Inside the presidential house now full of Sri Lankans

Rashmi Kavindhya says she never dreamed of stepping within the Sri Lankan president’s official residence in Colombo in her lifetime.

Per day after massive packed areas forced their way into one of the most guarded buildings in the country, a large number of people like Ms Kavindhya have thronged to see the sprawling compound.

It is an imposing piece of colonial-type architecture that contains several verandas, meeting rooms plus living areas, the swimming pool and a huge lawn. Saturday’s dramatic events forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in order to flee.

“Look on the opulence and richness of this place, inch said Ms Kavindhya, who came with her four children to the president’s residence. “We live in a community and our house can be small. This palace belongs to the people and was built with individuals money, ”

Thousands of men, women and kids were attempting to your compound and some from the protest organisers were controlling the crowd. Sri Lankan law enforcement and special troops just stood in the corner and viewed the proceedings silently.

As individuals wandered from space to room, everybody wanted to capture as soon as by taking selfies, in front of teakwood desks plus paintings, and in living room areas.

Broken chairs, broken glass from windows and pots were thrown around some parts of the buildings, a reminder of the turmoil and the confusion immediately after crowds forced their own way into the compound.

“It’s a dream come true for me to see a palace like this, ” said ING Premawardene who functions in an children’s leisure park in the city of Ganeamulla.

“We are waiting in long queues just for kerosene, gas and food, but the Rajapaksas were leading a different life. ”

Protest leaders have already said they will not depart the official residences of President Rajapaksa plus Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe until these people finally leave office.

Regardless of the danger of a stampede as crowds surged forward to see the creating, heavily armed soldiers and special law enforcement officers stood back while volunteers from the protest movement controlled the particular visitors.

The particular swimming pool attracted a lot attention. Families were standing around admiring the pool filled up with brown water. Onlookers clapped and shouted when a young man hopped into the water where protesters had been shot swimming on Saturday.

“I feel sad, ” said Nirosha Sudarshini Hutchinson, who was going to the compound along with her two teen daughters.

“A guy who was elected chief executive in democratic way had to leave in such a shameful way. We are now ashamed of voting for him. Individuals want them to come back the money they took from the country. inch

One of the most popular places appeared to be the four-poster bed in which a group of young men lounged. The island place’s main languages, Sinhala and Tamil, along with English could be noticed along the corridors. The excitement among the website visitors was evident.

Outside the mansion, on the manicured sprawling lawn, numerous people – Buddhists, Hindus and Christians – were milling around. A family had been very casually having their picnic at the green lawn, exactly where they would have never been allowed to sit twenty four hours ago.

Sri Lankans feel their months-long protest finally has led to the removal of their particular country’s leaders, who also they blame for the economic meltdown. The glimpse of the life-style of their leaders makes it even angrier.