Every New Year’s Eve, at midnight, in Moscow, President Putin addresses all Russians on TV. You will see him, bare headed in a strong coat, speaking his good, wise words just before the chimes of the Spassky Tower Clock start for the new year – in the freezing midnight cold!
by Priyantha Hettige
News reports say that some Russian tourists will be arriving in Sri Lanka as a winter break, and staying for January 2021. Russians are visiting Sri Lanka –Welcome! It is not possible to find two countries more unlike on the face of the earth. In many ways, they are remarkable opposites, yet they are both multi-ethnic democratic republics with great literature and cultural traditions. The peoples of both countries are open minded and democratic thinking; justice and fair-play are high on their list of priorities. The Russians are mostly Orthodox Christians but have in their Federation three states which are Buddhist and Sri Lanka is opposite - mostly Buddhist with a few Christians too.
But the geographic and climate opposites found in these countries are stark and marked. These affect greatly how the people live, their culture, their history, their prosperity, and agriculture.
Because Russia is located, positioned in the north of Asia, and stretches across nine time zones, and stretches northwards into the Arctic Circle, it is the largest country in the world! It has long winters and short summers. These long winters have a big influence on both economic and social activities of Russians. It means that the agricultural growing season is short, and winters are long and cold.
In contrast, Sri Lanka is an island, a thousand times smaller and is located close to the equator and , it is warm most of the year and sometimes quite hot. Because of its warm position, the growing season lasts for most of the year, whereas Russia’s growing season starts late in spring, and harvesting is October with snow arriving in November, giving perhaps only a five month growing season at most.
Sri Lanka is surrounded by warm sea, and has deep sea ports on the North, South and West. In the past, sea-born invaders could be repelled. The sea acts as a moat which prevents raiders from entering easily, they must have sea worthy ships, manned by men with navigating and sea-faring experience.
Russia’s land borders are long, and any army can enter and rob, but it would take thousands of soldiers to fully occupy it and conquer it. Sadly, Russia’s history is one of being attacked from all sides over the centuries, so Russians have been obliged to be militarily strong. But both Napoleon and Hitler invaded it from Europe and Mongols from the East, so the Russians have been involved in many desperate struggles for survival.
Russia has great long coasts lines – but they are frozen for most of the year with no ice-free ports for cargo ships (or war ships!) to use all the year round. They are cut off from the Atlantic by Denmark who controls the passage of boats, and in the East, boats sailing from Vladivostok are blocked by the Sea of Japan. Russia lacks an all-the-year-round, ice-free sea access. It is a problem for them. They have a shallow port in the Crimea but there, have to go through the Dardanelles controlled by Turkey.
The way people lead their lives is very different. Sri Lankans can go out freely, in good weather; children play cricket all year long; only waterproofs are needed for Sri Lankans. For Russians, on the other hand, it can be warm in late summer and fashionable light warm clothing is possible, but in autumn and winter it is necessary to go out wearing thick warm. But in deep winter time temperatures may fall to around minus 30o C, or more (even down to – 55oC) causing people to cough when breathing and with the danger of frostbite: ears and nose alert!
Every New Year’s Eve, at midnight, in Moscow, President Putin addresses all Russians on TV. You will see him, bare headed in a strong coat, speaking his good, wise words just before the chimes of the Spassky Tower Clock start for the new year – in the freezing midnight cold!
Long cold, dark nights and dark cold winter days, with grey skies – for six or eight months - have consequences. All homes must have some form of central heating. Because there are great forests, most houses in the countryside are made of wood and kept warm by central heating with wood fired stoves. In every room there are cast iron radiators connects by pipes to the stove. Every autumn these stoves and pipes are carefully inspected to ensure a warm winter with no accidents!
When people are confined to their houses, village halls and churches all day their choice of actions are limited. Consequently, they read a lot, sing, play music and they study; many Russians know a lot and are well educated.
In winter-time the wild wolves howl and come close to the villages, looking for food! All the cities have the internet and it is widely used. They order food from shops, by E-Mail and it is delivered to them without them going out!
Russia has many famous writers. They are highly respected worldwide by educated people. In the Soviet era, men confined to the Gulag camps wrote great literature for the benefit of the whole world. There have been world famous composers, musicians, ballet dancers, gymnasts and so on. Mendeleev was the first man to figure out how metals and gases are connected and come together to make the Periodic Table used in Chemistry throughout the world. Village people make music and dance and sing. In the many great Russian cities, there are many choirs, and groups of people playing instruments and making music. All the children know all the traditional songs off by heart and sing them accompanied by pianos and other instruments in choirs. Music bands hold concerts and young singers display their talent at singing modern songs. American songs are much liked and played.
In the major cities, there are saunas, and trampolines and gymnasiums to visit to exercise and work-out during the long winter days. Russian gymnasts and ballerinas are another aspect of this marvelous nation. Parents enter their children into rhythmic gymnastic classes. They are trained to move elegantly, move, bend and stretch using hoops, balls and skipping ropes in gymnastic routines, to music. They have competitions and gain certificates! Needless to say this is an immensely healthy activity for those stuck indoors for up to nine months, apart from following the usual school routine.
In the summertime, things are different. People spend as much time outdoors as possible. Attractive young women will dress up to look good and walk around the center of town! Almost no-one speaks Sinhala, but a few can speak English, and like to practice it with visitors. It is a great time to talk, meet old friends and socialize generally. People walk their dogs. The pedestrian areas are clean and flat and children use motorized foot scooters to tour round seeing the rivers and bridges.
Russia has kept its old steam engines. It has its tank (small) steam engines for shunting trucks around, and it still has in working order its great cross continental steam engines. These are great giants, giving off clouds of smoke and steam as they travel the vast distances. Now, they are kept pristine and immaculate and on special days they are ‘steamed up’ for show. Now, Russian railways are fully electrified between cities and are otherwise served by functional unimaginative Electric trains or Diesel Engines, but the Steam engine shows are held on electrified track, where they chuff! Chuff! Chuff! Around for the day!
Russia is all about how its brave strong people fight back from many disadvantages – they are survivors!
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