Sunday, June 21, 2009

The washer-woman's ('reddy nanda's) visit to a house, Sri Lanka.

The soiled linen in a household in Sri Lanka, was collected by a washer woman, was cleaned and ironed and was delivered back the next week. The washer-woman in Sinhalese and Tamil society held a very responsible position. In Sinhalese society she was called 'reddy nanda' literally 'cloth aunt'. Here you see a 'reddy nanda' paying her once a week visit, to a house in Sri Lanka. This occupation is dying out with washing machines now replacing her duties.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Elephant rehabilitation centre, Uda-Walawe, Sri Lanka

Orphaned young elephants, found abandoned by the herd, in Sri Lanka, are brought to this sanctuary at Uda-walawe. They are fed and looked after. They are then gradually integrated into a herd of wild elephants at the Uda Walawe sanctuary close by and are again sent into the wild. You see in the picture a young elephant being fed milk through a plastic hose.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Old suspension bridge across the Mahaweli Ganga at Levalle, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The Mahaweli Ganga at Lewalle, Kandy, had a suspension bridge for bicycles and pedestrians, till 2000. The suspension bridge was built in 1936. Now it has been replaced by a concrete bridge to carry heavy traffic. The old bridge is left to die a gradual death. I took this picture on 7/6/2009.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The old railway bridge, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The narrow gauge Kelani Valley railway started from Colombo Fort and terminated at Opanayake. It passed through the lush rubber and tea growing Kelani Valley region. The picture shows the abandoned railway bridge, at Rathnapura.Old railway lines form excellent bicycle tracts because of the gentle gradients. In Sri Lanka when the rail track from Avissawella to Opanayake was closed in stages, there was a massive land-grab of the property along the railway line, to dig for gems and to put up houses. Quite a lot of houses are now built illegally on this stretch.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Fruits for sale, Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka

This fruit seller doing his trade by the roadside at Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka, had quite a selection of fresh, tasty luscious fruits for sale. 'Gan-oruwa' - meaning 'fetch the boat' in Sinhalese, was the ferry crossing point into the Capital of the highlands of Ceylon, Kandy, in historic times, across the Mahaweli river. It now houses the agricultural research centre and the veterenirary reseach centre, among other departments. I took this picture on 7/6/2009.