Colombo: Port Of Call by Ajay Kamalakaran [Paperback]

Colombo: Port of Call explores the historical significance of Colombo, Sri Lanka, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when it served as a crucial maritime hub connecting the East and the West under the British Empire. Through the travel experiences and observations of famous visitors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Don Bradman, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, and Mahatma Gandhi, the book presents a vivid portrait of Colombo's colonial past. It also examines the racial hierarchies, imperial attitudes, and social dynamics of the era while evoking nostalgia for the age of steamships, luxury hotels, and high tea.