During the 1900s, you could do some shopping at T.Nagar, Chennai followed by dinner before taking a single ticket to Sri Lanka. There was a boat mail service operated from Madras, which could be reused as a ferry ticket at Dhanushkodi, to reach Thalai Mannar in Sri Lanka.
The train started from Chennai and passed through Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Manamadurai, Ramanadhapuram to reach Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. In British times, this was called the boat mail. The railway line was called the main line. A chord line connecting Tiruchirappalli and Villupuram at a short distance was not built then.
Dhanushkodi was the emigration/immigration point. There were a couple of health centers, RC church, a railway station, police station and customs office etc. It was inhabited by traders and fishermen. Following 20 to 25 hours of travel, you will get off the train before getting on steam boats to take you to Sri Lanka, which is 35 kilometers away.
Many of us will remember the tsunami of 26th Dec 2004. Before 40 years, there was another unfortunate incident. The sea was extremely rough due to the devastating cyclone. Passenger train 653 – running between Pamban and Dhanushkodi – was on the track waiting for a signal to reach Dhanushkodi station. The station is already under water due to harsh tides. Train staff were standing on top of a water tank and looking at the passenger train helplessly.
The locomotive pilot had no other choice but to proceed. It was then that another massive wave hit the passenger train, which swallowed the whole train with 6 bogies. The train was completely submerged, except for a glimpse of the locomotive stretching above the water for a few inches.
Dhanushkodi was completely swept by the cyclone. India did not try to recreate the town. It has not yet been inhabited. The boat mail was running between Chennai and Rameswaram now. As a result of the Tamil-Sinhala war in the 1980s, the ferry service was halted. The water connection between eastern Tamil Nadu and Tamil land in Sri Lanka was cut off.
Those who stay in Rameswaram, if they want to travel to northern Sri Lanka now (which is located 35 kilometers away geographically), they should come to Chennai first by train for 12 hours; they need to take a flight to Colombo; they need to travel by bus back to Mannar.
Somebody wants to promote Ram Setu, while others want to destroy it. These are purely political. Let’s not get into it. But let’s look at it from a global perspective. Can two countries that are geographically and culturally close not be connected by land or water?
China has opened its borders to its nearby islands Hong Kong and Macau, following the Covid-19 pandemic. Irrespective of political tensions, Taiwan and mainland China are culturally and commercially connected.
Singapore gained independence from the British and was connected to Malaysia for a few years. Later it became an independent country. Both countries have high connectivity on all fronts.
I wrote about Jersey in the past V for Victory – war & love in Jersey.
Eurostar trains run at high speeds through the tunnel connecting France and London.
Because connectivity between any two countries gives immense benefit to both.
Improved trade: Customs can be setup on both ends. Goods can be transported efficiently. The more efficient the movement of goods, the greater the benefits for society as a whole. Universities on both sides can accept students from each other. Cricket grounds can be increased. Mannar on the Sri Lankan side and Madurai on the Indian side will see improved trade opportunities.
Exchange of cultural ideas: India and the world have not succeeded in getting enough rights for ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. They had had enough of corruption and bloodshed already. Tamils inhabit the northern part of Sri Lanka, which is relatively poor. Land and water connectivity will bring them out of poverty. As well as that, brides and grooms need each other on both sides!
A boost in tourism: Indian tourists are among the highest in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans visit Chennai and Trichy in large numbers. A land/water connection will reduce travel costs. It would improve connectivity. There was a time where Sri Lankan Tamils used to come to Ramnad to watch a movie and go back.
Security: Smuggling and human trafficking are disguised in the name of fishing. It is underplayed by politics. A land bridge and waterway would improve security and reduce illegal activities.
A land bridge is not meant to be easy financially. That too in an ecologically unstable region like Dhanushkodi. There have been talks about a tunnel between the two countries. It requires substantial funding from international players. Both sides show a lack of interest. Do Indian foreign officials have an interest in this? Are the Sinhalese opposed to this? We do not know. This will benefit the country for centuries to come, so it should happen.
It was the path built by Hanuman Sena for Rama. I hope someone realizes it someday.
Junga’s eyes fluttered with tears as he looked at the fruits and breads for breakfast on the 8th day of the trip 11 Jun 2019, after a starving for a night .
The hotel he stayed in Galle was nothing special. There was no parking. The TV was faulty. The A/C timer did not work. The staff members had gone on leave. The kitchen was closed. So there was no food obviously. There were no shops outside too. For a vegan/vegetarian, Galle’s food market is a godforsaken place.
They purchased some fruits on the way to Nuwara Eliya. They managed with the same after their long trip from Gataragama the previous day.
The long trip started from Kathirkamam/Kataragama temple. Before that, the younger chap Bunga was searching for a toy-earth-mover at the shops near the temple. Thangamani was searching for a picture of ‘Kathirkamam Murugan’. Due to the assault on tourism industry due to Easter Bombing, most of the shops at Kathirkamam/Kataragama temple were closed. Very few shop owners opened their shops with their blanched faces. One akka made business with Bunga. But Thangamani did not get what she want.
Kataragama – Galle Highway
After blessed by Kadirkamam Kandan, they started their 4 hour journey to Galle .
It was like the two lane bypass road in Pudukkottai. The road was scenic, as it cut through many lakes, rivers, ponds and farm fields.
Hambantota Port
On the way to Galle, they passed through the port of Hambantota. On hearing the word Hambantota, Junga acted as if he was in deep sleep. Because Rangamani and Junga talked a lot about that port and debt trap diplomacy in Singapore. Junga knows that if Ranga opens his mouth about this topic, he will keep on orating like a suvishesha prasangakan. He does not want to get intoxicated by the worldly pleasures of his father.
But Rangamani did not mind. He started as usual. “British offered loans to the rulers of India before colonization. Rajah of Chandragiri approved lands to build St George Fort in a coastal hamlet ChennaRayan Pattinam (Chennai). Finally it became the bastion for East Indian Company. My son, after many centuries, the history is getting repeated in Sri Lanka.”
“Is history like a beach-horse?” asked Junga. (Beach horse will walk for some distance with a guest and it will retreat. It will again repeat with another guest.)
