Sri Lanka photographs by Stephen Scourfield

Photographs of
Sri Lanka
by Stephen Scourfield
to accompany his book
Beautiful Witness
‘These photographs aim to give the reader a taste of the
places and a glimpse of some of the people in Beautiful Witness.
I was a child who wanted to be a writer, and who later trained also as a
photographer, and then went out and discovered
a most remarkable planet.’
Stephen Scourfield
This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research,
criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced
by any process without written permission. The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Copyright © Stephen Scourfield 2013
U A tea plucker in the hills of the Bogawantalawa Valley near Hatton.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A woman stretches, plucking fast, in the tea bushes of the hills near Hatton.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Andrew Taylor shows visitors around Norwood Estate tea factory. This is in the
withering room. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The tea growing hills of the Bogawantalawa Valley. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A bedroom in Tientsin Bungalow, one of Ceylon Tea Trails bungalows, near
Hatton. (One of Casey’s favourites.) Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The front of the hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Rooms and grounds at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Inside a homely, detached room at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The upstairs dining room at the hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Roshan Dylan in vegetable garden at the hotel Ulagalla Walawwa.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Lotus thread tempered at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Buffalo curd from their own farm and dairy at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Chopped roti dish at hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The chilled desert room at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Ministry of Crab in Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The Gallery Café in Colombo, formerly the offices of architect Geoffrey Bawa.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Galle Face Hotel, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
People in Colombo, on foot, on a scooter, in a tuk tuk. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A tuk tuk in Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Men with produce in the back of a truck in Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
An old display in the classic Cargill’s store, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Old style in Cargill’s store, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A tuk tuk outside Cargill’s store, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A street scene in Negombo, north of Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Sailing canoes, for fishing. Beach at Negombo, north of Colombo.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
People on the beach at Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The view towards Colombo from Mt Lavina Hotel. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Elephants from Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage are taken to the nearby Maha river
to bathe. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A wash in the Maha river for some of Pinnawela’s elephants. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Sri Lankans in the sun at Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
People near at a rail crossing on the road from Negombo to Pinnawela.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
People queuing to see Buddha relics; on the road between Anuradhapura and
Hatton. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
People wait in the rain to see Buddha relics, seen through a vehicle’s window.
Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Colourful soft toys in the Barefoot shop, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Fabric gives the colours of Sri Lanka in Barefoot, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Frescoes in gallery on Lion Rock, Sigiriya. There are 500 frescoes, 1500 years old.
They depicted the king’s concubines, who came from all over the world —
including a negro, Chinese and Americas woman. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
One of the frescoes in the gallery at Sigiriya. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The Buddha is preparing for death, the face shows both sympathy and joy — joy
from his acceptance of death and the fact that he has lost attachment to worldly
things, but sympathy for those left behind him. It is carved out of natural rock at the
Gal Vihara or rock hut temple, has its gigantic rock sculptures. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The dead Buddha has eyes half closed. Carved from the natural rock — the Gal
Vihara or rock hut temple, has its gigantic rock sculptures. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
At Gal Vihara, Buddha surrounded by worldly artifacts, before enlightenment,
when still attached to worldly things. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The Rankot Vihara, an enormous stupa 175m in diameter and 55m high, in the
UNESCO heritage listed city of Polonnaruwa. Its golden age was under King
Parakramabahu I, from 1153 to 1186. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
The Pleasure Gardens at Sigiriya, in the foreground, were irrigated, with running
water, with Lion Rock behind. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Lion Rock, Sigiriya. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Climbing up Lion Rock, Sigiriya. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
King Kashyapa’s swimming pool on the top of Lion Rock, Sigiriya. It was scented
with herbs. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
Elephants at the Pinnawela orphanage. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
King’s Palace Complex in the UNESCO heritage listed city of Polonnaruwa. Its
golden age was under King Parakramabahu I, from 1153 to 1186. Note that the
structure was timber upright posts and beams (the holes you can see) which were
burnt out. Picture: Stephen Scourfield
A dog finds a shady nook. King’s Palace Complex, Polonnaruwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield