The sky smiled in gibe ……..atop Mt Adam’s Peak

A Circumzenithical Arc

April is the holiday month in Sri Lanka; the Sinhala/Tamil New year. It’s more like the Chinese New Year in East Asia, everything comes to a standstill. My work-site in Ratnapura closed for the New Year on  April 10, 2011; we agreed to come back  by the Monday April 18, 2011. My staff was back as agreed, but for the labour force. Sri Lanka’s construction industry in the month of April is at the mercy of the labour force who decides when to start work.

Being idle, gazing at the mountains around it was in unison that we decided to undertake the challenge to climb the sacred Mt Adams Peak in the most unfavourable April weather of thunder and hail. To make things adventurous we decided to ascend via Kuruvita / Eratne and descend by the Ratnapura / Palabaddala route, where facilities are minimal. 

Adam's Peak as seen from our location in Ratnapura - River Kalu in the foreground

 

April 19, I get into my anglers' trousers [they dry up quickly] and T shirt with bare minimum requisites in a backpack.The others, six in all with oil cloth and water proof material were equipped for the climb with biscuits, chocolate, water etc in backpacks. Our plan was to get to the last Ambalama [resting hall] by late evening and catnap till 3.30 am, the following day [April 20, 2011] and ascend to the summit. This is the difficult 1.5 km on Mahagiridamba [the great granite massif] witness the "Ira Sevaya" [sun worshiping the mount] and descend after attending the general religious rituals. 

We commenced the climb from Adavikanda on the Eratne route with the sun on our back and were drenched in sweat when we reached the first way side rest at Warnagala. The excessive heat was a sure sign of the adverse evening weather that was to come very soon. 

Drenched in sweat we reach Warnagala

By 5.00 pm we are at Seethagangula the ford where pilgrims take a bath and cleansed themselves. Crossing this ford was not on a bridge as on the other two routes but wading through the shallow water holding on to a cable put across as a makeshift handrail. The water was almost a foot deep now but would swell without warning when in rain. The boy at the restaurant alarmed everyone that the rain was apparent and crossing now was dangerous. This was a two way call; safety of the traveler and a longer wait, better the sales.  

Crossing the ford before the rain - cable for a handrail

Fog setting in  from all direction 

Many stayed back but we needed to save time and crossed while the rain came down on us; droplets as big as marbles, and the river was being blanketed with the fog that came in from nowhere. Into the rain, we trekked for almost an hour and a half, recalling my school days in the hills when no sport was possible on rainy days; we all had to run cross-country. The village lassies of Gurutalawa would stare at this madness of hostellers running in the rain. This was fun in that outbound school then.

Now drenched in rain we come to a location where we could see the summit of the mount, all lighted up for the night. Fagged out; we hear a passerby say it is about another 4 hours climb. 

Summit lighted up for the night - 4 hours more

 

By 10 pm we reach the last resting place at the foot of the Mahagiridamba. As planned we rented four straw mats at Rs 75/= each. Yes, six of us on four mats that was the area that was available in the large hall to spread them. Many others also trying to catch sleep until pre-dawn for the final ascend to witness the Ira Sevaya. Seven of us were bunched in one pile on the four mats for warmth. The cold wind biting into our soaked clothing gave a chill that was most unbearable. We started the final ascends about 3.30 am. Our moving bodies warmed up relieving the agony of being against the cold blowing.

The Mahagiridamba - Great Granite Massif

Ancient chains that aided the climbers before the concrete steps and the iron handrails

The summit held over 200 persons all waiting eagerly to witness the "Ira Sevaya". By 5.40 the Eastern sky lit up. Everyone had their necks stretched towards east, staring at the sky for the sun to glow; but the sun was taking time….. At 10 minutes to 6.00 am the public address system  announced; the sun was already up and the cloudy eastern sky would not show the grand finale today.

Sleepy and drowsy  everybody in an Eastern  stare

Canine too, wait for the sun

Eastern sky light up

Somewhat disappointed we descended observing the birdlife in the Peak Wilderness picking scraps and nuts fallen on the path way. It was then that someone pointed at the sky and said look; an upside down rainbow. Yes… it was to be a rainbow with the bow upturned. Missing the "Ira Sevaya" this was to be a unique consolation;… it was as if the sky was jeering at us..

The sky jeered at us ...............

