Sri Lanka Ramayana Trail - Part 3 ( Day 3 / Monday - 21-09-2015 )

Sri Lanka Ramayana Trail - Part 3  ( Day 3 / Monday - 21-09-2015 )

( Radha Krishna )

Day 3 of our Tour of Sri Lanka saw the members of our group in good cheer greeting each other ‘Jai Sri Ram’ in the spacious dining hall of Jayasinghe Holiday Resort .The resort is conveniently located in Detagamuwa, Kataragama and a great base to explore the vibrant city. We could see a spacious open yard in the front leading to the reception lounge.  The rooms are large and comfortable.

An immaculate swimming pool  with  clear water reflecting the blue sky looked  as if it was inviting us to go in for a dive.

A combo breakfast was awaiting which included variety of items like bread, butter, jam, dosa

, sambar, chutney, appam, milk, curds, honey, cut fruits, bananas, water melon juice. We had hot coffee / tea in line with our preference. We also tried  a combination of curds, honey and

thin slices of ripe bananas  which was delicious.

  

(Yummy Curds with Honey)

Everyone had a good fill. Our luggage was already loaded  into the bus, and by 8 a.m we too got into the bus. Sri M.A..Dasa, our guide recited the Narasimha sloka and stuti which we had also learnt to chant after him with ease..

On the way we saw the Tissa Maha Rasa Lake and  watched some migratory birds from Russia/ Siberia.

Sri M.A. Dasa cited that the day was an auspicious day which coincided with Radhashtami reckoning with the appearance of Radha on this Earth on Shukla Paksha Ashtami in Bhadrapada month.This falls one month after the  Krishna Janmashtami (Krishna Paksha Ashtami in Shravana). Radha appeared as a small child in the center of a thousand petal golden lotus. She was an adviser and friend to Sri Krishna. Mr. Dasa quoted from Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita the importance of the doctrine of Total Surrender ( Saranagathi ) to the Almighty. His talk elevated our spirits and we started singing bhajans in praise of the deities Rama and Krishna.

We passed through Weerawila which is the Dairy Center of Sri Lanka.  We saw a number of mud pots filled with curds stacked in an orderly manner in the shops which were in front of  small farm houses.

( Stack of Curds in Mud Pots )

USSANGODA

                                                             

We had plans to visit Ussangoda National Park, the place where Ravana used to park his Peacock Chariot ( Dandu Monara ) but could not make it as some road construction work was interrupting. However Mr. Madhavananda Dasa explained that USSANGODA is one of the torched areas by Hanuman when Ravana ordered his tail to be set on fire.There are several archeological sites of the origins in prehistoric times also. The soil structure in this place is unique - the soil  has brick like hard quality with a reddish color, some rocks and soil layers  look like to be the remnants of extreme heat. It is also suspected that the soil has high concentration of minerals / metals, giving its unique color.

Our Guide brought home an important information that Ussangoda is located geographically closer to another archeological site ‘ Miniha Galkanda‘, where evidence for prehistoric human existence has been found. The rock debris has high iron content which is attracted by magnets.

( Terrain of USSANGODA )

A Beautiful Sculpture seen in front of a Park

Our next destination was Dondra (60 KM) which is the southernmost tip of SL. with the Indian Ocean forming the boundary.

Mr. Dasa pointed at  the location where the second International airport was opened last year and also the new building constructed for  SAARC meeting held  in 2014.  It was 10.30 A.M. when we crossed Tangalle, the hometown of Shri Mahinda Rajapakse (Ex President SL).  It was an exciting sight as our bus was going parallel to Indian Ocean with Tangalle Beach  on our left.

Next we crossed Dikwella beach .We were facing south towards the direction of the Antarctic Ocean (S.Pole), the ocean water showed  varied hues of colors from turquoise blue to green and gray. The waves presented a calm appearance.

By 11 A.M.,We  reached  Dondra. This place is of importance as Sugriva and his army launched the attack on Ravana’s army from here. Dondra was originally known as Tevan Thurai (God’s Port) and Then Thurai (Southern Port). Until the  late 15th century CE it was famous as a historic Hindu temple port town complex.. (Hence the names ‘Tevanthurai Tenavarai Temple Port Town’ or ‘Tenaveram Temple Town’ ).

There was a Vishnu temple containing  a thousand Deities maintained by Tamil Merchant guilds. It was popular as a pilgrimage destination as well as a trade center having extensive contacts with Asia, Africa, Europe,and the rest of the Malabar Coast.The temple was built on vaulted arches on the promontory overlooking the Indian Ocean.The temple reflected the high skills of Pallava art bearing a resemblance to the Koneswaram Temple complex in Trincomalee.

