The artistic tradition practised by Sri Lanka’s rival those of all kinds anywhere wordwide, as just visiting any one of its creatively sculpted and painted temples will prove this fact instantly. The island’s craftsperson are skillful in several platforms such as stone, wood and ebony, made use of in religious works. They are also skillful in more recent platforms such as lacquer, lace and batik (brought up during the Dutch colonial period); while some creative modern designers have combined their own novel twists with the traditional crafts of Sri Lanka .
Many souvenirs selling at the main resorts are stereotypical in design and often slapdash in quality, as you would probably expect. If you want to shop around, you can still find good crafts that are usually sold at affordable prices. Heirloom-quality objects are even made relatively affordable. However, know that a licence will be needed to export any genuine antiques (objects more than 50 years of age). Seek information from the tourist board or the shop you are purchasing from on taking care of the necessary paperwork.
Where to buy
The government emporium Laksala is located in most of the island’s main towns and makes a good spot, so check out the wide range of crafts they offer and the cost involved. Although, the stock available at these shops normally shows Sri Lankan craftsmanship at its shoddiest and lower level. There are several superior craft shops located in Colombo, such as a clutch of amazing boutiques that offer contemporary takes on traditional crafts. Other major places to purchase good crafts are Kandy, which has a downpour of shops that sell the full varieties of Sri Lankan crafts and also Galle, that is famous for its jewellery, lace, gems and Dutch antiques, and currently has quite a number of smart designer boutiques. Plenty souvenir shops are available in all the major tourist resorts across the west coast, but their preferences and quality differ wildly.
You would be frequently approached by the hawkers in the West Coast who walk to and fro on the beach, selling tourist trinkets and clothed – the perfect time to start some bargains if you are ready to barter hard. Bargaining is usually done in smaller shops, but in the smartest boutiques, a demand for a “small discount” can be used if you are purchasing large items.
Masks
The most popular of all Sri Lanka’s crafts are the horrible masks, traditionally used in performing ritual dances. A majority of the masks describe wild-eyed demons, and when you look at them closely, you will see why locals believe in how well they help in frightening bad spirits.
West coast town of Ambalangoda is the main place for Sri Lankan mask-making, having numerous workshops available. The Sons Mask and Ariyapala Museum also have a big shop that sells quality masks. You can alternatively check, Southland Masks, which is close by at 353 Main Road, having variety of them.
Batiks
Making batiks came from Indonesia by the Dutch and various factories and smaller workshops on the island now sell quality batiks pictures and clothes. However, they are made by the same time-consuming process of applying wax to the areas not to be dyed carefully. The fabric must be fixed, old wax washed out, and then more wax applied for the next dyeing, after each dying.
You can visit Dudley Silva 53 Elpitiya Road, Ambalangodafor Picasso batik pieces that are available in galleries. Jezlook, at St Yehiya Road in Matara also have excellent batiks, owned by Jezima Mohamed and having Queen Elizabeth is a customer.
Lace
Sri Lanka was introduced by the Portuguese to this art in the 16th century. Hours of work are needed to produce just some centimetres of it and lacemakers, as of Europe, mainly consist of women. The most popular places for lacemaking in Sri Lanka is Galle – hawkers will sometimes approach you, carrying samples of laces to be sold. Weligama is also a place for Lacemaking. Shoba Display Gallery at 67a Pedlar Street in Galle is a good place to shop for it. You can alternatively visit Dickwella Lace Centre, a women’s association established for this craft.
Metalwork and lacquerware
Kandy is an area where metalwork is widely produced, it is the source of ceremonial brass lamps used at weddings, in temples and on Sinhala New Year. Metalworkers also produce decorative patterns lavishly detailed trays. Attractive metalwork statuettes can be found also.
Lacquer containers, bowls and other objects started in Matale near Kandy but can now be found everywhere. Mostof them are just painted and coated with varnish, but you can get ones finished with lac.
Marine products
Marine products can be found for sale at various shops and itinerant hawkers around the west and south coasts. Know that purchasing these items contributes directly to the destruction of Sri Lanka’s fragile marine environment. Also, exporting marine and other animal products is illegal, and you will also be fined by most foreign countries if you are caught exporting it to them.
Clothes
So you’re a confessed shopaholic and just head off for a long tropical holiday. You probably don’t realise what an amazing coincidence that is. Having widely varied cultural interest and palm-fringed picture-postcard beaches, Surprisingly, Sri Lanka is also a really goog place to go shopping. I don’t mean ornamental Buddhas and crafts here. I mean designer boutiques and high street fashion. In a country that has an increasing number of textile exports to the UK for quite a while now, you can easily get these garments right at the source in Sri Lanka, as long as you know exactly where to find them, before a fixed UK price is stamped onto them.
A great place to visit is the capital Colombo. This is not the place you would want to visit only for leisure. Instead, go straight to Odel’s, at 5 Alexandra Place, Lipton Circus, and also it’s factory warehouse located in Colombo 5, Dickman’s Road, where you will see three floors of Western fashion clothes at unbelievable prices. Once you’ve managed to get to the place, laden with carrier bags will take you to “The House of Fashions”, which is not in the same category of Odel’s, but can still worth checking out.
One of the major places for expats and tourists to purchase hand-woven fabrics is 706 Galle Road, Colombo 3. It has a wide range of off-the-roll fabric, together with a huge choice of napkins, bright table clothes and placemats.
If you have time, and are really looking for good quality fabrics, then take a trip to Kandgys 333 Galle Road, Colombo 3, where you will find them at the best prices than anywhere else.
If you are staying on the coast and Colombo seems far, don’t be held back. Using a taxi, will take you to the there. I still smile when I think of the slightly tiring but very satisfying period of moving through Colombo’s rush-hour traffic congestion, tightly packed in a tuc-tuc, holding my bag full of recently bought items with a strong grip, knowing that I will get carried away completely but hardly spent much by Western standards.