Photographs, videos were the order; until it vanished in about 10 minutes.  Not knowing what this sighting was to be, we come down to the resting place where we started the final climb. Morning chores were attended in the old fashioned loo houses where the soil is deposited into a pit [possibly over 50 year’s old-still in service] we come home to our location in Ratnapura every bit of our limbs aching. A bath and a bowl of ‘Pas- Panguwa’ [herbal decoction] and ample sleep recovered us to some extent. It took almost a week to get our limbs back to normal. 

As to what we had witnessed in the sky that morning; it was to be a very rare sighting of a Circumzenithical Arc; never heard before.

Seen on the descend 

Dull-blue Flycatcher

Yellow-eared Bulbul

Rhinoceros Horned Lizard - Ceratophora stoddatii

Thread work at Gethampana

Description of a Circunzenithical Arc

A circumzenithal arc is a fascinating atmospheric phenomenon, sometimes called a reverse rainbow, because at first glance it does indeed resemble a backwards or upside-down rainbow. Many observers miss out on circumzenithal arcs, because they are located directly overhead; astronomers cite the circumzenithal arc as another reason for people to look up more, as if the stars weren't enough. Unlike a rainbow, which appears opposite the sun, a circumzenithal arc is centered around the zenith of the sky, and can only appear if the solar angle is less than 32 degrees. 

In order for conditions to be right for a circumzenithal arc to form, small, flat, six sided ice crystals must be suspended high in the sky to create a field of tiny prisms. The sun's rays enter the ice crystals and reflect through them, projecting an arc in the sky which, if complete, would circle the zenith. Completely circular circumzenithal arcs are rare, however; most of them only take up a section of the sky, looking like a smile looking down from the heavens. The circumzenithal arc will remain until the solar angle changes, unless weather conditions change dramatically.    http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-circumzenithal-arc.htm

Physics; how light behaves in a Circumzenithal Arc [CZA]

 

The CZA is produced by oriented plate crystals, the same crystals that form sundogs. Down coming sunrays enter the uppermost horizontal face and leave through a vertical side face. The refraction of rays nearly parallel rays through faces inclined at 90° produces very pure and well separated prismatic colors. The colors of the circumzenithal arc are purer than those of the rainbow. When the sun is higher than about 32.3°, the rays cannot leave the side face but are instead totally internally reflected. They then eventually emerge through the lower horizontal face to contribute to the almost devoid of color parhelic circle.  http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/czaform.htm

Light behavior on the so called Ira Sevaya, giving an optical illusion of the up down movement of the sun depicting veneration of the Sacred Mount. 

Aditha my journalist niece who listened to this story thought it was worth going public. www.dailynews.lk/2011/05/20/fea21.asp

When the going got tough and steep

Uditha Wijesena recalls the ancient form of carting 

The dry eastern mountain slopes of the Badulla district still have some remote areas that need the service of pack bulls. Though carting has all but vanished in most parts of the country, these villages still hold clans of traditional upcountry carter families that practise the ancient form of carting which is narrated in the old karaththa kavi (song and verse of carters to ease off lonesome and weary days)

Rare sight: The Thandale where three bulls are used to pull the cart and (inset) statue of Nandi Bull 

A padded yoke

One such kavi goes thus.

Thandale denna depole dakkanawa
Katukele gale noliha wada denawa
Haputale kanda dekala bada danawa
Pawkala gono adapan haputal yanawa.

This relates to the positions of oxen on the cart that were used when the going got tough and steeper. Many of us are familiar with the cart with two bullocks. There was a third bull in the position known as Thandale when the going got tough and steep as related to the Haputale climb, which is a difficult task even for modern day internal combustion engines.

The Thandale is now a rare sight, but if you are lucky as I was once, you would see it being utilized in the fuelwood transporting carts that come into the Badulla town from Thaldena, Meegahakiula and Kandeketiya in the outskirts of Badulla.

Our ancient carter was compassionate as taught by the Nandivisala Jathaka in providing extra pulling power to the cart, refraining from the habits of beating and biting the tail of the bull when the going got tough.

Hindu mythology speaks of the warring Sura and Asura (the positive and the negative forces) uniting to churn the milky ocean with Mount Mandaranchal as the tool, using Vasuki the serpent as a rope to obtain the immortal nectar. In the process Halaahala the lethal poison was to emerge. Knowing the danger none of the Suras or Asuras ventured near it. As everyone ran away Lord Siva followed by Nandi his faithful bull came forward to counteract the poison. Siva drank the poison, but it was intercepted at the throat by his consort. In the process some poison was to spill on the ground and Nandi drank it off the ground. Everyone was shocked, fearing what would become of Nandi. Lord Siva calmed their fears saying, "Nandi has surrendered into me so completely that he has all my powers and my protection". Thus Nandi the faithful is located at every abode of Siva positioned so that he keeps watch just outside the entrance.

