Message
from Amil Saheb of Colombo
"WELCOME TO SRI
LANKA"
With the karam and
ehsaan of our Aqa Moula (TUS) who has bestowed the Sharaf
of Ashara Mubaraka 1429H in Colombo for the second
consecutive year, I hereby invite all Mumineen to Colombo
to obtain barakath.
-Nooruddin Bin
Taher Bhaisaheb Zakiyuddin - Amil Saheb
"WELCOME
TO SRI LANKA"
Basic
Requirements for entry
1. A
valid Passport
2. Sufficient funds for maintenance
3. An outward or Return Ticket of Foreign Exchange to
purchase an outward ticket.
Visas
Sri
Lanka Immigration Authority at Colombo Airport will only
give entry visa to mumineen who has a valid clearance from
ejamaat to travel to Colombo for Ashara Mubaraka. You must
carry with you your ejamaat card which will be scanned by
the immigration and a print of the valid clearance letter,
which will be sent to you by the ejamaat once you are
cleared by the ejamaat.
What
to Declare
1.
All currencies including travelers cheques, drafts, letters
of credit and bills of exchange, etc.
2. Precious Metal i.e. Platinum, Gold and Silver.
3. Precious stones and valuable jewelry (in order to
facilitate outward clearance).
4. Flora and fauna (Sri Lanka is a signatory to the CITES
(Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species).
5. Any goods in commercial quantities.
Exchange
Information
1
USD = Approx 110 LK Rupees
1 GBP = Approx 210 LK Rupees
1 INR = Approx 2.6 LK Rupees
"ABOUT
SRI LANKA"
The
Fact File
Area:
|
65,610
sq km
|
Population:
|
19.252
million (2003)
|
Capital
City:
|
Sri
Jayawardenapura Kotte (designated in 1977)
|
People:
|
74%
Sinhalese, 12,6% Sri Lanka Tamils, 5,5%
Indian Tamils and 7% Muslims
|
Language:
|
Sinhala,
Tamil, (official Languages), English is
widely used
|
Religion:
|
69%
Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 8% Muslim, 8% Christian
|
Government:
|
Democracy
|
President:
|
Mahinda
Rajapakse
|
Prime
Minister:
|
Ratnasiri
Wickremanayake
|
|
Click
here for an interactive map of Colombo!
The
weather is tropical - bright and hot for most part. Rains
come in two main monsoons that originate in the Indian
Ocean. The country has specific climatic zones determined by
ranges of high mountains that run in north-south direction
in the center of the island. The larger geographical area,
fed by the north-east monsoon stays hot and dry for long
months of the year, while the west and parts of the south of
Sri Lanka has a primarily wet and humid climate.
From
sea level to 7000-foot high national parks, the country
boasts of myriad geographical and climatic zones. From the
coconut palm fringed beaches of the west coast to lush
rainforests of Ratnapura (2 hours from Colombo) to the
stunning mountain scenery of Haputale (5 hours from Colombo)
to the arid, scrub jungles of Yala (7 hours from Colombo) -
a traveller in the country will never bore of the constantly
changing patterns of the countryside. It is easy to imagine,
when travelling across Sri Lanka, why Marco Polo called it
the finest island of its size in the world.
The
country is five and half hours ahead of GMT. (+05.30 GMT)
Holidays
In
addition to Saturday and Sunday, the full moon day (Poya
Day) of each month is a holiday in Sri Lanka. On Poya Days
all places of entertainment are closed.
Find
out more about Sri Lanka
"LANGUAGE
BARRIER"
|
Useful
Sinhala Phrases
Basics
Hello
: hello
Bye: aayu-bowan
Yes: owu
No: naeh
Please: karuna kara
Thank you: stuh-tee
Excuse me: sama venna
Sorry: kana gaatui
How much is it?: ehekka keeyada?
What's your name?: oyaaghe nama mokka'da?
My name is..: maaghe nama… |
Useful
Tamil Phrases
Basics
Hello:
vanakkam
Goodbye: poytu varukirehn
Yes: aam
No: il-lay
Please: tayavura saydhih
Thank you: nandri
Excuse me: mannikavum
Sorry: mannikavum
How much is it?: ahdu evvalah-vur?
My name is..: en pay-yehr…
|
Food
Bread:
paan
Butter: batah
Coffee: koh-pi
Tea: te-eh
Sugar: seeni
Water: watura
Fruit: palaturu |
Food
| | 
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