“Ha ha. Nice comparison. In a way, that’s true. Hambantota is ‘a China inside Sri Lanka’. As part the belt and road initiative, China considers this port as important. This port is completely under Chinese control.” Ranga might have repeated the same sentence for 1000th time. But he did not mind. He said it for the 1001th time, while looking at the four lanes stretch of the highway.
Hambantota
That was a grandly built port. They saw the new cranes, with the Indian ocean as its background. Rangamani talked a lot like a Diwali cracker, when the vehicle crossed the port. Unheard of that, Junga continued to act if as he was sleeping.
But Thangamani bite the bait. She wondered, “Darling, you talk too much about this port. But it remains locked. ayo there is a cow on the road.. Is this port closed for the day?”. Junga pinched his mam to signal her to keep quiet.
Hambantota port
Rangamani’s face was shining as the summer sunlight of Chennai. He found an audience. He replied her with thrusted eye balls, shaking head and waving hands.
“Thangamani, that is what makes the matter more serious. The port and the nearby airport and infrastructure are world popular. They swallowed enormous amount of money, but it did not give returns. So they are still ghost towns. See the cow!! Sri Lankan rulers were blamed to push their country to the debt by building such non-performing-assets and finally offering the lands, infrastructures to foreign countries in return.”
Thangamani realized that her hubby – with all his gestures – looked terrific like the gigantic Agora Veerabhadra statue of Madurai Meenakshi temple.
The Trade CentreThe portThe airport
Ranga described with utmost sadness, “See Darling, Colombo port, Colombo airport is so close to Hambantota. There was no real demand in the market to build a parallel facilities. A business without demand is a loss. At the same time, it brings an eastern power to Indian Ocean. Just because the eastern power is here, western power came here too. Sri Lankan rulers transformed a silent ocean into a another Sri Lanka. With this inefficient ruling, they ask international organizations to expand their sea space more.”
Ranga’s concerns are not completely exaggerated. Effectively, this is what happened in Sri Lanka in 2022.
2022 protests due to failed economy – Picture (c) DW
Note: This article is not written by an expert in Sri Lankan politics. This is based on a general perception of dept trap.
Weeraketiya – Matara – Galle scenic highway
When Thangamani closed his mouth finally, the van crossed the next city, Weeraketiya. That was the hometown of Rajapaksas. From there, their journey became even more beautiful. Roaring seashore on the left; villages, forests, and rivers on the right side.
Tushara told that it was an ancient gem land – ‘Ratnagiri‘. Precious stones was dug up from the earth.
Weeraketiya – Matara RoadMatara
Galle
Finally they reached the seashore town Galle. Bunga was shouting on one side as he was afraid of sea. He maintained a social distance from Indian ocean.
GalleGalle
Junga was shouting on the other side. “What da?” Rangamani got distracted from his attempt to convince Bunga to dip his legs in water. he screamed in air “Amma is afraid to get in”.
Rangamani keep Bunga to his shoulders and went near Thangamani. He said “See Thangamani.. We came for…” Thanamani understood that he is ready to advice. So she interrupted immediately… “Come on hubby.. I come already”. If needed, she is ready to jump into the ocean, than listening to his mann ki baat.
Galle
There comes the starving night with disturbed sleep in an haunted inn.
The family went to beach again, after they get up. Tushara might be searching for them. They never went anywhere without him. He came there to supervise their safety, as the beach was desolated. Such a kind man.
Note to fundamentalists: Loveable Hinduism had given its followers the freedom to look at good and bad of Both Rama and Ravana. I worship Rama by singing Arunachala Kavi’s ‘Ramanai kannara kandale‘. At the same time, I adore the sculptures of Ravana lifting Kailash in Siva temples. If you have a fundamentalist’s view of Hinduism and you refuse the freedom of a fiction writer, this post would not be suitable for you. Please stop reading this post. Defaming Ravana and underplaying his faith on Shaivism is an evil thought that harms Hinduism too.
I never wrote such notes to my blog posts. Some how the ‘religious weather’ of latest India force me to write it.
***
In the year of 2019, King Vikramaditya was in search of the betaal in the forests of Ella. There was a drumstick tree near the ‘Ashok Vatika’ garden. The naughty betaal rolled its tail on one of the branches and swinging back and forth and humming ‘naane varuven‘ (a ghost song in Tamil movie) song. It was busy hunting for the louse on its long hair. After it found a lice, it put it between the nails of two thumb fingers and crushed it. It appreciated itself with the word ‘besh‘ when the lice die with a sound ‘tip‘ and resumed its hunting.
Vikramaditya was dehydrated when he crossed Ravana Falls nearby. He jumped across the rocks and reached the falls at no time.
Water was gushing from a height. Rocks were dangerous and slippery due to centuries-old water flows. It was one of the widest falls in Sri Lanka. The waterfall had killed a lot of people. The water was too cold to rescue Vikramaditya from his fatigue.
Ravana Falls
Admiring the magnificent view of the falls, he offered handfuls of water to his ancestors. He held water in both hands and started drinking without wasting a drip of it. After getting rehydrated, he looked at the sky and thanked God for giving him such a gift. When he looked up, he saw the white betaal swinging on a tree on the slope of the hill.
He recollected all his energy and uphilled towards the tree eagerly, as if the British were so desperate in searching for other’s wealth in the previous centuries. Finally he reached the place and stood beneath the drumstick tree. He was so surprised that the face of the betaal resembled Thangamani’s. Betaal too exclaimed with surprise as the face of Vikramaditya looked like Rangamani.
Vikramaditya requested the betaal, “O, the charming betaal with long shiny hair! I have promised someone to bring you. Could you come with me?” The Thangamani agreed to go with Rangamani; sorry. Betaal happily agreed to go with Vikrama.
On the way down, there were two vanara-s (monkeys) jumping across the large pieces of rocks of Ravana falls. The betaal invited the vanara-s too by waving her hand. The face of the vanara-s resembled Junga and Bunga. While the water fall splashed the drips of water at all of them, they started their hegira to Yala National Park.
