The Princess Royal’s visit to Sri Lanka ended on a colourful note, with flower garlands, vivid silk shawls and a Hindu blessing amid a cacophony of music.
The visit to a temple in Colombo marked a change in tone following a remembrance service at a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery, the Princess’s first as the organisation’s president.
At the immaculately kept Jawatta Cemetery, the Princess, 73, paid her respects to service personnel from Sri Lanka and Commonwealth countries, most of whom had served during the Second World War.
An extract from the poem For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon was read and a bugler played the Last Post before a minute’s silence was observed. The Princess laid a wreath of poppies with a handwritten card reading: “We will remember them,” and signed: “Anne”.
It was announced during last year’s Remembrance weekend that the Princess would take on the CWCG role, succeeding the Duke of Kent, who had been president of the organisation since 1970. The King was announced as its first patron.
After the service came a display of music and dancing at the Vajira Pillayar Kovil, a Hindu Temple in Colombo.
The Princess and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, received a rapturous welcome when they arrived at Vajira Pillayar Kovil, a Hindu temple in the Sri Lankan capital, to receive a blessing from the chief priest.
Each was draped in a scarf of gold and red silk and garlands of jasmine and rose flowers were placed around their necks before they received a pottu (decoration) in the middle of their foreheads.
After watching a Hindu dance group perform at the entrance of the temple, the Princess met Sachithanantha Kurukal, chief priest of Vajira Pillayar Kovil, who conducted a special pooja (blessing).
Sir Tim then took the lead as he was given the chance to banish bad luck and welcome better fortunes by smashing a coconut.
The Princess watched as he hurled the fruit to the ground, sending a spray of coconut water over onlookers, which caused him to throw up his hands in surprise.
A procession of female dancers and musicians playing drums and an oboe-like instrument called a nadaswaram preceded the couple as they entered the temple.
Inside the huge building, the cacophony of the droning music was deafening as they stood before a shrine to Ganesha and touched an offering of fruit – including pomegranates, mangoes and bananas – betel leaves and a garland of jasmine flowers for the deity.
The chief priest went into the shrine to conduct the blessing as the Princess and her husband watched, and they later toured the temple viewing shrines to Hindu gods.
Outside, they were offered the chance to feed cows, a revered animal in Hinduism, and the Princess held some vegetation as they munched away.
Later, the couple were due to travel to the British Council to hear about its work in building relationships between the UK and Sri Lanka.
The Princess will also view the Arches of Awe exhibition, which comprises photographs of the 21 arches that were erected across Colombo to welcome Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their visit to the country in 1954.
The three-day visit will end with a reception hosted by the British High Commissioner to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Sri Lanka. Guests will include British expats.