The central gopuram tower of the Vimana and the other gopura towers that dominated the town were covered with plates gilded brass, gold and copper on their roofs. The other shrines of the town had elaborate arches and gates.This gave the appearance of a city to the visiting sailors who visited the port to trade and relied on its light reflecting gopura roofs for navigational purposes ( the gopura towers served as the light house).  

The temple was destroyed in Feb.1587 CE  by Portuguese Colonial De Souza de Arronches, who devastated the entire southern coast. The ruins of granite pillars that formed the shrine’s mandapa can be found in the town spread over a considerable area. Dondra Head was once the capital of the country.

Once we reached Dondra we parked our vehicle near the side entrance of the Vishnu Devalaya, the only Vishnu Temple in the southern region of SL.  We were shocked to see the broken and burnt ruins of the old pillars vandalised by the foreign invaders. Then we entered the modern temple - the exterior painted in bright blue.

( Modern Vishnu Temple )

We prayed to the colorful image of Lord Vishnu richly decorated  with ornaments. Around the sanctum sanctorum there are murals depicting the Dasavatharam scenes. Outside the main shrine  other deities like Siva ,Durga, Ganesha, Karthikeya, Vaishnavi are housed in individual rooms each having a pujari performing archana. This temple is popular among the Buddhists also.

( Image of Lord Vishnu )

To the right of the shrine is the awe inspiring statue of the Modern Buddha. The statue stands tall measuring 60 feet in height with a neon ’Flame of Wisdom’ on top of the head. We took  photographs standing in front of the magnificent and mighty Buddha.

After spending nearly an hour we started moving towards our next destination with the Indian Ocean on our left. The scenery with palm fringed beaches, coconut trees, lush green vegetation reminded us of God’s own country-- Kerala. We came across Dongra beach, Matara beach - could view an island temple in the midst of the blue waters - It can be  approached through a cantilever bridge.

( Statue of awe inspiring Buddha )

Matara is the second biggest city in South SL.It is the native place of Sanath Jayasuriya  (SL Opener & Skipper). Nilwala Ganga joins the ocean here. The Dutch Fort of Matara, Old Dutch Trade Center, Matara Museum are some of the landmarks we came across. We passed through the main road of the city Angarika Dharmapala Mawatha (Mawatha stands for main road--origin sanskrit ‘ Maha patha ‘). Pollala Ganga (river) joins the ocean near Mirissa beach. We stopped for half an hour at Weligama beach, the most beautiful beach in South Sri Lanka and had the pleasure of  walking across the soft white sand  to wet our feet in the cool  blue gray water.

 

 (  Weligama Beach  )

It was 2:30 pm when we reached  Galle Rumassala, (50 km).  As we were feeling hungry  we had a pre lunch snack of suryakala (sweet) and cornflake mixture, biscuits, banana  chikki etc;.We parked the bus on the main road, got into the waiting autos to reach Zimmer Rest and Jina’s vegetarian Restaurant, the one and only place serving pure vegetarian food in the whole of  South SL. The restaurant looked like a home mess. We had lunch seated in the airy front verandah partially enclosed facing a garden. The menu:- Fried rice, dhal, aloo-cabbage sabzi, beetroot,cucumber salad, mixed vegetable with coconut gravy (tasting like avial), rotis of course our favorite curds which we bought on the way. The food was tasty and hot.

They also sell handicraft items made out of softwood as well as teak. We bought wall hangings as collectibles.                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            ( Display Of Masks)

  

(Post Lunch Session)

3:00 pm --From there we proceeded to the next spot by autos  (4km ) where Hanuman had dropped a chunk of the Sanjeevini Parvatha.  Mr.Dasa narrated to us the background history how Rumassala is connected with Ramayana. During the battle with Ravana, Rama and Lakshmana fell unconscious when hit by powerful arrows. Jambavan asked Hanuman to fetch the herbs from Himalayas which could revive them. Hanuman leaped from Trikuta mountain to Himalayas but could not locate the herbs. Hence he uprooted Dronagiri Mount and ferried it to the battlefield, but a  chunk of that ‘ fell-down‘ here formed Rumassala Hillock and name of the village derived from Unawatuna meaning ‘ fell down ‘.

The four kinds of herbs suggested by Jambavan are :-

Mrita Sanjeevani to revive the dead back to life, Vishalya Karani  to heal all the wounds caused by weapons, Suvarna Karani, to keep the body healthy and shining, and Sandhani, to treat fractured limbs. When Hanuman lifted the Dronagiri hill, it is believed that it fell in five places in Sri Lanka, namely, RUMASSALA in Galle, Dolukanda in Hiripitiya, Ritigala  on Habarana Anuradhapura Road,  Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchatheevu in the North.  Sri Lanka is thus famous for the Ramayana Trail especially for the episodes connected with Sundarakanda and Yuddhakanda.

