The Elephant in the Pageant

Dalada Perahera of the Temple of the Tooth

The Dalada-Perahera in Kandy Sri Lanka in the month of Esela or July as in the Gregorian calendar is when the animal welfare activists and elephant lovers are actively lobbying for the elephant in chains when a colorful nightly parade is on the streets of Kandy.

An annual Cultural and Religious festival that was patronized by the royalty ever since the tooth relic of the Buddha was brought to the island in the 4^th century during the rule of King Kirthisiri Meghawanna (305-331 AD). History notes that King Meghawanna decreed that the Relic should be taken round the city of Anuradhapura once a year. Accordingly the beginning of the Dalada Pageant.

However, the Esela Perahera had been an annual event outside the Dalada perahera in relation to the Hindu practices in parading idols of deities in the month of Esela coinciding with the South Indian temple calendars. A practice introduced by the Chola and Pandian invaders who established the South Indian Hindu temple culture in the country.

Esela festivities practiced today is a continuation of these traditional venerations in the four Devalas patronized by the Nayakkara genealogy; the last rulers of the Kandyan Kingdom. It was during the reign of Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe the last king in Kandy that Buddhism was revived and revering the Dalada was decreed with state patronage. Therefore history records that it was Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe who combined the Esela festivities of the four Dewala with the Dalada rituals; speculating if this Hindu King belittled the Dewalas by giving prominence to the Dalada or made equal status to the Dalada with that of the Dewalas?   

Traditional Dancers

The Kandyan Convention signed in 1815 and the British taking control of the whole island, it still allowed the continuity of the Esela Perahera noting it to be a Buddhist Festival. The colorful pageant continued with its uniqueness in the whole of South Asia with various performing dancers and drummers and over hundreds of caparisoned elephants also taking part.

Sri Lanka is one of the three island nations where the Asian Elephant breeds in the wild.  The elephant needs a large extent of land to roam, the country traded its elephants for centuries accounting for economic and conservation reasons. However with the British opening the land for tea and coffee plantation they almost destroyed the elephant to extinction resulting in confining it to the dry zone of the country.

Today the fate of the elephant in the wild is pitiful and the human-elephant conflict a major issue resulting in about 50 human deaths and over 150 elephant deaths a year. The world today is different and the trading in wildlife is controlled or banned with international conventions such as CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and the Sri Lankan elephant in an island is losing its limited wild habitat.   

Caparisoned Elephants

As a means of mitigation, various scientific approaches have been introduced, confining them to determined areas by means of electrical fencing, etc. The elephant is an intelligent animal and is clever to negotiate such fences and venture out for crop-raiding and confront gunfire, never to return on most occasions. Losing its habitat makes them wander about for fodder and water colliding with nightly trains that ply almost in darkness.  With no more international trading possible there were attempts to keep the numbers down by donating animals for cultural needs, as in pageants and as goodwill ambassadors to friendly nations. This too has aroused the concern of animal activists the world over. The cruelty in the ‘Crush or Phajaan’ in the splitting of the will of a captive elephant is thought to be the most disheartening ordeal that the captive elephant has to undergo.  However, it is noted that cruel methods practiced in Burma and Thailand even now was not the way it was in dealing with the captured elephant in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, this practice should not take place under any condition.

The Esela Perahera today is an annual event where almost all the captive elephants in the country are scheduled to take part. In the past, these animals trekked the tarred roads in the scorching heat of the day and the cold nights for months to be on time for the event. But today they are trucked to Kandy in a few hours on purpose-built vehicles. An achievement on the part of animal welfare reducing the cost of walking an elephant for months.

Conducting perahera since the Kandyan Convention in 1815 is a collective responsibility of the Diyawadana Nilame, the chief lay custodian in the Temple of the Tooth and the Basnayake Nilames of the four Devalas. The main issue today is the elephant needing to have fetters to its hind legs, limiting free movement  for almost 2.5hrs. This is due to a few isolated incidents of elephant furies in the past and today’s priorities on safety. Therefore it is a mandatory requirement for a veterinary screening of the animal and to have fetters on its hind legs.

Hind legs in Fetters

If one is to go back to view some of the ancient pageants now available in social media in the 19th century the elephants are free walkers sans any fetters. Therefore the Kandy Esela Perahera today is the main topic of discussion in social media concerning the welfare of the elephant. However, there is lobbying on both sides; some say it is a cultural event and the need for its continuity overlooking the suffering and the supposed animal torture. Others call for an end to the event in total, highlighting the ordeal the elephant undergoes with the continuous drumming and the discomfort of the weight of the garment on the animal, stress due to the illumination from light bulbs in the garment and the naked flames carried on the flanks recalling the past when the streets were dark with no lighting.

