Traditional Arts and Crafts of Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka, the pearl of the Indian Ocean, is undoubtedly a land of splendors. From Romantic getaways to lush green landscapes, from natural beauty to sandy beaches, from fantastic culture to fascinating people, Sri Lanka has it all to woo an avid traveller. While exploring the island nation's beauty, one will come across several remarkable places that are sure to spellbind. In this edition, let's take a journey to understand the ‘Traditional arts and crafts’, which has played a pivotal role in making Sri Lanka one of the great places to visit in the Indian Subcontinent. Watch the astonishing fresco paintings in UNESCO World Heritage Site Sigiriya Rock Fort.


The Sri Lankan traditional arts and crafts have a grace of their own and a rich legacy that was passed down from generation to generation. What one sees today is the perseverance of the tradition that speaks a lot about the Sri Lankan culture. The small touches of faith, religions, practices, and mystic diversity had been instrumental in developing them into some of the best art and craft forms, known globally today. And why not? These traditional practices have shown Sri Lankans humble and decent artistic lifestyles, revealing the local creativity and talents. They exhibit the pride of the remarkable Sri Lankan heritage and magnificent culture. On top of it, their dynamics magnify their importance even more.

THE TRADITIONAL ARTS AND CRAFTS OF SRI LANKA:

PAINTING

Constituting majorly a Buddhist population, the paintings found in the old buildings of Sri Lanka are closely related to Buddhism. The themes of these painting are mainly about Buddha's life or tales of former incarnations of Buddha. One can also witness beautiful works on the walls of historic temples of Sri Lanka that again mostly depict the tales of Buddha.

Insider Tip: While visiting the Sacred Tooth Relic Temple in Kandy, be sure to witness the beauty of the paintings on the walls.

SCULPTURE
In Sri Lanka, most of the sculptures you encounter are based on religious beliefs like any other form of Sri Lankan art.

Undoubtedly, Buddhism is one of the most significant elements of these sculptures. They still stand tall in the ancient cities of Sri Lanka like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Yapahuwa. Enjoy a glimpse of Polonnaruwa in this short video.
Interesting Fact: Did you know that one of the best ways to explore Polonnaruwa is by bicycle?

MASK MAKING
Masks are connected very deeply with Sri Lankan folklore and during the traditional dances artisans wear these facial decorative pieces as part of their culture. Traditionally, masks are used in devil dances during festivals, rituals for curing and dramas.

Ambalangoda in the southern province is well known for its mask-making industry and one of the best places here to see these masks is the Mask museum. It comprises of a museum, a mask-making workshop, and a sales outlet.
Interesting Fact: The wood from Kaduru tree also known as poison nut is used in accordance to measurements mentioned in the ancient scriptures to carve out these masks. Each mask is linked to a particular folktale and characters that carvers have to connect mentally.

BEERALU LACE
Beeralu Lace is a reputed household industry, mainly centered around the south western coast of Sri Lanka. Lace-making is a delicate and challenging craft. It is fascinating to see how the artisans dexterously handle the tools to create elaborate patterns.

During a visit to Weligama, Galle, Matara, or Hambantota, one can visit a Beeralu Lace center to get a glimpse of artisans skillfully creating these masterpieces for trimmings on dresses, table spreads, curtains, covers for pillows, cushions, chairs and garments.
Fun Fact: Unlike the other arts and crafts mentioned in our list, Beeralu lace craft has a young history of 600 years. Although Beeralu lace-making has been considered a traditional craft of Sri Lanka, you will be surprised to know that it is a legacy of Portuguese colonization.

MAKING OF TRADITIONAL DRUMS
The traditional drums or Bera (as they are known locally), are undoubtedly an intrinsic part of the Sri Lankan culture. These drums were used by ancient Sinhala rulers for various political, cultural, religious, and social purposes. Various types of drums are still crafted like Geta Beraya (a drum with a knot and used as the main drum during dance sequences in all of kandiyan rituals), a two-faced drum, a hill country drum etc.

A unique piece of art is the beautiful Thammattama drum. It is called as Pokuru Beraya and is also referred to as the cluster of drums.

This twinset of drums is of two different sizes and the left drum is used to produce low-pitched tones while the right one is used to produce high-pitched tones. Played with two special sticks, the Thammattama is a vital instrument used during religious services at Buddhist temples and shrines.

Drum making is practiced mainly in Kurunegala and Hodiyadeniya in the Kandy district and Hikkaduwa, located in the southern part of Sri Lanka.

Insider Tip: Witness the magic of these drums playing at the Kandy Esala Perahera, also known as The Festival of the Tooth. It is held in July or August in Kandy every year.

CLAY POTTERY
Clay Pottery is considered to be one of the oldest lines of craftwork in Sri Lanka. Even in today's age of steel and plastic, clay pottery is pretty famous and still practiced here.

There is evidence about the history of pottery in Sri Lanka, which goes back to the 02nd century BC. The archeological excavations near Thissamaharamaya, Anuradhapura Gedige and Kandarodai in Jaffna had unearthed pottery items dating back to different stages of history in Sri Lanka.

Even some of the excavated pottery found here was known to be imported from different parts of the world thus showcasing that pottery items were among the primary goods traded internationally in ancient Sri Lanka.

In addition to clay pots, vases, terracotta figures, and other utensils are also made using clay today. If you are in Sri Lanka, be sure to visit Molagoda, a small village along the Colombo-Kandy road, famous for its clay pottery.

Insider Tip: Hop on a bicycle tour to visit a village of potters in Habarana. Here you can try your hands in the pottery-making process along with the village community and witness the fantastic transformation of the raw clay into pottery.
WOODEN ARCHITECTURE AND WOODCARVING
In the early centuries, wood was an integral element of many structures and wood carving has been a part of Sri Lankan arts and crafts for centuries. One of the prominent examples of the wooden architecture of Sri Lanka is the ''gatehouse'' located at the eastern entrance to Anuradhapura.

This beautiful marvel was built in the 4th century BC and unlike in other wooden marvels where just a part of tree like the tree trunk is only used, interestingly in its creation all parts of the trees were used.

Other magnificent examples of the artistic wooden marvels are the palaces at Polonnaruwa and Panduwasnuwara. Here, to hold the weight of the upper floors wooden columns were placed in the brickwork crevices. Interestingly, these columns consisted of entire trunks of trees. These crevices still retain the spur stones upon which the wooden column once stood.

Insider Tip: To witness ancient Sri Lankan woodworks, you must visit the Embekke Temple in the city of Kandy.

JEWELLERY MAKING
The history of jewellery making in Sri Lanka dates back some 3,000 years. Many archaeological discoveries found burial grounds that can be traced back to 1000 BC. The findings here included pieces of jewellery set with polished gemstones and beads originating from Sri Lanka.

In ancient times, silver, gold, and gem-adorned bangles, necklaces, and rings, among other ornaments, were considered a mark of royalty and privilege. Today, with the aid of technology and the skills of talented artisans and designers, the jewellery industry rose to become one of the leading industries of the island country.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country blessed with lovely landscapes, lush green tea gardens, unique culture, historic sites and a rich legacy of arts and crafts dating back thousands of years. From cave paintings to rock sculptures, these arts and crafts are firmly rooted in Sri Lankan culture telling a tale of skilful artistry from the bygone eras. Come and discover refreshing Sri Lanka with us! We, at Indo Asia Tours, are all about the handcrafted tours, memories, and moments you take out of your trip, and believe us, this escapade will be a life-changing one!