Photographs of

Sri Lanka by Stephen Scourfield

to accompany his book

Beautiful Witness ‘These photographs aim to give the reader a taste of the places and a glimpse of some of the people in Beautiful Witness. I was a child who wanted to be a writer, and who later trained also as a photographer, and then went out and discovered a most remarkable planet.’ Stephen Scourfield

This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The moral right of the author has been asserted. Copyright © Stephen Scourfield 2013

U A tea plucker in the hills of the Bogawantalawa Valley near Hatton. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A woman stretches, plucking fast, in the tea bushes of the hills near Hatton. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Andrew Taylor shows visitors around Norwood Estate tea factory. This is in the withering room. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The tea growing hills of the Bogawantalawa Valley. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A bedroom in Tientsin Bungalow, one of Ceylon Tea Trails bungalows, near Hatton. (One of Casey’s favourites.) Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The front of the hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Rooms and grounds at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Inside a homely, detached room at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The upstairs dining room at the hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Roshan Dylan in vegetable garden at the hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Lotus thread tempered at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Buffalo curd from their own farm and dairy at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Chopped roti dish at hotel Ulagalla Walawwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The chilled desert room at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Ministry of Crab in Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The Gallery Café in Colombo, formerly the offices of architect Geoffrey Bawa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Galle Face Hotel, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

People in Colombo, on foot, on a scooter, in a tuk tuk. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A tuk tuk in Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Men with produce in the back of a truck in Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

An old display in the classic Cargill’s store, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Old style in Cargill’s store, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A tuk tuk outside Cargill’s store, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A street scene in Negombo, north of Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Sailing canoes, for fishing. Beach at Negombo, north of Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

People on the beach at Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The view towards Colombo from Mt Lavina Hotel. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Elephants from Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage are taken to the nearby Maha river to bathe. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A wash in the Maha river for some of Pinnawela’s elephants. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Sri Lankans in the sun at Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

People near at a rail crossing on the road from Negombo to Pinnawela. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

People queuing to see Buddha relics; on the road between Anuradhapura and Hatton. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

People wait in the rain to see Buddha relics, seen through a vehicle’s window. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Colourful soft toys in the Barefoot shop, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Fabric gives the colours of Sri Lanka in Barefoot, Colombo. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Frescoes in gallery on Lion Rock, Sigiriya. There are 500 frescoes, 1500 years old. They depicted the king’s concubines, who came from all over the world — including a negro, Chinese and Americas woman. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

One of the frescoes in the gallery at Sigiriya. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The Buddha is preparing for death, the face shows both sympathy and joy — joy from his acceptance of death and the fact that he has lost attachment to worldly things, but sympathy for those left behind him. It is carved out of natural rock at the Gal Vihara or rock hut temple, has its gigantic rock sculptures. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The dead Buddha has eyes half closed. Carved from the natural rock — the Gal Vihara or rock hut temple, has its gigantic rock sculptures. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

At Gal Vihara, Buddha surrounded by worldly artifacts, before enlightenment, when still attached to worldly things. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The Rankot Vihara, an enormous stupa 175m in diameter and 55m high, in the UNESCO heritage listed city of Polonnaruwa. Its golden age was under King Parakramabahu I, from 1153 to 1186. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

The Pleasure Gardens at Sigiriya, in the foreground, were irrigated, with running water, with Lion Rock behind. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Lion Rock, Sigiriya. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Climbing up Lion Rock, Sigiriya. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

King Kashyapa’s swimming pool on the top of Lion Rock, Sigiriya. It was scented with herbs. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Elephants at the Pinnawela orphanage. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

King’s Palace Complex in the UNESCO heritage listed city of Polonnaruwa. Its golden age was under King Parakramabahu I, from 1153 to 1186. Note that the structure was timber upright posts and beams (the holes you can see) which were burnt out. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

A dog finds a shady nook. King’s Palace Complex, Polonnaruwa. Picture: Stephen Scourfield