MOST PEOPLE ON EARTH FOLLOW THE SUN, THEY CELEBRATE THE DAYS OF SOLSTICE, GIVE THE SUN VARIOUS NAMES — JARYLO, RA, HELIOS... BUT A SMALL ISLAND IN THE INDIAN OCEAN WENT ITS OWN WAY — CEYLON IS REIGNED BY THE MOON THAT INFLUENCES BOTH THE TIDES AND THE DAILY LIVES OF SRI LANKANS: DURING EACH FULL MOON PERIOD THERE IS A FESTIVAL WHEN ELEPHANTS PARADE IN THE STREETS, THE WHOLE POPULATION CELEBRATES REGARDLESS OF THEIR RELIGION, EVERYBODY GREETS ONE ANOTHER WHILE REMAINING COMPLETELY SOBER — DURING THE DAYS OF THE FULL MOON NO ALCOHOL IS SOLD IN SRI LANKA. WHAT IS THE MOON’S RELIGION? Sri Lanka is a diverse and very special country. There is a note of mystery in its unique atmosphere that awakens the desire to explore the world and one’s inner self. It draws adventurers, true travellers and people who seek harmony with themselves and everything around them. It is an ideal place to rethink your values, habits, relationships with other people, your dreams and goals. The best time to do it is during the days of the full moon. In Sri Lanka it is not just an astronomical phenomenon but also a Buddhist festival celebrated 12 (sometimes 13) times per year. Before the introduction of Buddhism on the island ancient ascetics spent the day of the full moon in spiritual practice sessions. Buddha adopted this practice, and to date there is a tradition of reciting Buddhist texts and commentaries (Bana) in monasteriess and churches during this time. The tradition of celebrating Роуа in Sri Lanka began with thee introduction of Buddhism in 247 BC in order er to strengthen the link between the Sangha (monastic community) and the laymen. And if hardly any of us follow the movements ments of celestial bodies, in Sri Lanka everyone ne knows what day of the lunar calendar itt is today. They have a common name here re for a full moon — Роуа, but additionally eachh particular full moon also has a special name. Sometimes Poya lasts for two nights in a row! These days one cannot buy alcohol — neither in stores, nor at hotels. And noisy parties are shunned. COME HELL OR HIGH WATER First of all, Sri Lanka is known as the land of tea, but actually it has been grown here rather recently, from the beginning of the 19th century, whereas precious stones have been mined for centuries, and the technology has not changed that much since then. Export of precious stones is a major budget item in Sri Lanka and accounts for around 5% of the country’s GDP. The unspoken «king» of all the Ceylon stones is blue sapphire, but besides it there are also
deposits of yellow and star sapphire, amethyst, alexandrite, garnet, topaz, zircon, spinel and moonstone. Incidentally, it was in Sri Lanka that St. Edward’s Sapphire decorating the cross of the Crown of the British Empire was found. But precious minerals are only for exports and tourists, for Sri Lankans the «king» is blue
moonstone. It is an incredible coincidence that a country, which lives by the Moon, is a place of extraction of moonstone. Both private and public companies are engaged in search for minerals. Anyone can buy a license for extraction, however it would cost $ 5,000 annually. Sri Lankans believe that this stone lures love. Those who dream of meeting their soulmate
A MYSTERIOUS TRIBE In ancient times the island Ceylon was home to the Australoids — a large race population of our planet that stems from the aborigines of Australia. A variety of this landmark race — the Veddas — are considered to be the first indigenous residents of Sri Lanka, who preceded the inhabiting of the island by tribes from India. Nowadays the Veddas (estimated population — 2500 people), live in ethnic villages situated in the jungle to the east from Kandy. The lifestyle of these people has remained practically the same: wattle-and-daub huts without windows, cooking over an open fire, hunting, fishing and forest bee-farming. Nevertheless, habits of the Veddas are quite modern: products are preserved in glass jars, polythene bags and plastic buckets. Their furniture, however, is handmade from the branches chopped in the forest. The Veddas sleep right on the ground, having put a thin mat on it. Being true children of the jungle, they pay no attention to mosquitos or leeches. They do not care that some 10 km away from the village there are high modern buildings and noisy factories. Honey is the main production of the Veddas. They are known to be the best forest bee farmers in the world, who can obtain honey of wild bees at astonishing heights. This very honey-gathering provides the Veddas with delicious treats and powerful natural medications of a broad spectrum. In fact, the Veddas are excellently informed about herbs, fruits and other natural ingredients. The knowledge has been passed over from one generation to the next and helped to survive in difficult conditions of the wildlife. Magic ceremonies have been accompanied by real curative procedures, allowing to get hopeless patients back on their feet. Although the Veddas’ settlements are dominated by a primitive manner of living still today, the tribal chief sometimes leaves for Colombo and other big cities to solve current administrative tasks. Tourists in such villages are shown a special programme with ritual ceremonies, which are unlikely to appease any spirits nowadays.
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