people of people of COLOMBOCOLOMBO fld<Ufld<U nfhOk;G nfhOk;G people of COLOMBO fld<U nfhOk;G Colombo is one of Asia’s greenest and most cultured cities. Long overlooked as a travel destination, the city is rediscovering its past and multicultural heritage. We wanted to find the spirit of the city, so we wandered, listened and met some amazing people on the way. Meet the locals Hear their stories Learn what they love 2 people of COLOMBO fld<U nfhOk;G Colombo is one of Asia’s greenest and most cultured cities. Long overlooked as a travel destination, the city is rediscovering its past and multicultural heritage. We wanted to find the spirit of the city, so we wandered, listened and met some amazing people on the way. Meet the locals Hear their stories Learn what they love COLOMBO FORT fld<U fldgqj Nfhl;ilahdJ SLAVE ISLAND fldïm[a[ ùÈh nfhk;gdpj;njU MAP CINNAMON GARDENS fldïm[a[ ùÈh nfhk;gdpj;njU PETTAH msgfldgqj Gwf;Nfhl;il 4 COLOMBO FORT fld<U fldgqj Nfhl;ilahdJ SLAVE ISLAND fldïm[a[ ùÈh nfhk;gdpj;njU MAP CINNAMON GARDENS fldïm[a[ ùÈh nfhk;gdpj;njU PETTAH msgfldgqj Gwf;Nfhl;il COLOMBO FORT | fld<U fldgqj | Nfhl;ilahdJ CMB 01 01 FORT COLOMBO elegant cosmopolitan grandeur grandeur cosmopolitan elegant 6 COLOMBO FORT | fld<U fldgqj | Nfhl;ilahdJ CMB 01 01 FORT COLOMBO elegant cosmopolitan grandeur grandeur cosmopolitan elegant elegant cosmopolitan grandeur Colombo Fort Fort is Colombo’s centuries-old powerhouse with a long and proud tradition of trade. This is where history was made in the past and where it’s made once again. The historic centre around the presidential palace that was off-limits for a long time, is now undergoing a facelift, bringing back Fort’s vivacity and old grandeur. Run-down colonial buildings get a fresh coat of paint and new café’s and shops open along the cobblestoned streets. Fort is the heart and the soul of the city, Colombo’s #01 historic hotspot. fld<U fldgqj hkq jir ish .Kkla wE;g osfjk fm%!v fj<`o b;sydihlg Wreulï lshk fld<U k.rfha n, flakaøia:dkhhs' fld<U k.rfha ft;sydisl fm%!v;ajfha ixfla;h jQ fld<U fldgqj j;aufkys tu b;sydi l;dj h<s j¾Kj;a lsÍug ieoS meyeoS isáhs' l,la ;siafia fmdÿ ck m%fõYh wjysr lrñka mkjd ;snQ iSud bj;a lrñka ckdêm;s ukaÈrh flakaø fldg.;a fuu ukrï jmsgdj wojk úg fld<U fldgqjg Wreu Y%S úN+;sh yd ukiald- ka;Ndjh úoyd olajñka kjuq uqyqKqjrlska h<s f.dvkexfjñka mj;S' hg;a úð; iufha bÈjqkq bmerKs f.dvke.s,s kj mska;dre- j,ska yevjk w;r ùÈ fomi kùk wjkay,a iy fj<`oi,a újD;j mj;S' fujka iqqkaor;ajhlska hq;a fld<U k.rfha yoj; iy Ôjkd,sh n`ÿ jQ fld<U fldgqj k.rfha wxl tfla ft;sydisl flakaøia:dkh f,i wújdofhka ie<lsh yel' Nfhl;ilahdJ nfhOk;gpd; E}w;whz;Lfs; goiktha;e;jJk;> ePz;l kw;Wk; ngUiktha;e;j tu;j;jf ghuk;gupaj;JldhdJkhd kj;j- paepiyakhFk;. ,q;NfNa fle;j fhyj;jpy; tuyhW cUthf;f- g;gl;lNjhL kPz;Lk; xUKiwAk; cUthf;fg;gl;Ls;sJ. [dhjpgjp khspifapid Rw;wpAs;s tuyhw;W kj;jpa epiyakhdJ ePz;ln- jhU fhykhf tiuaiwfSf;F mg;ghy; fhzg;gl;lNjhL> jw;Ng- hJ GJg;gpj;jnyhd;Wf;F cs;shf;fg;gl;L kPz;Lk; Nfhl;ilapd; mjprak; kw;Wk; mjd; gioa ngUik vd;gd kPsf;nfhz;L- tug;gLfpd;wJ. guhkupg;gpd;wp fhzg;gl;l fhyzpj;Jt fhy fl;llq;fs; Gjpa epwg;G+r;Rf;fs; G+rg;gl;L> fw;fs; nghwpf;fg;gl;l ghijfspy; Gjpa czT epiyaq;fs; kw;Wk; filfs; jpwf;f- g;gl;L etPdg;gLj;jg;gLfpd;wd. nfhOk;G Nfhl;ilahdJ efuj;jpd; capu;8 kw;Wk; ,jakhFk; mNjNtis> efuj;jpd; Kjd;ikahd tuyhw;W epiyakhFk;. 8 elegant cosmopolitan grandeur Colombo Fort Fort is Colombo’s centuries-old powerhouse with a long and proud tradition of trade. This is where history was made in the past and where it’s made once again. The historic centre around the presidential palace that was off-limits for a long time, is now undergoing a facelift, bringing back Fort’s vivacity and old grandeur. Run-down colonial buildings get a fresh coat of paint and new café’s and shops open along the cobblestoned streets. Fort is the heart and the soul of the city, Colombo’s #01 historic hotspot. fld<U fldgqj hkq jir ish .Kkla wE;g