We can learn a thing or two from Sri Lanka

by Ravindran Raman Kutty

MEETINGS and work brought me to Sri Lanka last week. Colombo was a pleasant surprise for me, as I was thinking weapon wielding army officers will be welcoming me. I was wrong. Colombo airport was small but cute and clean. The immigration officers were the most courteous immigration officers that I have ever encountered. Both air and ground airline staffs were kind, humane and courteous.

It was even more enjoyable when I took a quick dash to Kandy, wanting to visit the highlands of Nuwara Eliya.

The Queen's Hotel which, I spent a night was squeaky clean, though it was an old Viceroy's palace aging more than 100 years old.

The lacquered shiny floors were immaculate with the colonial Dutch design making a permanent impression on the guests. The service by the front office was exemplary and extremely hospitable.

It was a journey back to history, where I was fortunate to revisit the epic Ramayana. I visited the Hanuman Temple at Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sitadevi, Chinmaya Mission of Sri Lanka has built a temple.

The image of Lord Hanuman here is 16 feet. I also visited Sita Eliya, where Sita was kept abode by Ravana, the king of Lanka. The exact spot where, Sita was kept abode is now marked with the idol of Sita flanked by Rama and Lakshamana. The epic Ramayana was related in a very simple yet effective way by the caretaker of the temple.

He made it a point to point to the footprints of Lord Hanuman which were so obvious, as they were now painted with a coat of yellow paint. He also pointed to the river in which Sita was bathing. The hill just along the river is what Lord Hanuman burnt in his escapade to rescue Sita from Ravana. The Ramayana was certainly exciting to read, but to view the exact spots at the Nuwara Eliya was awesome and was very exciting. The cool breeze, the foggy low lying clouds, the scenic tea plantations were all breath-taking.

As a tea freak, I made a point to visit a tea plantation on the hills. I ordered my tea with a luscious chocolate cake, which was a magical combination for the cold and freezing weather at the hills. I managed to drink three cups of the "Mackwoods" tea and was almost feeling "one too many" after the third cup.

The satisfaction that I derived was unexplainable, as the cup had no drops to prove.

The drive down the hills was picturesque all the way. Beetroots, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, reddish, cabbage, cauliflowers were the main items in every stall, bidding good bye or inviting one to stop to buy. The weather was so cold that we did not use air-condition, on our Toyota Hybrid which was our rented car.

The scene maybe quite similar to Cameron Highlands, but the ambience, hospitality, warmth and honest people of Sri Lanka must be mentioned and applauded. We have to learn much from the Sri Lankan who were besieged by war for more than 30 years. The country may have lost many thousands of lives and several politicians including some prime ministers.

Their quest to return to normalcy is very evident. Colombo, Kandy is the two places that I visited.

They were immaculate and clean. The roads were clean and overall appearance of the city may look like some parts of India, but it's pleasant, safe and clean.

The roads are wide and the ride to the Highlands has better roads than our Cameron Highlands. We must learn about hospitality and humility from the Sri Lankans who are extremely pleasant and caring.

My visit to the Pettah market was even shocking. It was an exact scene of Calcutta in terms of traffic. But the roads were clean. The walkways were spotless. The safety level was undeniably great.

I even visited a toilet in the Pettah Cross Street and was shocked to see, a clean toilet, with running water and a functioning cistern pump.

The doors latch was still secure and there was no stench or stain for anyone to puke or close your nose. I am certainly impressed by the condition of the toilet, even if I want to compare with our Taman Tun Dr Ismail market's toilets.

Malaysia we are more modern. We have the twin towers. We have the largest highways. We may have the longest bridge.

Our FDI and GNI are worlds apart to Sri Lanka. We have fantastic public infrastructures to pride on, but Sri Lanka has one thing...their roads are clean, their markets are clean, the people are emphatic, they are courteous and they are in a hurry to recover the 30 lost years of development.

I hope we can learn these simple traits from Sri Lanka and become a greater nation by afar!

Malay Mail