Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's resignation, after his supporters attacked peaceful anti-government protesters in the capital Colombo, has changed the mood of dissent in the island nation.

For over a month, protesters across many venues in the country have been chanting "Rajapaksa go home". The demonstration sites, especially at the Galle Face beachside in Colombo, resembled a carnival, with people across classes chanting cheeky slogans, artists painting walls and singing, and ordinary people donating food and medicine.