osfjk fm%!v fj<`o b;sydihlg Wreulï lshk fld<U k.rfha n, flakaøia:dkhhs' fld<U k.rfha ft;sydisl fm%!v;ajfha ixfla;h jQ fld<U fldgqj j;aufkys tu b;sydi l;dj h<s j¾Kj;a lsÍug ieoS meyeoS isáhs' l,la ;siafia fmdÿ ck m%fõYh wjysr lrñka mkjd ;snQ iSud bj;a lrñka ckdêm;s ukaÈrh flakaø fldg.;a fuu ukrï jmsgdj wojk úg fld<U fldgqjg Wreu Y%S úN+;sh yd ukiald- ka;Ndjh úoyd olajñka kjuq uqyqKqjrlska h<s f.dvkexfjñka mj;S' hg;a úð; iufha bÈjqkq bmerKs f.dvke.s,s kj mska;dre- j,ska yevjk w;r ùÈ fomi kùk wjkay,a iy fj<`oi,a újD;j mj;S' fujka iqqkaor;ajhlska hq;a fld<U k.rfha yoj; iy Ôjkd,sh n`ÿ jQ fld<U fldgqj k.rfha wxl tfla ft;sydisl flakaøia:dkh f,i wújdofhka ie<lsh yel' Nfhl;ilahdJ nfhOk;gpd; E}w;whz;Lfs; goiktha;e;jJk;> ePz;l kw;Wk; ngUiktha;e;j tu;j;jf ghuk;gupaj;JldhdJkhd kj;j- paepiyakhFk;. ,q;NfNa fle;j fhyj;jpy; tuyhW cUthf;f- g;gl;lNjhL kPz;Lk; xUKiwAk; cUthf;fg;gl;Ls;sJ. [dhjpgjp khspifapid Rw;wpAs;s tuyhw;W kj;jpa epiyakhdJ ePz;ln- jhU fhykhf tiuaiwfSf;F mg;ghy; fhzg;gl;lNjhL> jw;Ng- hJ GJg;gpj;jnyhd;Wf;F cs;shf;fg;gl;L kPz;Lk; Nfhl;ilapd; mjprak; kw;Wk; mjd; gioa ngUik vd;gd kPsf;nfhz;L- tug;gLfpd;wJ. guhkupg;gpd;wp fhzg;gl;l fhyzpj;Jt fhy fl;llq;fs; Gjpa epwg;G+r;Rf;fs; G+rg;gl;L> fw;fs; nghwpf;fg;gl;l ghijfspy; Gjpa czT epiyaq;fs; kw;Wk; filfs; jpwf;f- g;gl;L etPdg;gLj;jg;gLfpd;wd. nfhOk;G Nfhl;ilahdJ efuj;jpd; capu; kw;Wk; ,jakhFk; mNjNtis> efuj;jpd; Kjd;ikahd tuyhw;W epiyakhFk;. C COLOMBO FORT This is what locals love O Small Society L We all knew each other. Colombo was a small society. O IN COLOMBO FORT Everything happened in Fort and in the 60’s Chatham Street M was the place to go. We’d go to the White Horse pub for B short eats and arak. We loved the soirees at the Grand O Oriental, there would be a band playing and we’d dance the night away. For a movie we’d go to Regal Theatre. As girls F we were only allowed to go to the Saturday matinee. Gordon O Gardens was another favourite, church choirs would sit in R the grass and sing and if you were lucky you’d see a sailor or two. T | | Lunch Room f On Thursdays, we’d have lunch at Pagoda Tea Room, a set f l meal of soup, fried rice and desert would only cost eight l d d < rupees! Their chocolate cake, eclairs and cream buns were < U very good and very famous. Even today they still taste the U same as 50 years ago. f f l l The Bomb d d g After the Central Bank bombing, Fort became a ghost town. g q j q Since the opening up in 2015, it has changed a lot. It’s nice to j | see it becoming a happening place again. | N N f Keeping the Spirit of Place f h h l In the old days there was a tram from Fort to Kotahene, it l ; i ; would be nice if they could bring that back. We also hope i l We hope they respect they respect the memories and elegance of the place, that l a they revive the old shopping arcades instead of building new a h the elegance of the place shopping malls. h d d J and revive the old arcades J instead of building new shopping malls Chatham Street | Fort Ranee Ratnayeke pe;ï ùÈh fldgjq | CCMBMB 10 & Sato Jayamaha Nrjj; k ; njU | Nfhli; l Worked in Fort in their Twenties 01 10 0 1 C COLOMBO FORT This is what locals love O Small Society L We all knew each other. Colombo was a small society. O IN COLOMBO FORT Everything happened in Fort and in the 60’s Chatham Street M was the place to go. We’d go to the White Horse pub for B short eats and arak. We loved the soirees at the Grand O Oriental, there would be a band playing and we’d dance the night away. For a movie we’d go to Regal Theatre. As girls F we were only allowed to go to the Saturday matinee. Gordon O Gardens was another favourite, church choirs would sit in R the grass and sing and if you were lucky you’d see a sailor or two. T | | Lunch Room f On Thursdays, we’d have lunch at Pagoda Tea Room, a set f l meal of soup, fried rice and desert would only cost eight l d d < rupees! Their chocolate cake, eclairs and cream buns were < U very good and very famous.