The Kandy Samadhi Center, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Without dogma, without Tanha…! The concept of Samadhi is a testament to a new era in Sri Lankan development where the ambience of old village life and the westerner’s desire to escape to nature can merge. But take heed - no two visits to this unique place can ever be the same. The visitor constantly finds new levels of intrigue and inspiration. You need time to absorb the intricate nuances which begin to unravel between visits. Remember 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, you will understand why returning there is also part of your journey.

The Kandy Samadhi Center Location: Fifty minutes northeast of Kandy the fertile landscape becomes a mass of lush vegetation reverberating with unfamiliar birdsong. The human populace too seem a different breed, profligate with smiles and allowing their abundant good sat sung to spill over and cloak the visitor. Go past the triangular ambalama and up the steps where you squeeze past the statue of a giant Hindu goddess - half woman, half horse. Inside the entrance hall at Samadhi you are watched over by a silk tapestry depicting seven Buddhist monks each holding a lotus blossom in their hand. Each monk is a different shade of brown. Likewise, the cultural diversity of this island is reflected in the villagers, who form the core of what makes Samadhi run smoothly; they are unspoiled and courteous; every man, woman or boy will calmly break from sweeping the stone pathway, lighting the oil lamp or picking fresh produce for your lunch to wish you “Ayubowan!†the traditional Sinhala welcome which means “Let there be long life!†Samadhi weaves its magic on you from the moment you enter through the massive Kandyan doorway set into stone. Suri mama, the soft-spoken guardian of Samadhi and its Manager, is there to greet you. He is also resident artist who is responsible for the murals of Tantric art on the walls.

The Kandy Samadhi Center Accommodation: Samadhi nurtures the spirit, calms the mind The inspiration for the design and architecture was born of meditation. And so you willingly leave your city husk behind at the gates…with no signal for mobile phones, it is the perfect opportunity to let nothing interrupt the sounds of forest birdsong, of tree frogs and crickets and the whisper of the breeze from the trees. The thirteen pavilions, which lean out of the hillside, are veritable temples of tranquility. They are designed to make you feel you are the only person staying here. Privacy is everything. Yet there are no unnecessary walls. This results in a truly serene environment surrounded by urns, art and treasures dating back to a time Kandy was a Royal realm. Here everything is king-sized. The Indonesian teak bed in a double room is spacious enough to sleep three people comfortably. But even the smallest suite provides a four-poster bed to dream in.

The Kandy Samadhi Center Facilities: On waking in the early hours listen to tree frogs whose cacophony seems like a child tinkering with a Xylophone. The birds call to their mates. The deer cough, the wild boar are evident only by the rustle in the bush and the porcupine is even more timid. Breakfast taken in the dining pavilion which is open on four sides to the forest and the river sounds is sumptuous by any standard. Steamed Manioc (cassava) with grated coconut, Gotukola mallun, Egg curry, pumpkin, sambol and Milk-rice are preceded by home grown pineapple, Papaya and guava. All the food prepared at Samadhi is organic and freshly picked before each meal. It is vegetarian cookery at its best. The rice you eat is home grown and one of thirteen ancient Sinhala varieties organically farmed in the paddy fields across the river. The water you drink is sourced directly from an unpolluted mountain spring on Samadhi land.

The Kandy Samadhi Center Excursions: Ayurvedic consultant. Astrologer Ayurvedic Massage Barefoot Shiatsu. Reiki Bird watching River batheing Woodland walks Organic vegetarian home cooking Library Sinhala cookery lessons Day trips Udawela Cave temple Hantana Tea Museum+ Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya City of Kandy tour & elephant bathing. Fortress of Sigiriya Dambulla Cave temples Golf at Victoria Golf links Udawatta kele Sanctuary + Temple of the Tooth. Gadaldeniya and Lankatilaka Viharas and Embeeka Devale Delgaldoruwa Cave Temple Elephant Orphanage.

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