Antique cupboard, Mount Lavinia Hotel, Sri Lanka.

It is claimed that it was the Portuguese who introduced the art of furniture making into Sri Lanka. It is hard to believe this, when one finds the exquisite designs seen in the stone carvings in the Sri Lanka of ancient days. Furniture made of quality timber like ebony and mahogany, with inlays of ivory and brass are items treasured in rich Sri Lankan house-holds, up to the present time. It is a tradition nowadays, for the bride's parents to donate items of furniture to a newly married couple, to start their new home.
I took the above picture of an item of antique furniture, placed in the lobby of the Mount Lavinia Hotel, Sri Lanka.

A small, fast, bullock cart used for transport of people, Sri Lanka.

Bullock carts were used for 'comfortable' transport of people in the South Asia region, from time immemorial. The 'Thirukkal' - Tamil, 'Thirukkale' - Sinhalese, was used extensively in Sri Lanka till recent times. The above is a picture of a Thirukkal, kept as an exhibit at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, Sri Lanka. You also see an exquisitely carved wooden cupboard, next to the Thirukkal.

A squirrel eating an orchid flower.

A family.

The photographers - Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The digital camera has reached every part of this Island of Sri Lanka. Starting with the cell phone cameras to the more sophisticated models, the camera is very popular now. Print outs cost money, but access to a computer has made photography dirt cheap, after the initial expenditure for the camera. Storage of about 500 pictures on a CD costs, only SL Rs15/-.