Jaffna

Jaffna was one of the first human settlements in Northern Sri Lanka's peninsula. An elderly citizen writes in his blog that "the calm nostalgia for a rewarding past puts a faint grin on the granite brought in for reconstruction." An accomplished painter depicts the city's reconstruction and the people's reintegration into the once-vibrant economy. When cities reemerge with fresh life, he says, "continual transformation is the process that they need to experience."

When you travel to the Jaffna peninsula and the vibrant outlying islands that surround it while in Sri Lanka, that canvas opens up before your eyes. It was once the country's second-largest metropolis and a significant Portuguese colonial stronghold. The 22-hectare Dutch Fort is located inside the city limits and continues to dominate the Jaffna skyline. The best example of Dutch fortifications in Asia is thought to be the star-shaped Jaffna Fort, built by the Dutch in 1680.

The Portuguese constructed the Delft Fort on Delft Island (Neduntivu islet), 35 kilometers from the city. A magnificent beach with wonderful shells is located beyond the fort. The largest island in the Palk Straits is connected to the mainland by a ferry service. The Kandaswamy Kovil in the city's Nallur district was constructed in the South Indian Dravidian style. Before being destroyed by the Portuguese, a shrine from the 10th century once stood on the site. At Kantarodai, there are perhaps 100 little stupas or dagobas crammed into a space of one acre or less.

The largest stupa has a diameter that is roughly 4 meters. These are thought to date back 2,000 years. A boat ride from the city takes an hour to reach the small island of Nagadeepa. The recently renovated Buddhist temple is cherished by Sri Lankan Buddhists who believe the Buddha visited it.