Sabapathypillai Udayar (seated) started growing rice and coconuts on his lands on the east coast of Sri Lanka in the late 19th century. 

Dharmaretnam Vannianar (standing in the middle) was his only son, who went on to become the last British appointed vannianar or chief of the area. He was a member of the second State Council of Ceylon and a member of the Executive Committee for Agriculture and Lands under the chairmanship of D S Senanayake. 

“As a matter of fact I believe, Mr. Dharmaretnam was a pioneer, in connection with the Gal Oya Scheme. He took a great deal of interest regarding that scheme and was a pioneer in making suggestions to that,” said S W R D Bandaranaike in his condolence vote in parliament in 1953.

We continue with the values and traditions of our ancestors.

Mannankulam Estate was one of those lands, and is now managed by the fourth generation.  It was an era in Sri Lanka without telephones or electricity, and we relied on nature and lived with nature. The surroundings were full of wildlife, trees, shrubs, and nature in myriad forms. The available food was seasonal, caught or harvested on the day. The flavours were pure, with zero additives. The cooking was slow – spices ground by hand, carefully blended and roasted fresh.

At the time, Akkaraipattu was the area’s last small town. We often had family and friends visit – and as we were miles away from anywhere – they would stay over, and we would take them around to the paddy fields, jungles, beaches, and nearby temples. Just sharing simple pleasures.

Over the years, Sri Lanka’s growing population, mass consumerism and a 30-year civil war saw the complete decimation of the environment, traditions forgotten, and old crafts, food and recipes lost. What we are attempting today is to recreate an oasis, preserving the area’s biodiversity and restoring an environment as well as rejuvenation of our heritage that allows us to experience the richness of life as it was before.

Through a collection of unique, personal homes and spaces on the East Coast and Colombo, and our organic agriculture activities as well as the restoration of biodiversity we hope to provide the curious traveller with a more mindful and culturally sensitive way of engaging with a way of life in offbeat locations in Sri Lanka’s east coast, which we have a deep and personal history with.