Nandi may have a link to Nandivisala in the Buddhist Jathaka tale, as Buddha used existing religious beliefs and practices to make a strong point. The Bodhisatwa was born a bull named Nandivisala. Nandivisala when young was given to a Brahmin who cared for and looked after him. When Nandivisala grew up he suggested to the Brahmin that he would draw one hundred carts for a wager to show his gratitude to the Brahmin. The Brahmin boasted about the bull to his friends and had a wager for one thousand with them. On the appointed day he loaded one hundred carts, lashed them together, and having tied Nandivisala to the first, commanded, "Now, you rascal, pull." The bull, very offended, would not budge an inch, and the Brahmin lost his money.

As the Brahmin lay groaning, Nandivisala went to him and said that he should not have abused him. He then asked him to wager two thousand, and said that this time he would win. This the Brahmin did, and the next day, having tied one hundred carts together, he yoked Nandivisala to the first and stroked his back saying, "Now then, my fine fellow, pull." With one heave, Nandivisala pulled the carts, and the last cart stood where the first had been. The Brahmin was to receive many gifts in addition to the wager. Both these stories relate the faithfulness, the strength and the power that the bovine possess.

The bovine has thus been in the religion and culture of India and Sri Lanka, being the supper beast of burden in agriculture and transport. Indian and Hindu culture places him on a high pedestal with relation to Nandi and Lord Siva; in Sri Lanka based on the Buddhist teaching of compassion they were considered as close relatives and were addressed as “wahudaruwo.”(Bovine children) Ancient Sri Lankan culture was based on rice farming and much of the technology adopted was related to the bovine. Its energies were used from the plough to the threshing bed (kamatha) and transport of the produce.

Their relation with man was fractured in the colonial period with the habit of consuming its meat. But with the tea trade beginning to flourish, the bull was again the most sought after draft animal in the organized network of transporting tea from the central hills to Colombo. They were saddled up with jute pouches as pack bulls in difficult terrain and were yoked on to carts that plied on dirt tracks opened up for speedier transport.

Both these forms of transport in our country are now limited to certain very remote locations while the cart bull has vanished from the city almost totally in the last two decades.

Published in the Sunday Times - Sunday July 31- 2011

www.sundaytimes.lk/110731/Plus/plus_12.html

Harvesting Pinus (family Pinaceae of coniferous evergreen tree)

Reap What You Sow;  

The Conservator of Forest is right now harvesting acres of Pinus cultivations that have matured   in the Haldummulla range of Haputale. Large extent of land is made bare after felling the trees. There definitely is a programme for replanting and I guess it would be of exotic Eucalyptus gum varieties or Pinus; as indigenous forest plants take longer time to create a forest cover against the elements. 

Harvesting Pinus - Haldummulla

 

Land made bare after harvest - awaiting re-plantation

Pinus and gum trees are said to have quicker growth rate and are said to be advantages in this aspect. I recall there was much writing and discussions on the subject of giving exotic plant cover to our mountaintops in the upper water shed management areas. There was much debate when Pinus was preferred to other plants by the Forest Department (FD). Pinus is said to draw up the water table affecting our ground water resources etc. There was to be much displeasure when the FD decided to plant the buffer zone of the Sinharaja Forest with Pinus; saying there would not be an understorey and ground foliage; the pine needles are acidic and create a thick blanket baring seedlings contact with soil. These may be true.  Professors Savithri and Nimal Gunathilake’s of Peradeniya fame experimented with a plot of Pinus in Kudawa, Sinharaja by planting an understorey with the indigenous foliage found in the Singharaja forest understorey and it was a success. This was on an experiment basis and the Pinus are non-harvestable in order to sustain the said understorey.  One needs to understand that these exotic plants have a quicker growth rate and a short term investment cycle. We are now getting used to medium density timbers for our woody requirements. Hard wood timbers are rare and beyond buying capacities. As such I have my special consideration towards Pines and Eucalyptus.

I am not a botanist but am aware of the elementary plant science of seed dispersion and photosynthesis etc. I have some gray areas that need to be cleared by the Botany scolars. Driving to Badulla via Balangoda was when I came across these clearings and saw Pinus saplings that were growing very healthily on the newly rehabilitated road embankment. 