The two vanara-s 🙂 , Yala National ParkLeaving from EllaBye Bye EllaBye Bye EllaElla
“O Vikarama, the one with bald-fore-head, it is going be a long journey to Yala. 110 kilo meters. I’ll tell you a story. You won’t feel bored and tired in this long journey. At the end of the story, I’ll ask you a question. If you don’t answer me correctly, your head will be broken into thousand pieces.”. Vikramaditya agreed. Both vanara-s screamed with joy and clapped their hands.
The little Adam’s peak, EllaThe Little Adam’s Peak, Ella.
“Long long ago, so long ago, there lived a king called Dasaratha. He ruled the Koshala kingdom of Northern part of India…”.
Betaal narrated the long tale of Ramayana spontaneously with its screeching voice. Vanara-s and Vikramaditya were listening carefully with many ‘hmm’ and ‘umm’ syllables.
EllaElla
They came to the plains from a beautiful hill town in just half an hour’s time. The road was great.
Towards the plains
They crossed the town of Wellawaya. It was a special day for Buddhists. A lot of people were gathered over there. They saw children as Buddhist disciples, who went into the city in search of food.
Wellawaya
The people considered them as messengers of Buddha. So they offered them food and fruit. Vikrama and Betaal understood that those childhood Buddha monks would find food for the old monks in the monastery.
The long journeyThe Long JourneyThe long journeyBack in plainsBack in plainsBack in plains
On the way they saw the milestones for the famous-ghost-airport of Hambantota, built by China. The Vikramaditya murmured “misfortune..” when they crossed such mile stones.
The long journeyThe long journey
They stopped for a while. Betaal was feeling nausea, that time!
Vikaramaditya found something on the hedges, while he was roaming around. He pointed at a climber and asked Betaal, “Is this not ‘gundu mani‘ (Rosary pea) plant?” (We have Thangamani and Rangamani already. Now this is Gundu mani 🙂 ) .
Gundu mani
Betaal nodded its head. The elder vanara shrieked “Yes, I saw it my brother’s school”. Vikarama too, joined the happy conversation.
“Yes, we used to have this along the fencing at the backside of our palace”
Betaal smiled and said “Not only beautiful, but also poisonous!”. Two vanara-s did not understand it’s meaning and scratched their head with their black-baby-fingers.
They reached Tissamaharama after a long journey. Lankans call this town as Tissa, like we call Tiruchirappalli as Tiruchi! They went to a restaurant for lunch. They filled their tummies at this restaurant! Betaal and vanara-s asked for chapati and curry. Vikramaditya asked for rice & curry. Alas! he ended up with chapatis as the vanara-s stole his rice plate.
Rice and Curry and Chapatis
By the time they finished their lunch, Betaal had finished its Ramayana tale as well.
Betaal said “O, Vikarama, the one with a pot like tummy, answer me now. Between Rama and Ravana, who will reach swarga (enlightenment)?”. It was combing its hair with its long and scary fingers.
Vikramaditya, who resembled Rangamani’s face, did not waste a minute. He said “Sri Rama is a God. He is eka pathni vrata (husband of one wife). He offered enlightenment to Ahalya. He won asura-s and saved deva-s. No doubt. It is lord Sri Rama who will get into swarga, no doubt”.
Ravana cave – It is believed that Sita was kept as a prisoner here – (c) unsplash
Betaal replied “O, Vikrama, Meenakshi (another name of Surpanakha) was a native girl with a beautiful name and a prettier face. She found Rama loveable. She proposed him. What he should have done? Either accept or reject her. What right does he has to abuse a girl verbally and severe her nose? How to send him to swarga?.”
Betaal continued “O, Vikrama, The bonding between a husband and wife is based on hope. When the hope diminishes, the relationship has no meaning, my dear! What right he had, to push Sita into fire-pit to prove her purity? Will it not be hot? If Sita’s conduct was not good, she should have a relationship in Mithila (Sita’s native) itself. Did he prove his purity by getting down into the same fire-pit? Take in your case, if your wife stays in stranger’s home for protection, will you suspect her? Does swarga like that?”
Betaal justified “O Vikarama, When his sister was harmed by Rama, Ravana took out his sword. It is expected from him as a brother and as a King.”
Betaal added “O Vikarama, As per Tamil poet Kamban, Ravana did not even tough Sita when he abducted her. He never misbehaved with her. At least, he did not even cut Sita’s nose to take revenge of the barbaric act by Rama. Sita was rescued as pure as she was earlier. If Ravana had bad conduct, why we have Ravana’s sculpture at all Siva temples?”
Betaal announced its judgement “O Vikarama, Soldiers who died at the battlefields reach the swarga by the rule of thumb. Duryodhana reached Swarga, when Bhima reached Narka. Based on these facts, Ravana will reach enlightenment. You are wrong!”
The two vanara-s vanished in the air. Vikramaditya’s head – which resembled the head of Rangamani – was broken into 1000 pieces. Thangamani woke up and screamed in sorrow and fear. Rangamani – who was drinking water with his capital-O-shaped mouth – startled and poured the water into his nostrils.
He coughed heavily while his eyes were filled with tears! He asked Thangamani “What happened, Thangamani? Why did you shout”. It took sometime for Thangamani that it was a dream. At last she realized that she was at the restaurant with his boring, yet, lovely hubby.
It was the most expensive meal they had ever had in Sri Lanka. It costs more than that of a Colombo star hotel restaurant! Rangamani’s purse lost its mass.
They parked their car at the restaurant itself and took a private jeep. The speedy jeep did not had any shock absorbers. Thangamani’s spinal cord was shaking like the New Delhi jerked after seeing the Chinese army at its Himalayan border. But she had velour – like the Indian army broke the neck of Chinese soldiers – to see a leopard. The rest of the day was spent in the dry bush forest called ‘Yala National Park’.
Towards Yala National ParkYala National Park
After this gate, you will start offroading. You can get a glimpse of it in this video!
Offroading, Yala national park
They saw elephants, crocodiles, birds, etc. at a short distance. It was like a live National Geographic Wild.
Yala National ParkYala National parkYala National ParkYala National ParkYala National ParkA Wild boar and a crocodile, Yala National Park
Junga’s main goal was to look at the leopard: and yawn in front of it. But it did not materialize.
Yala National ParkYala National Park
You will soon be surrounded by animals. The forest will be beautiful until you see a leopard.
