The Kandy Samadhi Center, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Fifty minutes northeast of Kandy, the fertile landscape gives way to a mass of lush vegetation alive with unfamiliar birdsong. This is where the Kandy Samadhi Center is found — a place built on the concept of Samadhi as a testament to a new era in Sri Lankan development, where the ambience of old village life and the desire to escape into nature quietly converge. No two visits here are ever the same; the visitor constantly finds new levels of intrigue and inspiration, and the intricate nuances of the place only begin to unravel between stays.

There is no Sinhala word for goodbye. The person about to depart calls out "Mama gehilla enang!" — I will go and return — to which the response is "Gehing enna!" — Yes, go and return. Once you find your way to Samadhi, returning there becomes part of the journey itself.

Setting and Arrival

The approach to Samadhi passes a triangular ambalama and up a flight of steps where a statue of a giant Hindu goddess — half woman, half horse — stands at the entrance. Inside the entrance hall, a silk tapestry depicting seven Buddhist monks, each holding a lotus blossom and rendered in a different shade of brown, watches over those who enter. The cultural diversity of the island is reflected in the local villagers who form the heart of Samadhi's daily life. Unspoiled and courteous, every man, woman, or boy will calmly pause from sweeping the stone pathway, lighting an oil lamp, or picking fresh produce to greet visitors with "Ayubowan!" — the traditional Sinhala welcome meaning "Let there be long life." The property is entered through a massive Kandyan doorway set into stone, and Suri mama, the soft-spoken guardian, manager, and resident artist responsible for the Tantric murals on the walls, is there to greet each arrival.

Accommodation

The inspiration for Samadhi's design and architecture was born of meditation. With no signal for mobile phones, the only sounds are forest birdsong, tree frogs, crickets, and the whisper of a breeze through the trees. Thirteen pavilions lean out of the hillside in what can only be described as temples of tranquility, designed to make each guest feel like the only person staying. Privacy is paramount, yet there are no unnecessary walls, resulting in a serene environment surrounded by urns, art, and treasures dating back to a time when Kandy was a Royal realm. The Indonesian teak bed in a double room is spacious enough to sleep three people comfortably, and even the smallest suite offers a four-poster bed.

Food and Daily Life

Breakfast in the dining pavilion — open on four sides to the forest and the river — is sumptuous by any measure. Steamed manioc with grated coconut, gotukola mallun, egg curry, pumpkin, sambol, and milk-rice are preceded by home-grown pineapple, papaya, and guava. All food prepared at Samadhi is organic and freshly picked before each meal. The rice served is home-grown and one of thirteen ancient Sinhala varieties, organically farmed in paddy fields across the river. Drinking water is sourced directly from an unpolluted mountain spring on Samadhi land.

Excursions and Activities

Samadhi offers a rich range of experiences for those who wish to venture further. On-site, guests can enjoy Ayurvedic consultations and massage, barefoot Shiatsu, Reiki, bird watching, river bathing, woodland walks, organic vegetarian home cooking, a library, and Sinhala cookery lessons. Day trips take in a remarkable range of nearby landmarks, including the Udawela Cave Temple, the Hantana Tea Museum, the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, a city of Kandy tour with elephant bathing, the Fortress of Sigiriya, the Dambulla Cave Temples, golf at Victoria Golf Links, the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, the Temple of the Tooth, Gadaldeniya and Lankatilaka Viharas, Embeeka Devale, Delgaldoruwa Cave Temple, and the Elephant Orphanage.