Known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka boasts with a 34,000 year old history. In its bid to honour and remember many of the key historical events and figures, a keen traveller and history buff are sure to come across a number of various museums and historical houses located through the Island. Those travelling to the south and staying at one of the many hotels in Weligama, especially those around the beautiful Weligama bay like We Escape, should make a point to stop by Martin Wickramasinghe Museum, which is located in Koggala.
This ancestral house was refurbished and transformed to a museum to commemorate Martin Wickramasinghe, who was one of the most prominent intellectuals and writers in the island of Sri Lanka.
This key figure was born on May 29 1890 in Koggala. The surrounding sceneries of the sea and the lake complete with little islets that are bustling with flora and fauna is one of the main reasons tourists flock to this town, and co incidentally, also served as an inspiration to the work of Martin Wickramasinghe. Martin Wickramasinghe also used the rich culture and deeply rooted traditions of the local people as a muse for his work. The gardens are used to store old methods of transport that were used in Sri Lanka, like the Bull Cart and Elephant Cart.
The museum is separated in to a few sections, one of it being the main cabin where the author’s original furniture along with pictures of the author still remains intact. The rest of the museum holds a collection of tools, masks and other utensils that were used in the island’s past. Koggala and its inhabitants played a significant role in the works of the author’s work and the museum does it’s best to portray this timeless love between the author and this village.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+