Yala National Park
That was a dry forest with thorny bushes and plants. The weather was just opposite to that of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Ella. They sweat with high humidity due to near by costal area. The road and the bushes on both sides were dusty. They got darshan from Sri Ganesa.
Yala National ParkO you cutie pie, Yala National ParkO you, the massive!Beauty King and Queen, Yala National ParkYala National ParkThe resting place at Yala National Park, which was damaged by 2004 tsunami
The sun hid behind the silhouette of dark trees and far-away mountains, when they left the park.
They went to their hotel after buying curd (yoghurt) and bananas for dinner.
The white rice from the restaurant of the hotel, mixed with the local curd satisfied them. You must try Sri Lankan yogurt, dear readers! After washing your hands, you will find it sticky due to its dense fatty nature. Junga wondered “It is a very good food. Excellent taste!”.
Thangamani took a bath before her dinner. She was sitting leisurely after dinner and combed her wet hair with her fingers. She wondered, if her fingers resembled those of the Betaal.
Rangamani asked the troops, “Shall we trek to the nine arch bridge? Ready?”
Way to 9 arch bridge, Ella
There are several routes to get to the bridge. There was a foot path created by the usage of locals and cattles. They trekked through it across the jungle.
Way to 9 arch bridge, EllaWay to 9 arch bridge, Ella
Junga and Bunga took it as their adventure to walk through the field, canals, the overgrown trees, the small stream that crossed along their path, the clear water flowing through it, The brightness of the pebbles under the water, the crawling leeches and the bushes on the side..
Way to 9 arch bridge, EllaWay to 9 arch bridge, Ella
The bridge was nice. It has a colonial fairy tale too. British got stuck while building this. A Sri Lankan engineer solved that problem. It was a proud moment for them.
You can look down slightly into the valley near by! You can walk across the bridge to enjoy the lovely breeze.
Junga ran on the train track! It was time for the train to arrive. Thangamani was shouting at him to come back!
It was a humid walk. Tender coconuts helped them to hydrate themselves. Rangamani stopped with two coconuts to show off himself as a table-manners-aware person.
The place was scenic. You can shoot nice photographs from different locations. Starting from the peak, all the way until the deep valley, you can trek and capture your pleasant moments.
9 arch bridge, Ella9 arch bridge, Ella
“See guys, we see two disjointed hills- massive in structure- equal in power – will never get along. But a brick and mortar connects them. Humans are also like that. If a bridge satisfies their ego, they can mingle with others”. Rangamani appreciated himself ‘Wow. What a visionary thought it was!’. “What if it got a crack, my dear?” Thangamani refuted. Ranga did not expect a it. He said “Yah. That is another visionary thought” and laughed pathetically.
9 arch bridge, Ella
They walked across the bridge and waited for a train. The couple shared many other ‘visionary’ statements under the shade of vadam tree! Finally the train arrived. It was like a moving fairy in brown gown. It has a annoying noise like a demon with a broken throat. They waited almost for an hour to see the ‘blessed view’!
If you walk to this bridge, take 1000 or 1500 ml of water per head. Else you may be dehydrated.
There was a waiting area (or photo shoot area) on the side. There was place to sit and take photographs. There was a small potato field like in Nuwara Eliya.
They went to a local restaurant for lunch. There was no crowd. The road looked deserted even the previous day, when they came from the railway station. Many of the restaurants had empty tables. They ordered vegetarian rice and curry. In addition, they ordered curd/yoghurt separately. We have been served a delicious meal with lentil curry, coconut sambal, potato fritters, multi-veggie-curry, and papad. The meal came late. Probably they prepared it upon a confirmed order. They wanted to relax as well, m after a hike to little adam’s peak and trek to the bridge. Junga commented in relief, “The meal is good. Not like morning idly!!”. He was right. It was a tasty and healthy full-meal.
Rice & Curry, Ella
After the full meals, they wanted to rest well. They took away white rice, curd, and coconut sambal in the evening as well.
On that quiet lazy night, while the lights of the distant mountain town flickered, and the trains passed through the mountain in darkness, cicadas shrilled. Rangamani and Thangamani asked Junga and Bunga to join them for moon-meal.
Rangamani and Thangamani enjoyed their kids doing an electrifying walk with Tushara on their way back from the temple of tooth, Kandy. They went on a round inside Kandy City. The city is fit for street photography. The train station, markets, high street, university campus etc. There it was. The increase in elevation of the road was obvious. Left side of the road was fully covered with bushes and lands; right side was covered with sloping lands. Yes, they entered into a ghat road that leads to Nuwara Eliya, a not-to-be-missed hill station in Sri Lanka.
To Nuwara Eliya
The mountain journey was pleasant. How green the way it was. Forests, bushes, farm fields and tea estates. Motion sickness is a family asset of Rangamani’s family. When they entered into van, their mood was on its high, as the Indian stock market spiked due to the buying of domestic institutions. When they get motion sickness, the spirit will go down, as the bearish stock index crashes when foreign investors sell off.
Scenic road to Nuwara Eliya
Rangamani attempted different tactics in his past to nullify his nausea.
In one of the novels he read, the fisher men chewed betel-nuts to curtail his vomiting sense. Ranga tried it during one of his trips to a hill station. He was very confident during that trip. Alas, it went. His guts started moving like a python during the downhill. He took more and more betelnuts as a hopeful Vikramaditya!
Another time, some of his friends suggested not to take rice meal before the trip.
Tushara suggested one other idea this time. Soda drinks – yes, the same junk food like coke/pepsi – may reduce the nausea.
Though he tried to act as if he was fine, he prayed to vazhi-vidu-vinayaka for a vomit-free travel! He wanted to borrow that pepsi bottle from Junga. But his ego refused.
Coming back, the road to Nuwara Eliya was scenic. There were small streams cut across their way. The deep valley on the other side adorned them. The ridges with tea plantations were railing on both sides. The brownish and blackish clouds were floating above them. It must have been very cold for Hanuman when he flew down to Sri Lanka.
Scenic road to Nuwara Eliya
Going to Nuwara Eliya was a long journey. They stopped the vehicle a few times, to purchase fruit at a roadside shop, to get relaxed from their nausea.