 

Road embankment with healthy Pinus saplings

Pinus taking root in embankment

 

I know that these were not planted by the RDA or any such body. Reference in the web showed that many are the types of Pinus and I get the feeling that it is the Red Pine that we plant over here. (I may be wrong)  The male and female cones develop in the same tree and seed dispersion is by the fertilized cones drying up to split open dispersing the seed while in some cases the birds open the cones to carry the seed away. I see no reason why a bird needs to be on a bare embankment and drop a seed for germination.

There is said to be types of Pinus that disperse  seeds through wind; this justifies the reason to grow on the embankment. But again why only on the embankments and not on the other lands that surround the Pinus plantations? I wonder if the seeds have a specific timeline to contact soil for growth or wilt away. Is it correct to think; the right time to harvest is when they start dispersing their seeds.  

Eight hours in Jaffna.

My daughter telephones me on Friday, August 5, 2011 inquiring if we could go to Jaffna in the weekend. Her cousin Prabudha a small time tour operator is sending a bus to Jaffna for the use of a party of tourist who are flying in to Jaffna. We only have to go in the bus and come back by SLAF flight to Colombo. We have just 8 hours in Jaffna for sightseeing.  My initial response was that I need more time to organize my work-setup and that she may proceed with the others. However she was not for it without me. I could feel the weight in her heart to  miss her maiden flying experience. Quick and out of the way requests to my colleagues, finds me in the trip as well. Twelve of us; fathers, mothers, uncles, aunties, sons, daughters, cousins and in-laws were in Colombo in three cars; them parked on the wayside and everyone board a coach on the Kandy road at Peliyagoda, at 6.30 P.M Saturday, August 6, 2011.

The Coach to Jaffna

With a delay of about an hour to repair a faulty Wi-Fi equipment brings us to a wayside restaurant in Negambo large enough to accommodate six bus loads of passengers. We dine in the restaurant opposite this large facility as we could not find a table to accommodate all. Turning right at Chilaw we are on the Anuradapura road, fascinated by the cat’s eye reflectors on the newly rehabilitated road. A bit of bumpy and shakey travel brings us to Anuradapura the famous trip destination; we don’t stop here as we are heading up north to Jaffna.

Cat’s eyes in a shaking camera

Low light and shaking camera in a moving bus gave these amazing designs

A few security checks outside of Anuradapura and a few pitch-black, loo-stops for the ladies (yet to narrate their new experience) we are in Omanthai the  famous wartime last strong hold of the SL Army. A Large complex; yes a complex situation then, when the trucks were unloaded checked and reloaded, days in waiting queues to cross the border. We too had to stay on for about a half hour. ID’s checked, those with passport had a set of forms to fill and a session of question and answer. We proceed further and are now in Kankarayan-kulam  the then LTTE entry point for a cup of plain-tea and snack at a wayside restaurants run by a Moor family. They tell us they are from Anuradapura and came over here after May 19, 2009 (last day of the war) to do business. Moors have been traversing the whole country this way to do business right through the history of this land.

A9 is under rehabilitation, we cannot keep pace with the large luxury buses (better known as video buses) tooting from behind asking for way to overtake, we slow down for them. Rattling hood-racks vibrating seats we come into dawn passing Killinochchi and into Elepahan-pass with the first light. The monumental armor plated bulldozer into which the courageous Haslaka Veerya leaped and basted himself saving his platoon is seen in the gloom. The flat-land seen on the atlas in Elephant -pass is very much different to what is on ground.

We are been welcome into the Jaffna Peninsula says many boards and notices. The dawn lights-up and we keep passing places, Pullaville, Iyakachch, Pallai, Muhamalai and come to Muerusuvil. These places were very much in the news where  a tight war was fought. Many lives were laid…… in vain. The area is still barricaded with yellow tape, saying land to be cleared from mines. We traverse a very tight roadway with a long earthen mound on the left side which held the railway to KKS, and crammed housing plots and many army units all covered to the eye level with Palmyra fan-leaves and coconut palm frond cadjans. The security forces boundaries are also covered at eye level with corrugated tin sheets as if keeping to the culture of Jaffna.

Dawn breaks in the peninsular

Dawn breaking silhouetting the Palmyra Palms 

Water Management to a dry land is a priority

Its 6.30 A.M, Sunday, August 7, 2011 after 12 hours of travelling we are in the central part of Jaffna town, the Old Dutch Fort and the Durraiappa Stadium.

