Pettah

The old Bazar District of mostly Tamil and Muslim traders, this is one of the most ethnically mixed places in Sri Lanka. Each lane seems to have its own specialty, from silk garments and jewelry to spices and fruits. As dusk falls and the oil lamps and neon lights come on, the Tamil, Indian and Sinhalese traders call out, inviting you to sample their wares. Pettah also has many religious buildings, temples as well as the Ul-Afar-Juma Mosque built of brickstone in the year 1909.