Ramboda
There was a trishanku swargam (mid-way heaven) called Ramboda. The vehicle was stopped at an antique shop. From the terrace of the shop, they can enjoy the scenic view of Ramboda Falls on one side and the beautiful valley and farm fields on the other side. The clouds were hovering around the hill tops. To add more memory to this scene, the clouds sprinkled drizzles all over. “Like this, there was a scene in Kamba Ramayana… ” Rangamani tried to add pepper and salt to the scene, but he subsided when Thangamani cleared her throat.
Ramboda falls
Younger Bunga bought a wooden auto-rickshaw/tuk-tuk. It was super expensive. (close to a thousand Indian rupees). Elder Junga bought some Sri Lankan magnets for his tuition teacher.
Ramboda falls
Traditional food center
There was a road-side eatery (Hela Boujun) run by a women self-help group. This food court is the theme of this post.
Hela Boujun, Traditional food center, Ramboda
They had umpteen varieties of traditional Sri Lankan or Indian foods. They had different varieties of tea, soups also.
Rangamani in food court
Rangamani shrieked at the food items with laughter “puttu, appam, vadai, murukku, cutlet” like Pakoda Kadhar. Thangamani and kids felt a dread. They wanted to rescue him from that place, but it was too late. He jumped the steps like a Guindy racing horse, bought a jackfruit cutlet and Bael flower tea. He asked them to join as well. He was in an bewitched state like Jyothika transformed into Chandramukhi due to her multiple personality disorder.
Junga got an aappam and he found it was delicious too. Thangamani chose puttu. Bunga has been given an idiyappam. Rangamani had this strange habit of ordering weird names on menu cards. Thangamani was happy too, as she was contemplative about her kids’ behavior with outside food until that lovely moment.
Puttu
Tushar said that Indians, who visit Sri Lanka, pack their lunch with them. So, he said, chauffeurs like him need to be flexible in their lunch plans. But Rangamani and Thangamani decided not to do the same on this trip. They were happy to suffice their desire to taste local food. So this lunch was sweet for their minds and tongues. While their ear lobes were chilled with the breeze, their tummies were filled with ample food.
Jackfruit cutletSnacks
During your trip between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, this is an eatery you should not miss!
Only those who give to the poor are good. The doors of paradise will open to those who satisfy their hunger.
-Manimekalai (Tamil-Buddhist Novel), Seethalai Sathanar, 6th c AD.
Day 3 : 6 Jun 2019
Rangamani woke up before Thangamani. He took a bath and opened the balcony door. The cold breeze caressed him. He went out, stood facing the lake, and stared at the mountain which showed its silhouette in the morning darkness. Mountains are the abode of Kandan, the Tamil God. Mountains are where Siva and Parvati are roaming on their Bulls. Mountains are Gods. They gift us loneliness. They gift us renunciation. After renunciation, there are no delivery dates, no promise, no stress, of course, no money too!!
Kandy woke up early in the morning. As the darkness is slowly being replaced by fresh day light. Buses hewed the morning crowd. Children in school uniforms were walking down from the near-by green hillock. Buses and private vehicles were waiting until those kids crossed the road. This is something you could not see at Chennai’s zebra crossing.
That windy morning made his heart rhythm in sync with the food steps of those kids. He thought of himself as the contemporary Aristotle, Leo Tolstoy, or Adi Shankara. They might not have their morning tea like him. Out of hunger, they might have come up with such meaningful philosophical thoughts. Elder kid Junga put in an appearance before he went to take his bath. He might be baffled to see his dad in a strange posture. Rangamani realized that Junga was looking above his head. Was there any golden ring or what? He looked above. There was no golden ring, but lot of mosquitos flying in a ring shape! He got some audience for his ideologies, at last!
Slowly, Thangamani came out of the room, with another bonny attire, to offer them the morning tea. “Ayo pei (ghost)!!!”, screamed Rangamani and Junga at same time at her over-makeup. Thangamani gave a grimace of anger. “You destructive dogs..” She murmured to herself and went inside to adjust her make-up. Bunga was still enjoying his elongated sleep.
Kandy lake
The lodge they stayed in used to offer buffet breakfast for its guests. As they went within months of the Easter Sunday bombings, the tourism industry was in shambles. Their restaurant merely had one or two staff. They knocked up a pack of fresh pancakes and cakes. The cut fruits were not fresh, though. Being starved the previous day, poor Rangamani’s family didn’t waste a grain!
They checked out already. Let’s follow them!
Their travel plan had the following:
Look around the Buddha temple called Dalada Maligawa.
Worship at Hindu shrine which is inside the Dalada Maligawa.
Start their trip to Nuwara Eliya.
Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
They parked the car on the bank of the lake and walked towards the temple. Tushara said he would not get a parking space usually. The Easter Bombing had deluged the commoners with losses. This place should have been added to their travel plan as it is an iconic building and UNESCO site. Junga and Bunga were walking excitedly. The way to the temple was colourful with lots of florists. Birds like flamingos were resting on the bank. Some of them were swimming in the water. The pleasant weather made Rangamani recall his trip to Kodaikanal lake.
Tushara bought them their entry tickets. They got a discount of SAARC countries. Another Qatari traveler joined them. They arranged a guide – a so-called UNESCO site-certified guide – to explain to them the historical background of this site.
Kandy temple of tooth campus
There were checkpoints outside the temple. Bunga excitedly passed the checkpoint and did hi-fi to the soldier standing nearby.
Kandy – Temple of tooth campus
All the Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka worship in that temple. Babies born in Sri Lanka are brought there within a year of birth. The temple was full of newly born babies, neomamas, and their caretakers.
Rangamani’s family went to attend the morning ceremony. The temple looks auspicious with the vyali-s, dragons, tusks of elephants. They waited for a long time. Rangamani lost his patience at the ceremonial prelude. He started gazing at all the veiled brass vessels one by one. He thought he may get an annadhanam (food offering) and appeased his mind. Alas, he did not get anything till the end!
Kandy – Temple of tooth campus
The tooth relic of the Buddha is kept in a golden castle there. They keep the ark open for public display once a year. The sacred tooth relic of the Buddha was in Kalinga after the death of the Buddha. At the behest of King Gugasiva of Kalinga, his daughter Princess Hemamali and her husband Dantha smuggled it to Sri Lanka. This happened in the fourth century BC.