Hour 1

The coach driver asks us to visit the fort now under repair after heavy bombardment and shelling till he locates the hotel were he needs to report. We walk around recalling the running commentary the whole country listened to when the fort was besieged by the terrorists in the 80's. SLAF with the Army performed a dare devil rescue operation which became a success after many days. Food and ice slabs for water were dropped into the fort by helicopters braving the terrorist fire.

The driver has found the way to get to the hotel,  we are now in the Pilliar Hotel after a hours walk around the Jaffna Fort.

A crow welcome in the Fort

A devastated Church

Star Bastian under rehabilitation

Dressed sea coral in walls

Visitors in the Fort - A thriving local tourism

Old Belfry

Re-building the Fort

Animal life in the Fort

 Little Cormorant

Grey Heron

They are a sacred breed in the Peninsular

A fully grown Calotes versicolor

Hour 2

At the hotel we are welcome with the same honor that Prabudha would have got, for us being related to him. Washed and freshened-up we are in for a Jaffna breakfast of Thosai and Sambar with coconut chutney which took extra time for preparation. The thosai came hot from the pan four at a time and the wait was nervous and drooling. The thosai was scrumptious……. need I say of the thosai that we have over here.   

After a war

.

Chevanayagam

Duraiappa

 Re-erected Chelvanayagam the father of federalism of the Tamil people... youth took to  arms for a separate state thinking his policy of little now more later was   taking time. New statue...... same old policy?

Life in Jaffna

Tuk-tuk's not a very popular mode of transport yet

Bicycle the preferred mode of conveyance 

Fishing not banned anymore

Bus en-route to Nagadeepa

Hour 3

We hired a van with Anthony the driver who will take us around and keep us amused  until 2.30 when it is time to go in for check-in at the airport.

Anthony - the chauffeur guide

We start off to Nullur Kovil where the seasonal festivities are on. All males need to be with bare upper body when entering the Nallur kovil. I overheard Lionel trying to drive the point to Puppa that even the President removes his upper garment when here and it has nothing to do with not being a Hindu. We all males go in with the upper garment wrapped around our waste.  I was tapped on the shoulder by someone to remind me that no photography is allowed within. I could speak Tamil but not read?

Nallur Kovil - a landmark in the peninsula

Inside the Nallur Kovil  photography is not allowed - 'the display is only in Tamil'     a two way language problem?

My all time friend Amudesh who left Jaffna in early 70’s, now a Colombo Tamil calls me from Colombo to ask my where about and tells me look around for the “ Poo varasum maram” and do not miss the only place in Nallur for the ‘Made in Jaffna’ ice cream at “Rajah Cream House”. I locate the place; and ask in Tamil about the “ Poo varasum maram”  from the guy attending to the kovil premises. He shows me the tree Sooriya / Gan Sooriya – (Thespesia populnea) a tree which is abundant in the dry zone. Amudesh thought it was special to Jaffna. The ice cream at Rajah Cream House was most amazingly enjoyed. Every type is available from vanilla to chocolate flavor cones, popsicles and palams from pineapple, mango, orange and strawberry flavors, and chocolate coated icy chocks. Elephant House and Cargils will have a tough competitor even though you stand on bear ground inside the ice cream parlour. Hiruni my daughter who does some work in food science feels the gelatin content is slightly high. Someone wanted “Kotta-kilango” the boiled and sun dried shoot of the Palmira fruit. On inquires they brought a sack full and discussed among themselves in Tamil “munnoothy ambadhi sollunga” (say three hundred and fifty), and when I said a kilo for Rs 350 is high. They say in Tamil “Hey this man knows Tamil;"  however we buy a kilo for that price.

Rajah Ice-cream made in Jaffna

“ Poo varasum maram” - Sooriya (flower inset)

Hour 4

Nagadeepa at a distance and a timeline of half a day was supplemented with the visit to the Naga Vihara in the heart of Jaffna town. The Public library of Jaffna once a treasure-trove of knowledge was torched by political goons and thugs. This carnage then was a standing monument as a justification and cause to be warring with the state. Rebuilt to the old glory and architecture; but for the burnt books. The library is opened for visitors only in the evening. The junction at the library is a training ground for the motorcyclist to practice balance while gyrating in the shape of the figure eight; a test  to obtain a riding license. Motorcyclists  in Jaffna now need a riding license issued by the Commissioner of Motor Traffic?

Naga Vihara in the center of Town

    

Re constructed Jaffna Library

Gyrating in balance

"Coming Soon" - Run up to the  local gov: election was to much for R Sampanthan

Hour 5

We are now traversing towards Chunnakakam to the bottomless  Nilaawarai Well. The youth of Jaffna took the IPKF in the 80’s to a ride by saying that there is an arms cache hidden in the bottom of this well and the IPKF started the gigantic project to de-water it. Never to complete, the well is said to be connected to the sea. Geologically the peninsular is on lime stone and a coral stratum.

