From time immemorial traders and explorers have come to see our natural beauty, culture and for our precious stones and spices. The ancient name Heladiva may mean “a land watered from above”! It is not by pure coincidence that Arab and Persian traders who saw the land’s beauty called it Serendib [heaven in the Arabian Nights Tales]; Greeks and Romans called her Taprobane [possibly a corruption of Tambapani – land of red (copper) earth]; later the Portuguese called it Ceilo [heaven]; the Dutch corrupted it to Zeylan and the British anglicized it to Ceylon. The beautiful English word ‘serendipity’ was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. May we also make unexpected pleasant discoveries as we attempt to windows to peace, reconciliation, restoration to make Sri Lanka a blessed nation!
From ‘Windows for Peace & Reconciliation from our History’ by Rev. Reggie Ebenezer. Published in August 2010.