They have a statue for them as well. It is located in a garden outside the temple. Ranga’s family walked around and viewed those statues and read the legend underneath.
A lot of people came for the morning ceremony slowly in long queues due to security checks. Check after the bomb blast is useless. It is a customary action. But all governments follow that to shut the mouths of critics. Some of the babies in their mamma’s laps were crying. Some of them were still sleeping in this noisy environment. They may recharge themselves for their turns later!
It is their turn to worship at the sanctum of tooth relics. Rangamani and Junga were squeezed like our Indian women screw their wet cloths before drying it. They lost Thangamani and Bunga in the crowd. Ranga found it very hard to keep Junga in his hands in that huge crowd. Somehow Rangamani and Junga came out. Thangamani came out already and was waiting for her hubby.
She was in another arresting apparel today. Rangamani wore a t-shirt, which was bought on Amazon for 100 rupees. They visited the manuscripts room before visiting the meditation hall. While Thangamani looked at the religious manuscripts and texts placed over there, Ranga was looking outside to find the origin of the aroma of food.
Political importance of Kandy temple
Thangamani asked if the guide could take them to the Kataragama Temple on the same campus. The Qatari and the UNESCO guide went away. Tushara was kind enough to accept and he himself guided them to the temple.
Tushara and Junga
Katragama devalaya was like a hut. It was a fusion of Buddhism and Hinduism. The Buddha was in the ananda sayana (sleeping) pose in the sanctum while Vishnu and Brahma stood outside in worshipping pose. That would be a little confusing!
Kataragama devalaya – Kandy – Temple of tooth
Things to Note
Entry Fee: <$10 per head
It is recommended to wear white/lite-coloured shirts and tops. Dark shirts/tops may hurt the local devotees.
Vivekananda has gone to America. Gandhi went to South Africa and London. Xuan Zang came to India. Sangamitra voyaged to Sri Lanka. So many people are traveling.
People in Singapore like to travel around the world. Changi airport brings cheers to their minds. The cheer waves influence the Indian expat community of Singapore too. Rangamani’s son used to say, “Appa, he went to Korea, she went to Taiwan..”. That is not his demand. He knows that. But many of the middle class Indian slaves like him can not afford to visit overseas every year.
Rangamani’s click at Changi
At last, Thangamani and his wife Rangamani decided to roll-out their plan to look for an affordable travel plan to satisfy their kids’ urge to step on foreign soil. Rangamani thought about Thailand and Bali. At last, they could get a package to Sri Lanka. Food – It is another important reason to choose Sri Lanka. Their kids are not mature enough to try non-native food. Sri Lanka’s food styles are not too much deviated from India, you know!
Rangamani became too philosophical. With the itinerary in hand, he started lecturing Thangamani. ‘See darling, how much interesting information we get while traveling! The cultural and historical background of the new places makes the trip even more interesting. We get a chance to see the new land; converse with new people’.
Rangamani continued. ‘A country within touching distance from Tamil Nadu. It is an island that is surrounded by the wavy blue water; wrapped inside a green carpet. A country inhabited by ancient Tamils – Sri Lanka! Let’s go!’
Thangamani knows about his hubby’s curiosity disorder. Hence, she replied with her usual single-syllable-replies like ‘hmm‘, ‘umm‘, ‘aama‘.
Itinerary
They did not inform their kids about that trip. He used to discuss this with Thangamani, either after they slept or before they woke up! In other words, he might have tried his best to persuade her to accept his choices!
He wanted to find a reliable local tour operator. Based on reviews on TripAdvisor, he contacted **** Lanka Travels (They do not sponsor this post!). He got a response. Their presales staff asked him about his duration and interest. Rangamani might have qualified himself well. So she drafted out a plan. The total cost stopped Ranga’s heart for a while. He changed it many times to suit his budget. He cut the duration, requested upgrades for hotels, and many chops here and there. She might have seen even tougher customers. So she handled him cool and sold off a package with a private van and chauffeur. Ranga made part of the payment.
Total Cost: USD 1600 (for a tailor made)
Visa
Next step was to get the visa. Sri Lanka offers on-arrival visa now. But when Rangamani applied, they did not have this scheme. They respected westerners with on-arrival visas. But not Indians 😉
Sri Lanka used to offer on-arrival visa earlier. You know about our fellow Indians, right! They used to violate visa norms, smuggling goods, and do trading. At one point in time, Sri Lanka stopped the on-arrival visa for us. You may know about the bumpy relationship between Sri Lanka and New Delhi.
More over, they make good influx of forex with Western travelers. So they get different treatment. After the war and China jumped into the race, some of the Sri Lankan businesses started accepting WeChat payments, too. A country – that made them bankrupt – gets special treatment, too! ‘Truth is stranger than fiction’. Though they are our neighbors, their politics and bureaucracy alienates us, but not the people!
It’s ok. Rangamani bought an e-visa for all of them by paying $41.
Cost: USD 41
Travel Tickets
Buying a travel ticket was another worrisome deed. He tried different permutations and combinations to get affordable tickets. Finally, he got it from Air India with a transit in Chennai. Both Singapore Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines were selling their tickets at sky-high prices. Rangamani strongly believed that those who play dhaayam (dice game) well, they get air tickets at good price.
Cost: Not relevant.
They were set ready to go!
Checklist
Sri Lankan Visa – 41 USD/Passports/Air Tickets
Daily expenses – 50 USD/Day
Travel itinerary.
Chauffeur charges (if you are going by private car/van) – 10 to 20 USD/day
Mobile Numbers of travel agent/Chauffeur
Enabling international roaming in SIM cards, mobile phones, chargers
Summer wears, coolers
Beach wears
Mosquito patch/creams/mats
Camera/chargers/SD cards/hard disks
Bacterial infection medicine (creams…)
Day 1 – 4 Jun 2019: Reaching Chennai
The plan was to fly from Singapore to Chennai and take the early morning flight to Colombo. Rangamani and Thangamani, with their sons 9 year-old Junga and 4 year-old Bunga started their historic overseas trip. Rangamani was in his dreams while Thangamani dissolved his dream by verifying if she locked the door, switched off the fan. Changi was busy as usual. While Thangamani was in the waiting hall, Rangamani was in a queue to get them lemon tea and toast.