However in modern times, this event goes beyond a traditional ritual. The 'Dalada Perahera' is one of the most lucrative festivals in the temple today. A travelers festival that generates a lot of income to the government being a tourist attraction. Some tourists have even disapproved the event saying; with no offense to any religious aspect, the festival is found to be cruel and primitive to say the least, where a seat to watch the pageant is sold at $70 USD and it seemed like this whole charade was just another way to make money off the tourists.

1966 no fretters free movement

This is certainly true and the Temple of the Tooth and the Government are both in a different rationale with regard to the traditional Esela Perahera today.  Therefore any resistance towards the Dalada Perahera would only mean to articulate the issue with the elephant, to that of opposing a national interest. Abolishing the Esela perahera or eliminating the elephant from it would only mean a loss of a religious and national tradition practiced by a community…  that is how the politics behave in this country today?

Therefore it could be said that the helpless elephant will parade the streets of Kandy for many more years, just as it did during a thirty-year war and today with nobody on the streets, amidst the global crisis of COVID 19.  

A Trip to the GA’s Bungalow Polonnaruwa ?

This is a true story that took place way back in the year 1981. We were newly married with our baby son Naveen just a few months after his first birthday. Employed as a technocrat in the Irrigation Department took me into remote wilderness locations on duty. My narration of these wild locations enthused the in-laws that we make a trip to the North Central Province (NCP) and back. Living in Galle it would be a long way out to the NCP.

The dates for the trip was on a long weekend in October and the itinerary was drawn up assisted by my bosom pal Wilson Kulasuriya.  The trip for three-night outs were approved by all. The first day was basically a run-up to Chenkalady for the night a township in the Eastern Province with a visit to Buduruwagala, a place close to Wellawaya, that had effigies carved out of living rock. Day two to Polonnaruwa with a stay over in Polonnaruwa. Subsequently, proceed to Anuradhapura for an overnight stay and back to Galle the following day. The itinerary was passed by all. However, the long haul from Galle to Chenkalady was something that did have my fingers crossed.  This was in the year 1981 and the roads were of a rickety, bumpy state.

Next was to find a mode of conveyance. An enterprising Storekeeper in my office who had invested in a passenger bus service then, helped me locate a sixteen seater TOYOTA van. The dates fixed and the estimate for three days was thought to be fair. Our salaries then were very meager and limited to three digits.  However, the trip cost ran to four digits and we had to look for additional trippers to meet the budget. Finally, the budget was met exceeding the seating capacity. The kids and babies will have a lap ride all the way. The three-night stays were arranged with request Postcards sent out to the locations for reservation. The night in Chenkalady will be in the Irrigation Camp. Polonnaruwa was to be in a pilgrim rest in the vicinity of the Government Agents residence and the Dutugemunu Pilgrims rest was to be the night stay in Anuradhapura. The Postal Service then was thought to be reliable but for its promptness in deliveries.

Finally, the planned day dawned and the trip did kickoff on time at 4:00 A.M as scheduled from Galle. Breakfast was planned at Ambalantota at a relative’s house where three more trippers would hop in. A general timing of an hour for breakfast in Ambalantota did overrun with all the fun and laughter, longtime no sees, loo queues, plain tea, and milk tea mix-ups and finally we are back on the road to Buduruwagala.

We locate the turnoff to Buduruwagala with much difficulty and are on a dirt track which is in a very bad state for an overcrowded vehicle. No Google Maps or Air-conditioning then, we are drenched in sweat in a humid forest area covered in tall grasses. The van comes to an abrupt halt and the driver says … it’s the end of the road. On inquiries from some workmen living in temporary coconut cajan huts, we are told that the Buduruwagala Tank Bund had breached during the previous monsoon and the escaped waters had totally scoured the road below and the only way to the rock with its beautiful carved effigies was by the contractor’s boat service that took visitors across the tank for a fee. We are told that a party had already gone in the boat and once they are back another party is ready to go and our turn will be once they are back. Rough calculation showed a lapse of over four hours and we decide to abandon the visit to the effigy rock and decide to proceed. We still have more than half the distance for the day to be covered.  We had packed lunch on the way and did dose off when the driver missed a turn and we are now traversing via Passara/Lunugala a detour accounting for extra time and adding insult to injury we have a punctured tire. The wheel changed we are carrying the punctured tire to be vulcanized and repaired in Chenkalady. Passing Mahiyangane we reach Maha-Oya when darkness falls and is stopped at a police road barrier. There had been some skirmish with the security forces and the Tamil militia in Chenkalady and a Police curfew has been imposed for two days. The civil unrest that later turned into a thirty-year war was just in its brewing stage in 1981.

