Bevis Bawa’s Brief Garden is one of the most enigmatic gardens in the country and isn’t really appreciated as it ought to be. It is quite an enchanting escape and should be visited.
The Older Brother
Bevis Bawa was born in 26th April 1909 and was as much a renowned architect as his more famous brother Geoffrey. The brothers were part of the privileged upper class in post-colonial Sri Lanka and thanks to their creative energy they managed to create a lot of iconic architectural masterpieces between them.
Comparisons
If you are staying in one of the 5-star hotels in Bentota, you should definitely check out the gardens and keep another separate day to visit Geoffrey Bawa’s garden Lunuganga. It isn’t possible to make comparisons as the gardens are similar as the brothers were and as starkly different.
Bevis
To the people that knew Bevis Bawa, he was considered utterly charming. He was intelligent and funny and had an acute sense of observation. The gardens depict his understanding of the elite in post-colonial Ceylon with its opulence and winding, sequestered pathways.
The Humour and the Innuendo
Although not mentioned now, Bevis Bawa’s hedonistic sense of humour is evident in the gardens with sometimes subtle and sometimes very much in your face. If you visit, be sure to check these out and ask the guide sometimes provided by hotels like Cinnamon Bentota Beach for more information.
