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Pan Peduru; The Art of weaving pan reeds into a magical carpet

“Pan Pedura”, is a multi purpose Sri Lankan mat, that has been in use  since the ancient ages. In the past, almost every Sri Lankan home used to have several of these mats for different purposes. Once it is a tuckaway bed, next a surface to dry paddy, spices and other dried foods, sometimes , a dining table and the mat when put on the verandah, serves as seats in old Sri Lankan village mud houses. The raw materials or fabrics used for this traditional mat are the varieties of pan reed that is freely available in the river and lake banks. The raw pan reeds are first  boiled in natural dyes to start the process. And only then does the art start. Two dried pan reeds of the same length are vertically placed together, running parallel to each other in the manner of a rail track, then a third is brought into the frame and placed horizontally to tie up the two. The continuation of this interlacing process will finally result in a colourful handcrafted mat.

This artistry is accompanied by folk poems called “Paduru Kavi” which were sung by the early craftswomen when weaving mats. The famed “Paduru Party” is a music event with traditional instruments that are played on these mats while the audience sits  on these mats. Ourl excursions to local communities that are engaging in this craft will enable our guests to have a complete experience of the crafting of this colourful carpet - inclusive of a Paduru Party and some true local hospitality
 

 

Our policy in discouraging Animal Cruelty, Tourist Traps and Staged Tourist Shows

Animals Are Friends Too: Discouraging Animal Cruelty, Tourist Traps and Staged Tourist Shows

We at ExJ stay away from tourism experiences that are staged and involve animal cruelty and shopping traps that are contrived to exploit and deceive clients.

Even though some of the popular ‘attractions’ are not included in our programmes due to the above reasons, we have no objections in our clients making their own arrangements with our Drivers to visit these places.

 

Why we do not promote following attractions

 

Turtle Hatcheries

As this concept has serious negative aspects in terms of conservation, we do not encourage our visitors to patronize the turtle hatcheries, as not all of them are really turtle-friendly. We instead encourage them to observe turtles in their natural habitats.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

When we became aware that the animal welfare standards there were questionable, we stopped encouraging our clients to visit the orphanage. We are pleased to observe that the Born Free Foundation has now adopted similar measures.

Elephant back rides – Habarana

There’s uncertainty surrounding the attitude of this place towards animal welfare. There may be a few ethical operators, but in general, we are not in agreement with how the place is run. We all would love a photo of us riding an elephant, but is a lifetime of pain caused to these magnificent mammals really worth a few fleeting likes on social media?

Traditional Village Tour with a Canoe Trip and Bullock-Carts – Habarana

This is a tourist trap where a lot of the trip is ‘staged’ for commercial purposes. Such fake touristic experiences will not give our visitors an idea of what life in the country is really like, so join us as we show you the real side of Sri Lanka. And at the end of every vacation, always ask yourself, “Did you feel that your holiday was ethical, eco-friendly, and reduced environmental impacts?”


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