The bottomless Nilaawarai Well

Shy - but good business

Hour 6

Anthony has time and we ask him to take us to Keeramalai beach, he recommends  the Kadurugoda Vihara and Keerimalai if time permits. Kadurugoda was a delight. A cluster of small dagabas of dressed limestone thought to be tombs of 60 Arahath monks slain by a tyrant leader. Daya my archaeology interested in-law tells me no one knows for sure what they are. May be the author or Mahawansa forgot this site?

A bodhi sapling coming up for worship

Kadurugoda Vihara

Hour 7

We ask Anthony to show us the general life style of the Jaffna people. Every now and then we pass kovils depicted to Murugan, Ganapathy, Laxmi and Kali etc. Life here is bonded with religious worship. Each junction has a small shrine for Ganapathi, Laxmi or Kali.

Jaffna has an age old culture which is built on a very strong cast base. They worship the same Hindu gods while the temples are numerously divided on cast. Thus every street corner has a temple dedicated to a god. The modern infrastructural development expected will be slow and difficult with emotions taking precedence. The land area is under a special civil law “thesawalamai” where land could be purchased by residents of Jaffna only; fruits on branches reaching the adjoing property are not yours?

Blinds at eye level

Ganapathi the god with the elephant face at a cross-road

Ganapathy is allover...... this one a woody root in the shape of a elephant head and trunk supported on a old differential and axle housing is good enough for veneration 

Kali the fearsome

Nandi the faithful bull of Lord Shiva keeps guard on all domestic gateposts

Lever operated wells a symbol in the peninsular is fast being replaced with  fuel operated pumps

Weather beaten Jaffna peasant does not ask for the Sun & Moon;............ But the youth?

Hour 8

Anthony says there would not be sufficient time to return from Keerimalai beach to be at the Vasavilan entrance gate of the Palali High Security Zone by 2.30 P M. We decide to explore the agriculture in Jaffna; spring-onion, vegetables, banana, tobacco, grapes etc instead. A vineyard was visited to take some pictures and latter decided to compensate a lunch of rice and curry with a fruity one of grapes. My daughter needed some pictures of Jamnapari Goats to be inserted in her presentation of the final year project at the University. Anthony knew no Jamnapari; but on the description of them by Hiruni, he found three of them.

Fertile red earth of the peninsular 

Mango orchard

Banana

Vineyard

Grapes - sour until ripe

 Jamnapari Goats

The Long Eared- (Lambakarana?)

At 2.30 we said good-bye to Anthony; a true friendship that developed in 8 hours. Tipped generously and he even obliged to dispose the little garbage that we collected in the van. We boarded the bus of the SLAF to be taken to the Palali airstrip. Into the washrooms and freshened up we went through body and baggage checks, our bodies weighed we board the SLAF-Y12 with assistance from the very polite and helpful SLAF uniformed staff. Seat belted and ears muffled we take off at around 3.40 P M.

In the next hour I go in to thought of a memorable eight hours in Jaffna while the rest was spellbound with their maiden airlift. Seeing my daughter’s expression I am happy to be with her; I would be guilty of a misdoing if she missed this experience. However I missed the company of my wife who is out of the county babysitting our first grandson. I kept Daya my eldest in-law of our whereabouts in Jaffna; he carries nostalgic memories of KKS and Jaffna. He was employed there in the 60’s. This outing would have been a complete get-together in the company of Daya, Indrani, Aditha, Nishantha, Raditha Madhavi and the kids of our third generation.

Bliss has its limits;...... time, space, finances and  of being in the right place at the right time.

After an hour of flying to Katunayake, the SLAF officer asks if our vehicle is at the arrival lounge to take us home. I say that they are parked at Peliyagoda. He prompts that he could even drop us at the Averiwatte Bus Terminus. To this we obliged and board an A/C bus en-route to Colombo and was in Peliyagoda in less than an hour.

I came home with two plastic cans of Nelli Syrup (the drink of the 60’s from Jaffna) and two packs of Palmyra juggery to be shared with Daya.. to rouse his nostalgia, and a miniature casting of my favorite elephant-faced god Ganapathy as a remembrance of the Eight Hours in Jaffna.

What can I say to  Prabudha my nephew other than a big Thank You?.................... If only there was a better word to express our feeling towards you !!