helped several times to fish drowning people from the sea and then I have to go to courts.”

He requests that ropes and life jackets be made available so that rescue operations can be carried out safely. “When lovers fail in love, they jump into the sea. When they jump, people look for me.”

The esplanade is a great place for evening exercise and walks, an advantage utilised readily by army officers and tourists staying at nearby hotels. There is plenty to eat with the vendors.

There is ice cream, pickle made of olive, pineapple and amberella, prawn and crab vaday, naan and gram. Feistier eating can be had seated at a table of a fast foods outlet, with chicken tikka, kottu and string hopper biriyani on offer.

Kite flying, pony rides and monkey pranks are diversions that can be purchased at a nominal fee. Galle Face Green is now maintained by Sri Lanka Port Authority.

Pulsing with life

Earning your day’s share on the green is no easy task. The Daily News spoke to some of the vendors who had many stories to share while struggling with their daily chores on the green.

* Ananda (pickle seller) - My customers are mainly poor people and school children coming on trips to Colombo. On Sundays, the crowd is bigger and I earn about Rs.4,000. On weekdays, there are couples and my income is about Rs.1, 500. Now that the country is free, many people come to Galle Face to eat and enjoy. Rich people come on Sundays and buy my pickle.

* Mahinda (ball kites and toy seller) - From 1985, I have been selling my ware here. Ball kites cost Rs.50 and are bought by small kids. I come to Galle Face two days a week.

* Ramesh (prawn vaday seller) - A vaday is sold at Rs.20 and a Naan Roi is Rs.30. On Sundays, I can earn about Rs.15, 000. My stock is mainly bought by families who come here and those who come to Galle Face about once a year. After 6 in the evening, sales are more. Weekdays we stay here till about 11 pm. We start business around 3 pm.

* Perumal (water and soft drink seller) - Been in this business for 15 years. We get sales only during the week ends. Earn about Rs.1, 500 a day.

* Ratnayake (kite seller) - Kites are available from Rs.50 upward. My children are educated from the income I get from selling kites for the last fifteen years. Sundays I am here from the morning,. I sell imported fabric kites too. But what has a good sale are kites that we make here. Even tourists buy them because they fly high. I get an income of about Rs.500-1000 during a week day. Weekends I can earn about Rs.15, 000.

* Rajan (ice cream seller) - business is good these days.

* Mohamed Navaz of Nana Halal Fast Foods - Our business is good from Friday to Sunday. We get business from those who don’t like to eat beef. Chicken tikka is Rs.200 a portion. When it rains there is no business.

Entertainment hot spot

In an afternoon or weekend the ground swarms with visitors looking to enjoy a day out with their loved ones in the sun. Some of them had ventured many miles to reach the designation especially because of the untarnished beauty that Galle Face Green has to offer.

* Tilak Dharmasena, wife and daughter- came from Ratnapura to get my identity card.. After getting it done, came to enjoy a moment of freedom. Galle Face has the aura of buoyancy. Staying at auntie’s for the night and going back tomorrow. This is the second time my little daughter gets to see Galle Face Green.

* Chathu and Anu- We are from Ratmalana.

They accompanied a friend who came to meet her boyfriend. Waiting here and strolling around till they finish talking. Galle Face is better at the time the sun sets and we are waiting for that.

* A private university male student and a female student- came here to think freely, and give the burden of our woes to a listner. Came to enjoy ourselves in a fraternal bond.

* Asha, parents and brother- came from Nuwara Eliya. Going home in the night by train. Galle Face is a good avenue to develop the country. Good for tourism also. Once a month, we come Galle Face.

* Clive Williams, Galle Face Hotel guest- I am from the UK. My first visit to Sri Lanka. Galle Face is very nice. After the sun’s gone down after four oclock, 20 minutes walk in one direction, 20 minutes in the other direction, helps me to cope with all the delicious Sri Lankan food. I am very concerned about eating too much. Galle Face Green is ideal to have a regular exercise.

* Suriya Lunitha, husband and children- We came from France. Wanted have a rest in this place because the guide book says it is a beautiful place. Galle Face Green is very beautiful but strange that there aren’t many trees here.

* Dhanushka (10) from Narammala Mayurapada Kanishta Vidyalaya- I came on a school trip. Went to planetarium, museum and then came to Galle Face.

* Maureen Chandralatha, teacher from Narammala Mayurapada Kanishta Vidyalaya - We brought 154 male and female fifth graders to Colombo. After the educational trip, we chose Galle Face Green as the last stop for children to enjoy themselves.