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Sri Lanka

I'm writing a novel and my characters go to Sri Lanka so I'm reading a lot about Sri Lanka. Here are some links I liked.

Fun facts:

As of July 2011, the number of registered political parties in the country is 67.

Sri Lankans call Avalokita "Nātha"

70% Buddhist

Original inhabitants of Sri Lanka are said to be the Yakshas and Nagas.

The flag has a lion holding a ceremonial sword.  

Sri Lanka is the highest ranked South Asian nation on the Human Development Index, and has the second highest per capita income in South Asia.

Basic:

Wikipedia

Culture of Sri Lanka

Google Maps

Flag


Buddhism:

Buddhism in Sri Lanka

Fourth Buddhist Council

Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya


Literature:

Mahāvaṃsa is the meticulously kept historical chronicle of Sri Lanka written in the style of an epic poem written in the Pali language.[1] It relates the history of Sri Lanka from its legendary beginnings up to the reign of Mahasena of Anuradhapura (A.D. 302) covering the period between the arrival of Prince Vijaya from India in 543 BCE to his reign (277–304 CE) and later updated by different writers. It was composed by a Buddhist monk at the Mahavihara temple in Anuradhapura about the fifth century A.D. In 2021

Cūḷavaṃsa is a historical record, written in the Pali language, of the monarchs of Sri Lanka. It covers the period from the 4th century to 1815. The Culavamsa was compiled over many years by Buddhist monks, and displays a variety of epic styles.

Martin Wickramasinghe Wickramasinghe is often acclaimed as the father of modern Sinhala literature. His website.


Major Ethnic groups:

Vedda People: The Vedda minority in Sri Lanka may become completely assimilated.[6] Most speak Sinhala instead of their indigenous languages, which are nearing extinction. It has been hypothesized that the Vedda were probably the earliest inhabitants of Sri Lanka and have lived on the island since before the arrival of other ethnic groups in India. 2,500 estimated.

Sinhalese People: 74.8%

Tamil People 11.2%

Moors 9.2%

Sri Lankan Malays

Burghers are a small Eurasian ethnic group in Sri Lanka descended from Portuguese, Dutch, British and other European men who settled in Ceylon and developed relationships with native Sri Lankan women.


Photo Essays:

Sri Lanka, The Land of the Disappeared​ – A Photo Essay

The Settling Dust of War in Sri Lanka

Bohemian Traveler

Growing up in Sri Lanka

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