On a small hillock a tall statue of Hanuman in red attire is seen at the spot where Sanjeevini Parvatha was supposed have dropped. We went around the statue in great reverence and paid our obeisance to the mighty Monkey God chanting ‘Jai Hanuman’

  ( Hanumanji With The Sanjeevini Parvatha)

In the same  venue we also saw the Peace Pagoda  a marble structure erected as a monument for spreading peace in the world. Such Peace Pagodas are also seen in Japan, Malaysia, China and other countries which follow Buddhism. We climbed up a few steep steps and as we went round the circular path we could see at different locations the statues  depicting the four stages in Buddha’s life viz. birth, enlightenment, his first sermon and his disappearance  The  statues are painted in gold which gives a rich and divine look.

( Peace Pagoda - front view )

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                            

Enlightenment                                             In   Meditation

                                                                                                                                                         

Sermon at Sarnath    

                                                                                                                 Buddha’s Disappearance                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                              

                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                          

From the back side of the Peace Pagoda we had a grand view of the fallen Sanjeevini Parvatha  covered with dense growth of herbs,and bushy vegetation. Turquoise bluewaves from the Indian Ocean touching the base of the mountain gives an impression they are washing the feet of Hanuman in the form of the Sanjeevini Mountain.

The air smelt fresh filled with the aroma of the herbs. The atmosphere was so ethereal that we lingered there for quite some time. We felt rejuvenated after an exhaustive day of long travel.

4;00 p.m:- We were on the road to towards Colombo (130 km) via Galle for night halt. We took the Southern Expressway, crossed Kottawa Toll to reach  Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte, SriLanka’s  new administrative capital. ( 6 p.m.).

Parliament Complex  SL is in the view.

The Sri Lankan Parliamentary Road is also called as Japan - Sri Lanka Friendship Road. Our guide informed us that the Parliament Complex  is built on an island surrounded by Diyawanna Oya  and that part of the Parliament building is under water. As our chartered vehicle was moving in slow pace, Mr.Madhavananda Dasa  pointed at the various landmarks that came in view. They were (1) Sri Lankan War Memorial, (2) Borella Cemetery which has two sides, one for the Buddhists and the other for the Christians, (3) British High Commission Building, (4) Bandaranaike International Convention Centre which is a monument in the shape of a Lotus. As Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall came in view, Mr.Dasa explained that BMICH is reputed for its high quality specialized conference facilities. It is one of Asia's most modern forum and located in Bauddhaloka Mawatha, one of the main roads in the residential part of Colombo City. It is built from Chinese aid (5) Sri Lankan Cricket Stadium.

(Independence Memorial Hall )

(6) Independence Memorial Hall (also Independence Commemoration Hall) is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the establishment of Dominion of Ceylon on February 4, 1948. It is located at the Independence Square (formally Torrington Square) in the Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo. It also houses the Independence Memorial Museum.

( Arcade )

(7) Independence Square Arcade is an iconic landmark that was sighted next. It is a beautifully restored fabulous building retaining its former character  which  has been turned into a high end shopping Arcade with shops selling mostly branded items. Besides these, restaurants and cinema are also housed in that area -  in short ‘ everything you need under one roof ‘.

Some of the other major landmarks we saw include (7) National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka, (8) W.H.O Building, (9) Main shopping area of Galle road where we noticed Indian Stores like Bombay Sweet Center, Pothys and famous jewellery shops like Premadasa, Nithyakalyani, Rajas to mention a few and ARPICO Super Store.

It was 6.30p.m when we arrived  at Hotel Lafala where our accommodation had been arranged. Lafala is a hotel and service apartment located at N0.7, 40th lane, Wellawatte, Colombo 6. with spacious rooms and modern amenities. We collected our baggage and  walked towards our respective rooms. We got ready quickly and gathered in the lobby. Mr. Dasa led us along the beach road. There was a railway track we noticed parallel to the beach, as we were walking enjoying the sea breeze. We reached Shanmugas, ‘ The Vegetarian Restaurant ‘ at 43rd lane Ramakrishna road. A lot of tourists  were waiting for dinner. We took seats at our reserved table and preferred to have a south indian thali dinner. We did justice to  the puris, aloo, cabbage sabzi ,  rice, sambar, rasam, papads,curds, fried mor milagai, lime pickle and wheat halwa for dessert and saunf for the mouth freshner.

We returned to Lafala and  after wishing everyone good night, retired to bed by half past 10.00.

Day 3 also proved to be a long and eventful day and we recounted the day’s happenings before falling asleep .

Natarajan(s) - ( part 4 and more -  to be continued )