It’s the dawn of a new year but I long to go back to the final vestiges of 2017, when, relaxing on the glorious beaches of southern Sri Lanka, reality was so far away. This year, it seems like an enormous, well-heeled Indian contingent is vacationing in Sri Lanka. From press accounts, even Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh were there to snorkel. The Indian Ocean doesn’t offer the calmest of waters, of course, but the sun sizzles and it helps that the Sri Lankan currency is so much weaker than ours.
Our island neighbour is clearly experiencing a tourism boom. My Hong Kong Chinese friends were there en famille , as were assorted English pals from London. Even the Pakistanis love it. My two-time Oscar-winning pal, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, was visiting at the same time we were, and it was her second vacation there in a span of two months. Friends from Colombo — Indians who had been there for generation — told me of another friend, a rich feudal from Lahore, who had just honeymooned there.
It used to be that December break meant Phuket for many Indians (including me) but for the past few years, I’ve preferred heading South rather than south-east (it didn’t help that on my last trip to Phuket, there was a hideous stomach bug that infected people up and down the island).
Although the topography is similar to Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the vibe in Sri Lanka is totally different. It’s much more relaxed. Women can hang out on the beach without getting ogled at. But what really sets the place apart is the cleanliness.
Ever since my first visit five years ago, I was amazed at the hygiene levels. Public bathrooms? Not a problem. Garbage? Not littering the streets. As I wandered through the coastal towns of Ambalangoda, Meetiyagoda, Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, Talpe and Mirissa, I was impressed that even the smallest places were spotless. Unfortunately, despite Prime Minister Modi’s Swacch Bharat initiative, India continues to fail on this front. During the break, I read a news report about how the new air conditioned Mumbai suburban trains had been littered with empty chips packets and cigarettes.
Why is our smaller southern neighbour so much cleaner than we are? I raised the subject over dinner with friends at the Aman hotel in Galle Fort, where we had gone to bring in my birthday, on New Year’s Eve. “Their population is about the size of Mumbai’s,” pointed out Ms Practicality, who was on her maiden visit to the country. “That’s a cop-out,” said Mr Real Estate Developer, with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Look at Haiti, which has a half of Mumbai’s population but is filthy.” He had a point, and I wasn’t about to challenge it, since I hadn’t been to Haiti, but one look at India’s smaller towns would affirm that a smaller population didn’t necessarily result in clean surroundings. The next day, we continued the discussion over a languid Italian lunch at WB, located at Why Beach in Talpe, but were unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion. I gave up trying to find an answer.
Later, strolling in Galle Fort, with its well preserved 17th century streets and buildings, it was hard not be seduced by the historic charm, quaint shops and hotels dotting the world heritage site. TripAdvisor describes Galle as the “emporium of foreign trade” and you have to have nerves of steel to not succumb to a shopping expedition. Temptation abounded. Delicate designs, with the semi-precious gemstones Sri Lanka is famous for, were ripe for the picking at Sandaken on Peddlers Street, and Ibrahim Jewellers, on Church Street. Spices, silver, home accessories, retro art, handicrafts and top quality linen could be found in chic boutiques. But never mind these beautiful material goods, those could be had at a price in India too. What truly impressed was the realisation that, in South Asia, cleanliness is the ultimate luxury. Let’s hope that 2018 is when we Indians clean up our act.