Beginning the day with a hot lemon tea
They gained some energy. Thangamani spent some time in the miniature orchid gardens inside the airport with her sons.
Orchids inside Changi
Air India got delayed considerably. Out of hunger, their tummies contracted like the baby mangoes in maavadu pickle. With a flat regret tone, the airline invited its passengers to onboard at last.
To Chennai
Day 2 – 5 Jun 2019: Reaching Colombo
Just before sunrise, they reached Chennai airport. That place got up in the morning and was ready to start the day. Thangamani was in arresting apparel, expecting to appear stunning in photographs. Rangamani wore his plain old dull t-shirt and pant. His dressing sense is so unpopular in Pudukkottai. ‘Ramar pachchai‘ (cerulean green) shirt with brown pant. White shirt with yellow pant are his favorite combos. When he used to walk with his mundane choice of suits, the stray dogs in his streets would be disturbed and activated. When they got out of the taxi, Thangamani appeared as mighty as Rajamatha Sivagami Devi and Rangamani was found as weak as her handicapped husband Pingaladevan!
Bunga vomited as soon as he stepped out of the taxi, due to his motion sickness. After realizing that Rangamani was in search of water, a middle-aged man – looked like Kattappah in his safari suit – helped by offering them his water bottle to clean their child. It was a help in need.
To Colombo
The airport was not crowded. So they cleared their immigration check soon. When they went inside, the same Kattappah-like person in the safari suite stood at the customs office and smiled at them. He was an officer in the customs department there. What a kind man he was! They began that journey with his message to the world – compassion!
The sunrise – Chennai Airport
They did not sleep well for two days. They had to get up early in the morning the previous day to come to Chennai from SG. They woke up the next day, before the rooster started his duty. So, they fell asleep as soon as they got into the air craft.
That was the first flight to Colombo from Chennai. The aroma of Air India, like broken seat handles, dirty luggage compartments made them feel at home. But it should be a hectic work for the staff members of the airline because it is just a 60 to 90 minute journey to Colombo. Being an international flight, they need to serve the food plate and collect everything back. Rangamani could see they were running front and back to clear the formalities!
Nashta
Rangamani woke up when Air hostess tapped on his shoulders to ask him to unfold his table to place his breakfast plate. He might be sleeping like a Kumbhakarna with scary snoring! When he saw the breakfast plate, his mouth started pouring fluids! Yes. He was as hungry as Bakasura. He snatched the food plate like a hungry monkey. Thangamani and the kids were still sleeping in the front row. His mind has been deluged with cheers on seeing the bright sunlight on his window. He did not waste a second. As landing time was approaching, his hand and mouth started working as a speedy food processing machine.
By showing them the green patches of Sri Lankan land, their vehicle landed on time. Rangamani felt nostalgic as the view made him recall his village days. When they came out, he could feel the pleasant weather. He could say that for sure as he was roasted in Chennai summer the previous day. The trilingual board welcomed them. ‘Ayobovan‘ is the word he learned from Rupavahini (Sri Lankan television) in his childhood. Bunga was still sleeping on his shoulder, when Rangamani entered the hall, where PM Ranil Wickramasinghe was smiling in his photograph accompanied by another photograph where then president Sirisena appeared with his pale boring face.
Sri Lankan Airport looked like a ghost town. There were no passengers as international tourists stopped visiting Sri Lanka due to Easter Bombing. They cleared immigration on time. The immigration officer talked pleasantly in Tamil. Junga and Bunga were running and jumping like monkeys inside the empty immigration hall. It is not new. Sri Lanka has had monkey visitors from India since its Ramayana days.
The luggage came even before they reached the luggage hall. Due to the bombing, there was some restriction for the travel agents to meet their guests. So their travel agent asked them to catch the free shuttle bus and alight at the parking area.
Things to do in Colombo Airport:
Money exchange at Sampath bank
Local SIM card (if you travel without travel agent)
Food (I missed it. If you travel with kids, take proper food here or near by)
Free shuttle bus from Colombo Airport to Parking Area
Our Chauffeur, Tushara, came to the parking area with a garland and a goody bag. The bag contained our travel plans, his company information, and a local cell phone.
There was a confusion in our communication. He was waiting for them in the arrival section, as security eased. But they came to the parking area by that time. Before he came, they faced the unavoidable people in the parking area, who tried to lure them for taxis, tour packages etc. They were uncomfortable. They felt like they were standing in front of Chennai Central Station. More over, it took some time. Junga and Bunga started feeling hungry. There was no place to eat. Fortunately Thangamani had packed their Air Indian breakfast. That helped. Whatever, it was a hole in Rangamani’s travel plan.
One of the strangers, who was in porter apparel, forcefully helped to put their luggage inside their van despite his refusal. Firstly, Rangamani likes to handle his luggage myself. Secondly, he was not comfortable handling it with a stranger on a foreign land. He had a bad experience at Riyadh airport already. He was so close to being cheated at Manila airport. Finally, Tushara and Rangamani lifted the luggage bags; the stranger man was just touching it like the bishop of Rome touched the head of the wounded Ukranian kids passionately! He touted money for doing so. Ranga did not have any small amount to pay him. Finally, Tushara gave him something. Ranga settled it later during the trip. Anyway, it is part of any trip!
To Kandy
They got moved from Colombo to Kandy. The journey took three hours. But the trip was not boring as they keep on distracting their Chauffeur with various questions and dumping him with their thoughts. He might be wondering, would he have enough patience to drive the vehicle in that single lane.
Rangamani looked around. He was captivated by the trees, the green hills, and the lawns. The land was mosaiced with grass, trees, and bushes. But the same land has its own devastating side, which is the reverse of what his kids were enjoying from their window seats! That place was really spooky during the war against Tamils and LTTE. While writing this in 2022, as the Sri Lankan economy was devastated by incompetent rulers and Corona, what do you think of the Sri Lankan achievement after that genocide. Rangamani shook his head to get away from such thoughts.
To Kandy..
