5 Hidden Facts About Sri Lanka, That You Must Know

Nestled to the south of India, Sri Lanka , is a hidden treasure . It’s an island wrapped in glorious gifts of nature. Picturesque landscape , well kept heritage, its rich wildlife, power packed adventure opportunities, well the list is quite long. The beaches here will soothe your nerves and calm your worries, for there’s magic in the air. You will be assured of experiences galore, for Sri Lanka is a complete package of everything you’re looking for.

* Rechristened Sri Lanka

Did you know it already? Smart you! But did you know that it should have been named Sinhala? The Britishers couldn’t pronounce it and hence it became Ceylon. The official name of Sri Lanka is ‘The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

* Spices

Sri Lanka is the world’s leading exporter of Cinnamon spice. It contributes 80 percent of the world’s output. Ever wondered where cinnamon comes from? For all the inquisitive ones out there, it comes from the inner bark of a tree. This spice was discovered by the Egyptians.

* Elephants

Sri Lanka is big on elephants. The population of Sri Lankan elephants have dropped by 65 percent in the recent times. The Sri Lankan law states that a death penalty shall be imposed on killing an elephant. Sri Lanka also has an elephant orphanage and every year it serves as a venue of an elephant pageant.

* Bridging the gap

Wondering why? A bridge of limestone shoals between India and Sri Lanka known as the Adam’s Bridge, is visible on NASA satellite images, and according to the scientists, it was built a million years ago.The Sandy shoal is actually a natural feature that may have been dry enough to cross when sea levels were much lower, thousands of years ago.

* The flag

The national flag of Sri Lanka, ‘The lion flag’, is considered to be one of the oldest flags in the world. It is the only one in the world to recognize different religious groups.The yellow border and the Bo leaves (leaves of the Peepal tree) symbolize Buddhism; while the green and saffron bands represent the Muslim and the Hindu communities.