The big read: Shadows of war remain in paradise island of Sri Lanka

As the north of Sri Lanka recovers after nearly 30 years of civil war, Shilpa Ganatra visits the former no-go zone of Jaffna and finds an intriguing city yet to be touched by tourism.

THREE things one might envision when discussing Sri Lanka: tea, urban singer M.I.A, and the Tamil Tigers. Not the most natural of triptychs, but it does speak of the many sides of the tiny island, located metres away from the tip of India.

Its modern history is defined by the unusual terms of its civil war: the attempt of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for a separate state lasted from 1983 to 2009, yet the country remained surprisingly open to tourists as the fighting was contained to the north and east of the country, allowing the beauty of the south and west to be appreciated by honeymooners, adventurers and nature lovers.