They went there within two months of the Easter Sunday bombing in Sri Lanka. There were no tourists. Very few tourist vans were on the road. Instead, Sri Lankan soldiers were standing by its side. Rangamani booked our trip before the bombing. He was shocked to hear about the bomb blast. He was on a back foot, too. But the *** Lanka tour company assured him a full refund if I wanted to cancel. At the same time, they made him realize that this was the time they needed support. Ranga consulted Thangamani. She too, agreed to go ahead with their travel plan.
Three hours later, they entered Kandy.
To Kandy..To KandyRailway MuseumRoad-side museum
Kandy is a city in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, surrounded by lush green hills. People say that it was called as Kanda malai (Hill of Kandan). During colonial times, they called it Kandy. The temple of the tooth is located here. We shall talk about it later.
The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens (Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya) is located at the outskirts of Kandy. It welcomed them. This was the first attraction of that trip.
Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya
There was no crowd at its entrance. Some locals were waiting for their turn to get entrance tickets. Ranga’s family were allowed in immediately, because they were tourists. That was Sri Lankan respect for tourists.
They were exhausted by then. As soon as they went inside, Rangamani felt so hungry. If he were a mighty ‘bison of Ooty’, he might have eaten all those leaves and grass! You want to ask me why he was always hungry? What to do? Our poor man’s addiction to food grimaces at him often. He searched for something like a café or restaurant. There was only one. They had Western dishes and drinks.
Rangamani ran in hunger, grabbed a chair, clutched the menu card, and started eating those English letters with his eyes! Urgently toasted breads, potato fries and juice were served as a nectar to satisfy their craving. Although they were not enough for their tummies, they gained some strength to walk around the park. Come, let’s see how our hero’s family went for a walk along that riverbank.
There flew a beautiful river on the left side. It is the Mahaweli River / Mahaweli Ganga! Like the Ganges in our India, it is the longest river in Sri Lanka. Starting in Nuwara Eliya district and outfalling into the sea of Trincomalee.
Mahaweli River
Bunga saw the local people taking a bath in the river. He asked his father Rangamani, “Appa, whey they take bath here? Don’t they have bath room at their house?”. How to explain these kids about the pleasure in taking bath in water stream?
Mahaweli River
Its banks were covered with dense bamboos. In addition, plants, bushes and vines had grown over there.
Mahaweli River
Lord Krishna never visited Sri Lanka. If he had come here, he might have wanted to make flutes with these bamboos, and immersed the bees in that garden with his divine tunes.
The bamboos
The elder kid Junga was not getting used to the new place yet. He was away from the family’s mindset. He grimed his face and began walking slowly. Rangamani tried his best child management skills to change Junga’s mood. ‘This is such a beautiful place, new place, new experience, new people, new plant, new vine’. Junga became even more furious. Thangamani felt sympathy at her husband’s worst ever child management skills.
They looked to their right. There are durian trees in the wide green land of the park. This is the first time they have seen a durian tree, though they can not avoid its smell in Singapore. Durians are not allowed inside public transport and few hotels due to its pungent smell.
Under the Durian tree
Thangamani and Rangamani walked on the Royal Palm Avenue, in which the ancient Kings of Kandy used to walk as part of their royal procession. With his eyes glittering with proud, Rangamani saw Thangamani. She smiled and said, ‘enough, shut up and walk’.
Royal Palm Avenue
There was a Cannonbell tree. Rangamani tried his luck another time to convince Junga by lecturing him about the Nagalinga poo (cannonbell flower) and how it resembles Shiv Linga. He further added that Lord Shiva likes it. The kid stopped there for a while and gazed at him. His eyes told his father, ‘It’s okay. It’s his wish. What am I supposed to do with that?’.
Centuries-old trees blessed them. This Spanish cherry tree (magilam or vakulam in Tamil) was sung by Tamil Sangam poet Kapilar as ‘பசும்பிடி வகுளம் பல்லிணர்க் காயா’ (Pasumpidi Vakulam Pallinark Kaya) while singing about plucking different flowers and stacking them on a rock.The board said that the Spanish cherry tree was planted in colonial times by the Prince of Wales. Rangamani told anxiously, “Not sure how much he looted from Sri Lanka in return!”
They completed that trail by walking on Royal Palm Avenue, which went through a road with palm trees on both sides. They climbed the swinging bridge and enjoyed the beauty of the Mahaweli River. It is enough of this moment! Is the twin human eyes enough to appreciate the beauty of this place?
Tushara said that there was an orchid garden. But they could not gallop. They moved out of that park with positive thoughts, hoping to be back there again!
The bus stop outside the Peradania Botanical Garden, Kandy 10
Kattukalai Pillaiyar Temple
Their man took them straight from the park to Kattukkalai Pillaiyar Temple – a Ganesha temple – as they requested. Dear Readers, you should have gone with them inside that beautiful temple. The kumbabishekam took place recently. The temple was clean and beautiful to look at. Not much crowded. They waited and attended the evening pooja. They were able to worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in the names of Sri Somasundareswara and Sri Meenakshi, in addition to Lord Ganesha in the name of Sri Selva Vinayagar.
Kattikalai Pillaiyar Temple, Kandy
While Thangamani was waiting at the temple, Junga and Rangamani visited the Ganesananda hotel next to it. Junga felt better and started uttering words. Junga packed cheese dosa while Rangamani took away masala dosa-s for their dinner. They chatted about the ongoing IPL match, until the food package (another pack of nectar!!) arrived.
Around the lake
Before they went to their shelter, Tushara drove them to a place from where they could get a glimpse of Kandy City. It was a view point, from where they could see the Kandy City, the Buddha statue on the mountain, the Kandy lake, and the temple of tooth.
The day’s conclusion
Very long day it was. They could not go anywhere anymore. They went to their shelter on the bank of Kandy Lake, took a shower, and grazed on their packed masala dosas. Rangamani felt about the hole in his travel plan when he chewed his piece of dosa. He should have taken a proper breakfast at Colombo before starting his journey. With the babies on his side, he should have done a better plan.
Against mountains surrounded by trees, the gentle breeze comforted them. They lied down in a trance, thanking the Goddess Meenakshi for gifting them that day.
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