Scenes of Jaffna in the 1950s; Sri Lanka. Exhibit at the Gnanam's Hotel.

A water-boiler used in a tea-shop.

A farmer returning after work.

A wooden plough.

Kitchen utensils made of granite.

Everything was used, repaired and passed on from generation to generation. The throw-aways were minimal and were bio-degradable. Life centered on the villages where every need was met.

House-hold utensils used in Jaffna in the pre 1950 era, Sri Lanka.

Charcol fired irons, various brass utensils, water carriers and table lamps.

A balance and a water-carrier made from palmyra leaf.

These exhibits were found at Gnanam's Hotel, Jaffna. In the pre 1950 era most of the cooking utensils were either of clay or brass. Aluminium was unheard of.

A Gypsy fortune-teller, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

She was from a Gypsy tribe long resident in Sri Lanka. They speak a different language and never stay in one place. They appear literally overnight and build a temporary camp in a vacant plot. They visit the adjoining villages.The males exhibit Cobras and trained monkeys. The females are palmists and fortune tellers. They have an annual get to-gether at Galgamuwa close to Anuradhapura where the tribal elder ratifies marriages and settles internal disputes.

Environs of the Dutch Fort, Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

'Pannai' sea-shore.

Area in front of the Fort.

Sunset over the Fort.

The Telecom tower near the Fort.

The Fort is being renovated on a grant from the Dutch Government.

Sunsets along the A9 highway from Chavakachchery to Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Sunset at Chavakachchery.

Sunset over the Dutch Fort, Jaffna.

Anuradhapura and Mihinthale, Sri Lanka.

The 'Kotha' of 'Ruwanweli-saeya' seen over the trees.

Environs of Mihinthale.

The A9 highway from Jaffna to Kandy bordering Mihinthale.

A figure with a votive lamp by the side of the highway.

Gem museum, Batugedera, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Cross-section of a gem-pit'.

Photo of workers in a gem-pit.

The famous 'Arabian Nights' has a story of gems most probably relating to Rathnapura of Sri Lanka. It goes as follows.
There is an inaccessible valley in these parts, whose bottom is strewn with gems of every hue and colour. Pieces of fresh meat on which a sticky gum from a tree in these parts (most probably the Jak or 'Kos' tree) is smeared and is thrown down into the valley by the natives. Scores of a large bird called a 'Roc' by the natives (?'Brahminy Kite') swoop down, pick these pieces of meat with the gems adhering to it and carry them to their nests to feed their young. These nests are then raided by the locals and the gems picked out to be sold by them.
Rathnapura is the land famed for gems from time immemorial. Foreign merchants, Arabs, Persians, Indians, and Chinese used to travel up the Kalu Ganga by boat from Kaluthara on the western sea-board of the Island, to Batugedera in Rathnapura. The two targets of these travelers was to climb the holy Adam's Peak also known as Sri Pada and to buy gems which were mined in the area.
Now there is a superb highway from Colombo to Rathnapura roughly a 100Km distance. From Rathnapura which has a thriving market in uncut gems, to Batugedera is about 3 Kilometers on the Badulla highway. The Gem Museum at Batugedera is on the left hand side of the road. It is owned and managed by Mr. Bodhi Amerasinghe who has a degree in Gemmology from Germany, his charming wife Wimala and daughter Palika who also has a degree in Gemmology from Germany. They have a nice museum exhibiting the different varieties of gems. They also have a sales point where jewelry using gems mined locally to suit the tastes of tourists is found. These items of jewelry are produced here and a guarantee card is given with each item of jewelry. This place is well worth a visit.