A woman buys fruit from a vendor in north Jaffna. Fruit cultivation has increased with banana, mango and papaya being the most-cultivated fruits in the area. The famous ‘Karutha Colomban’, a sweet relatively big fruit is abundantly grown in the north.

Fishermen prepare their deep sea boats at the Gurunagar fisheries harbour in Jaffna. With wartime restrictions eased, fishing has gained renewed momentum after the conflict with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists ended in May 2009.The industry now sees more fishermen, more boats and larger catches.

A man fishes off the coast of Jaffna. Here, crabs, prawns, lobsters and crayfish are found in abundance.

A fisherman examines his catch of blue crabs off the coast of Jaffna. During the war, the LTTE's naval wing – dubbed "Sea Tigers" – clashed frequently with the Sri Lankan Navy. Fishing activities off the northern sea were restricted due to security reasons.

Jaffna furniture traders stain a chair set at the outdoor market. With stability returning, increased numbers of traders from the south now travel north to do business.

Visitors view the rebuilt Jaffna Library. Now a tourist attraction, the library was burned by gangs during intercommunal riots on May 31st, 1981. Considered one of the largest in Asia, the Jaffna Library is famous for its irreplaceable first edition books and palm-leaf manuscripts.

A family from southern Sri Lanka enjoys a repast under a tree during their pilgrimage to the Nagadeepa Buddhist temple in Jaffna.

A boy with a water can on his bicycle smiles. He collected water from a well in the fisheries area called ‘Gurunagar’, in Jaffna.

Farmer Sabaratnam, 65, cultivates his carrot crop. He is a farmer from Kopai, an area in Jaffna. After the war was over, he expanded his cultivations because he found a lucrative market in southern Sri Lanka.

A market vendor sells ornaments, souvenirs and pictures in front of the historic Nallur Hindu Temple in Jaffna. With war over, many local and foreign tourists now visit this temple or participate in religious observances.

A father and his three children are among people shopping the narrow streets of Jaffna, filled with vendors and farmers. Crowds returned to the area with the defeat of LTTE terrorists in May 2009.