I’m now in a dilemma …. Is it the end of the trip? However, the priority now was to find a place for the night as darkness was closing up in all directions. The Maha-Oya Buddhist Temple was our only solace and some of us approached the chief prelate and explained our plight. His stand was that he would not allow his premises other than for pilgrims and as we were on our way to Polonnaruwa which according to his standards was not a pilgrimage, and was not happy in accommodating us. However, seeing the women and children and the menfolk to be of sober habits the temple gates were opened. A quick meal prepared and arrangements were made for the night in the sermon hall. The women were given the luxury of the limited water resource in the temple and the males went to the hot springs for a bath and to clean and wash the van. It was to be a very dark night.

Back after dinner, we have a major problem to be sorted for day two. We will have to either abandon the trip and go back home or travel all the way to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa via Kandy through the Hasalaka - Hunnasgiriya road on the sixteen hairpin bends. The extra cost and time is no way a match for us. However, enthusiasm and adventurism of the team said otherwise. There is a jeep track from a turn off midway between Maha-Oya and Mahiyangane through Weddah country to Welikanda on the Polonnaruwa - Batticaloa road. Welikanda is outside the Batticaloa district and is curfew free. Drivers agree and democracy had its way that day. We would leave as early as possible before sunrise and we are on the jeep track around seven in the morning.

(Apparently, this is the road that runs from Welikanda to Mahiyangane today via Girandurukotte and Siripura)

Breakfast was had on the way with plain tea from a wayside kiosk that served a smoke flavored black brew… my instincts say if we are lucky on this jungle tract we should be in Welikanda by around 2:30/3:00 P.M. But around 10 O’clock the sun is a scorching silver ball and we are sweltering in a crammed van running at breakneck speed in an elephant infested habitat in the dry zone jungles. The dust cloud created by the van is racing behind us, and it overtakes each time the van negotiated a ditch or a scour on the dirt track. Our exposed skin and hair turned brown with the dust cloud giving us all an aboriginal look. Everybody is silent through fear of possible elephant encounters or a possible breakdown that would strand us in this no man’s land.  The body language, however, did discomfit me as the trip coordinator and the feeling and expression of contempt that would fall on me, if at all we get stranded in this jungle. Just then we are struck with a disaster once again. We have another tire puncture and the feeling of being stranded is almost inevitable now with no spare wheel to change as we had not got the puncture repaired yesterday. We are stranded for sure and I’m looked at by everyone but I don’t give a damn but help the drivers with the wheel and looking for large stones to prop up the vehicle. The drivers will now have to carry the two tries to a local vulcanizing shed to mend them and come back. Our only hope now is for a bicycle or a farmer’s tractor coming this way. An hour passes and our people are in various locations where there is a shade. The kids are irritated and the mothers have a time comforting them. Our straining eyes see a speck in the distance and when it nears its a two-wheeled tractor with trailer. We are in a locality called Pimureththewa; there is an Irrigation Department workshop close by where we will have assistance. Two hours have gone and we are still stranded… but have trekked through curiosity to the upper reaches of the Pibureththewa tank and the kids are in the water and somewhat a comforting feeling to all in this scorching heat. By the time the van is ready the sun has turned over to the setting side. We have lost day two as well on the outskirts of the Pibureththewa jungles and I have another issue that’s worrying me now.  

Our overnight stay in Polonnaruwa is not confirmed and my plan was to finalize matters when in Polonnaruwa as the travel from Chenkalady to Polonnaruwa was only three hours then and a contingency could be sorted out if we were not booked in. However, now we are reaching Polonnaruwa once again in the late evening and locating a place as a contingency plan would be very vague. I had sent a Postcard in time to the pilgrims' rest but if it was received on time at the rest was my issue.  The rest is located close to the Government Agents residence and therefore I had addressed the postcard thus….”The Pilgrims Rest, Near GA’s Bungalow, Polonnaruwa.” 

We are now in Welikanda on the Polonnaruwa-Batticaloa highway and with a short time, we would be in Polonnaruwa and darkness would be falling soon. Where are we heading to? ask a voice from the front and I say ‘ask for the GA’s bungalow’.  ‘Are we staying there tonight?’ was the sarcasm in the question and the joke was enjoyed by everyone except me. We are there at the supposed pilgrim’s rest which is now full of activity with people running about chatting, cooking, washing, bathing, etc. We walk up to the caretaker/manager and explain our situation and ask to be excused for being late arrivals.

