Does the name “Sri Lanka” mean anything in particular? Yes. But
it’s a little complicated.
"Sri" is
an honoring prefix in Sinhala, one of the main languages in Sri Lanka. It can mean "His/her excellency" or "honorable". But sri also means “resplendent” in Sanskrit, a classic language of Buddhism, one of the religions in Sri Lanka.
In many south and southeast Asian languages, the word "lanka" means island.
Since Sri Lanka is the biggest island in South Asia, lanka likely came to mean this particular island. Lanka may also come from
the Tamil word "ilanku - இலங்கு" which means "that which glitters". Tamils are one of the cultural groups that live in Sri Lanka.
So Sri Lanka can mean a few things. Like "Honourable glitter". Fun. But not the usual interpretation. The most common is "Resplendent island". Pretty isn't it?
Sri Lanka only received this name in 1972, when it became an independant republic. From 1815 to 1972, under British rule, Sri Lanka was called Ceylon. Which might have come from "Sielen Diva ", the Greek word for the island. And from the derivatives
for Sielen, such as the Ceilán (Spanish), Selon (French), and Ceylon (English)!
Sound familiar? You might have heard of Ceylon tea. That's actually Sri Lankan tea!
Pictures:
1- Me, modeling a sarong. 6 meters of fabric skillfully folded, wrapped, tucked, and pinned. The little black top is called a blouse.
2- Toby and his cousin standing in front of a map of Sri Lanka. Turns out his cousin works at Reggie's guesthouse, the first place we stayed. Total small world coincidence!!
3 and 4 - When the Dutch ruled the island (1640 -1796), they built a bunch of canals for transportation. Many are still in use.
5- Negombo, where we are currently staying, is predominantly catholic. There are shrines like this in many locations throughout the city.
Sound familiar? You might have heard of Ceylon tea. That's actually Sri Lankan tea!
Pictures:
1- Me, modeling a sarong. 6 meters of fabric skillfully folded, wrapped, tucked, and pinned. The little black top is called a blouse.
2- Toby and his cousin standing in front of a map of Sri Lanka. Turns out his cousin works at Reggie's guesthouse, the first place we stayed. Total small world coincidence!!
3 and 4 - When the Dutch ruled the island (1640 -1796), they built a bunch of canals for transportation. Many are still in use. 5- Negombo, where we are currently staying, is predominantly catholic. There are shrines like this in many locations throughout the city.
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