Feature
The ‘Esala Perahera’ – Sri Lanka’s River of Faith
By Carl Muller
Today, despite the grandeur, the absolute magnificence of Kandy’s Esala torch-light spectacle, I sit at home and consider my living-room aquarium, think weird thoughts. A fish tank. Let it be, in my mind’s eye, the city of Kandy. In the water, angel-fish dip 
and glide and guppies with bright tails weave among the water-plants. There are gouramies with tails of sheerest lace and a few gaudy barbs and marbled mollies. It’s a nice watery world and the fish—why, they are the residents of Kandy! Then, as if it is all too good to last, comes an infestation of sleek, black snails. They swarm, breed, and the world falls to pieces. The aquarium accepts this unbecoming tide. Afterwards, the clean-up.
This Month's Top Story
South on a development juggernaut
With the main impediment to progress and development — the terrorist threat — out of the way Sri Lanka’s focus is on the development of the country. It has been difficult for the government to showcase the dual track policy – the fight against terror and simultaneous development — it has advocated and in fact implemented over the last few years, due to the obvious focus of attention on its internal strife.
It has also been difficult to bring to the fore due to the political makeup with very small margins of majority in parliament but the wave of popular appeal on the back of the victory against terror and fear has meant that it is now possible to view the development work in clinical detail – without a pessimistic view that these are merely state propaganda. Nowhere is the development work more in focus than in Sri Lanka’s south.
NEWS
Sri Lanka coast guard set to make waters safer
Sri Lanka’s Baywatch? Not quite – but with coast guard bases being set up with the intention of protecting ocean resources and for maritime security, the new coast guard patrol will ensure the added safety that was once lacking in Sri Lankan waters.
Travel to Sri Lanka by Road or Rail
A proposal to build a bridge linking Sri Lanka and Indian across the Palk Straits has been renewed after the end to the conflict in the country earlier this year.
Sri Lanka considers revival of private aircraft flights
Due to the recently concluded ethnic crisis in the country, the operation for private aircraft has been severely restricted and in some cases even banned. Not anymore. Serious consideration is being given by Sri Lanka’s civil aviation authority for the approval for the operation of more private aircraft.
Negotiations on for Lighthouse
Hayleys is negotiating with the Cinnovation Group run by Nepali businessman Binod Chaudhary to sell its 27% stake in Lighthouse, an upmarket hotel in Galle.
