The Town Hall, Colombo

From an open hood double decker...

Landmarks in Colombo

by Omar RAJARATHNAM

The crowds that enter and exit the city are but a daily routine of the hustle and bustle of Colombo. Be it Fort, Town Hall, Grandpass or Galle road, passers by are used to seeing many structures that have over time become only backdrop of the city, but we never think of the significance each of these structures hold or do we?

Having realised this oversight, writer Juliet Coombe along with her co-author Lasantha David began trekking around the city to re-discover landmarks in Colombo and their venture manifested in the first city guide of Colombo city which sheds a significant light on signature locations of the city.

The book was launched at a well-known restaurant in Colombo 7 simultaneous with the website launch of the other partner, following an open hood double-decker bus tour to some of the selected landmarks which gave those present the unique experience of looking at Colombo with a different light and of course at an unusual height.

The first landmark stop was opposite the Ceylon continental Hotel, one of the first five star hotels in Colombo, overlooks the first lighthouse which stands grandly at the end of Chatham Street in the form of a clock tower. Many on the tour were shocked to learn that Colombo ever had a light house, let alone something that has been protected over many decades.

The Colombo Museum

Sir Baron Jayathileka Mawatha which preserves colonial structures of the British is considered as another landmark. Resembling the iconic Harrods showroom in Knightsbridge, London, the street is home to many financial institutions and the entrance to the President's House. A walk along the street to the left, brings you to the main gate of the Colombo Harbour which is ranked among the top 35 harbours in the world. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, the harbour has not yet ceased being the hub for ships that sail in the Indian Ocean.

The next stop was the Memon Mosque in Pettah, built with red bricks with white borders that demarcate each of them with its domes reaching out to the sky, the mosque is an architectural spectacle in busy and dusty second cross street. A cart opposite the mosque sells fresh fruit juices and the food shops around have flavoured Biriyani and the Bombay sweet marts that will enthrall those with a sweet tooth.

The walk along the road will bring you to Main Street, where the most popular cloth shops are located and Sea Street where goldsmiths thrive.

We then headed to St. Lucia's Cathedral in Kotahena, Colombo, the oldest and largest functioning Parish cathedral in Sri Lanka. The modest origins of this 110 year old cathedral can be traced to a small chapel of wood and cadjan erected by the Oratorian fathers in 1760 when Ceylon was under Dutch rule which was replaced by a bigger church built of brick and mortar in 1782.

The Grand Mosque, Pettah

The foundation stone of the new cathedral was laid to replace the old structure. The design of the building was completed in 1873 thus sowing the seeds of grandeur and splendour in Kotahena. The construction work was completed in 1887. The finishing touches were given in 1902 and the cathedral continues to remain a serene attraction of this congested town.

Having passed through Panchikawatte, the marketplace of motor spare parts and Maradana, home to the biggest Muslim boys school in the country _ Zahira College, we passed the next landmark in Colombo, the Town Hall clock tower junction which is also popularly known as 'Lipton Circus'.

The junction has the Cinnamon Garden Baptist Church, the Deveta Gaha Muslim Mosque and the Colombo Municipal Council which resembles the White House in Washington D.C.The Colombo Museum epitomises landmarks of Colombo; opened on January 1, 1877. The Museum preserves many antiques and is a clear representation of the unity and multi-culturalism of Colombo as it is closed on Fridays to honour the Muslim architect's Wapuchi Marikar's request that it be closed on Friday for the Friday Jummah prayer.

The British Commissioner's were said to be so pleased with he architectural design that they promised to grant any request he desired.

The comprehensive city guidebook is scheduled to be distributed in over 40 countries and is sure to ease the travel mayhem of many tourists due to the detailed explanations of Colombo's landmarks. Co-writer Lasantha David said "Colombo is worth the journey; every street, every person, every story" and you are sure to experience it in your daily trek through Colombo. The British Commissioners' were said to be so pleased with the architectural design that they promised to grant any request he desired.

The Dewatagaha Mosque,Colombo	Former Akasa Kade building	Grand Oriental Hotel