2nd World War Cemetery & River Sand Mining

The Colonial War Cemetery is down by the riverside. During World War II there was a decisive moment for the British defending the empire against the Japanese after Singapore was occupied by the Japanese. The military headquarters were shifted from Burma to Ceylon and Lord Mountbatton gave his instructions from Peradeniya gardens to hold up the Japanese, undermining the dominance of the British Empire in this part of the world.

Kandy played a special role during the colonial period under the British from the first to the last moment – and it might be worth to discover, why!?

While history had left its monuments on one side of the road on the other day to day life goes on. From the banks of the river you can watch the young men diving under the waters to scoop up baskets full of river-sand on to their makeshift rafts. Up and down they go till a manageable load is mined and then taken to the shores to be stocked until a lorry comes to collect it to be taken to a building site.

Duration of visit: 3 hrs.