Sri Lanka is a land of great cultural diversity. Religion pervades many aspects of life and constitutes a basic element of this diversity. Buddhist and Hindu temples, as well as mosques and churches, with their own colourful rituals, are the most readily visible features of the cultural landscape. Varying degrees of colonial impact, modernizing influences, and wealth and income add other shades to the cultural mosaic.
In architecture, sculpture, and painting, Sri Lanka’s traditions
extend far back into antiquity. The remnants of ancient works restored
and preserved at archaeological sites, while reflecting Indian
influences, also bear testimony to the inspiration derived from
Buddhism. Classical literature, too, presents a blend of stylistic
influences from India with Buddhist themes. Since the beginning of the
20th century, with the literati being exposed to European literature,
local creative writing has acquired greater diversity in style and has
become more secular in content.
In the performing arts there are several Sinhalese and Tamil folk
traditions and a host of recent imports and imitations. Among the folk
dance forms, for example, one finds the highly refined Kandyan
dancing, which has been associated over several centuries with state
ceremony and religious ritual in and around the historic hill capital
of Kandy. The more improvised “devil dancing” is performed at healing
rites and exorcisms. In drama, modernized versions of folk theatre
share the limelight with modern original works and adaptations from
Western dramatists. Both Indian and Western influences are strongly
apparent in the popular forms of music.
Government assistance to the arts is channeled through several institutions under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Art, music, and dancing are included in the school curriculum. Advanced training in these and several other fields of fine arts is provided at the Government College of Fine Arts, the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, and several private institutions. The Department of National Archives and the National Museum, both in Colombo, are the main repositories of historical documents and archaeological treasures of the country.
Many internationally recognized sports have found participants in Sri
Lanka. The most popular among them are volleyball, cricket, football
(soccer), bicycle racing, and various water sports.
The sites of ancient cities and other religiocultural centres such as
Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Kataragama, and Adam’s
Peak attract thousands of tourists and pilgrims.
Print and broadcast media reach all parts of the country in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. The government controls radio and television broadcasting and several widely circulated daily newspapers. Several private daily and weekly newspapers operate independently of the government and exercise considerable freedom of expression. However, the government is empowered to impose censorship under the Public Security Act.