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Adjacent to Fort and quite in contrast to it, Colombo’s leading bazaar district is probably its most fascinating area. Tram cars once ploughed the narrow cobbled streets lined with shops and street stalls that offer the most fantastic bargains and the most unimaginable range of goods varying from bright printed fabrics, suitings, undergarments, children wear, footwear and handbags to electrical goods, semi precious jewellery, watches, rare first edition books, cutlery and other household items. You name it and it is bound to be available in Pettah. Each criss-crossed lane of Pettah leads to the main street and each has developed its own specialized characteristic. For example,house hold goods are found on Keyzer Street. Prince Street is famous for glass, mirrors and electrical items. Malwatte Avenue sells English, Sinhala and Tamil music cassettes. At Gabo’s Lane Ayurvedic doctors buy their medicinal herbs and Sea Street is lined with goldsmiths’ shops. There is also the Pettah vegetable and fish market which has a unique character of its own.

Tonics are no miracle medicines, and the sales potential for just one more tonic is of course much lower than it would be for a so-called herbal Viagra.