A light for the departed

Pride of place at Hampton Village is taken up by the monument constructed in memory of all the people from 53 nationalities, who lost their lives in the tsunami across South Asia.

Designed by one of the largest architectural firms in the UK, Sidell Gibson, the blueprint had been decided on after a competition among its 83 architects -- a Canadian architect had come up with a huge snow plough to depict the magnitude of the tsunami, while an Indian architect had introduced the concept of meditation resulting in the creation of an amphitheatre.

Fifty-three apertures in the wall which is the backdrop to place candles add a sombre touch ensuring that the departed will not be forgotten.

“The monument is the focal point and with its periodic lighting, those who lost their lives will be remembered,” says Dr. Wickrama-Sekera who hopes to develop it as a tourist attraction so that people from far and wide could come there to light a candle. His hope is that it will be a little landmark on the map of Sri Lanka.