A humble gentleman looks up at us from his desk and asks in the native Sinhala tongue…                 “ඔබ තුමන්ල දිසාපති හාමුදුරුවන්ගෙ නෑදෑයොද?” ….. (Are you the people related to the Government Agent)…others looked at each other.... my wit came in in no time knowing what would have happed …. I said “ඔව් ඔව් ඒ අපි තමයි”… (Yes, yes… they are us).

The postman had delivered the Postcard to the GA’s bungalow instead and the GA on his way to the Kachcheri had handed the Postcard to the caretaker/manager and explained that a party would arrive on the said date.  

There had been many callers that day for accommodation but the large room had been kept reserved for GA’s relatives. My day was saved and right through the period at the  Polonnaruwa rest we were all relations of the Government Agent Polonnaruwa.

The trip now had to have an extra day as all needed to look around Polonnaruwa. And we being relatives of the GA the humble caretaker/manager allowed us an extra day in his rest. The trip continued a day behind schedule to Anuradhapura and we had no issues during the rest of the trip.  

FOGSL… in Nilagala for the First-time

Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka [FOGSL] is the largest membership of bird loving personnel in Sri Lanka. Established in 1976; is based in the University of Colombo and is in to the scientific  study of birds in Sri Lanka. The pioneers of FOGSL being  Dr. Sarath W Kotagama, Dr. S U K Ekaratne, M/s P B Karunaratne, Rex I de Silva, L B Ranasinghe and G L de Silva; the organization went to the masses beyond the university only in 1996 with a well publicized exhibition dedicated to Mr.P B Karunaratne a renowned personality on the Natural History in this country. Today the membership is well passed the 3000 mark.

Further to the University based scientific activities, bird study workshops at Sri Lanka’s premier  birding locations is an annual event that is conducted to the membership. These visits commenced in a primeval way  in the mid 1990’s, when the organization was lacking for resources but armed with a very dedicated membership.

Sinharaja, Bundala, Nilgala and Horton Planes being the premier birding locations in the country, FOGSL was to commence bird studies and counts in these locations on an annual basis.

The very first visit by FOGSL to these locations were significant and is worth be recorded.

Professor Kotagama and Indrika  with Nilgala in the back ground

The visit to Nilgala in 1999 was exceptional. The dates being 4th, 5th, 6th and the 7th of February. It was with much planning and reluctance that a selected few [around 15] of the tough ones used in roughing out took up the task of recording birdlife in Nilagala.

We left the University premises about mid day and reached the Nagala Buddhist Temple in Bibile in the night. The logistics required that we be at the Nilgala access very early in the morning in order to make the best use of daylight on the hike to the base camp in the Savannah forests of Lower Uva located within the catchment of the Senanayake Samudra [Inginiyagala Tank].

Food was never planned for the first and the last days but was had on the wayside as was available and when required, but carried with us the bare minimum dry rations for the other days, keeping in mind of the load that was to be carried on are heads and backs.

We slept in the sermon hall of the temple and were up by 04.00 a.m. to be at the Pitakumbura junction which is the entrance to the Nilgala Sanctuary on the Bibile-Ampara road.  A police check point was  located here, for it being a warring time in the country. We had rusk bread with plain tea for breakfast. The tea was like sugar syrup at this kiosk, the only one that had come up to cater the policemen manning the checkpoint.

The kiosk and its future owners

On inquiries about the hike to the camp; everyone in Pitakumbura cautioned us of the difficult terrain and the beasts that were to be encountered on the way. They suggested that we travel light, while our baggage and the provisions  be delivered to camp by an ox drawn cart.

FOGSL had no camping gear then, tents were a luxury during that time and leisure excursions into the countryside were not welcome with an on going war a few miles away in East Sri Lanka.

Sokade

An hour and a half passed, and we are still at Pitakumbura waiting for the cart, when we hear a “Sokade” [ a neck bell carved out of solid timber for the bullock ] and a funny looking cart driven by two oxen is here for us to load our baggage, and the few utensils borrowed from the temple. The distance of five kilo meters to walk was always a doubt; the distance measure in these parts of the country are based on assumption and local techniques.

Funny looking cart

We had to be mindful that the we would not be abandoned on the last day, so we would be paying the cart only on the return trip and the agreed fee was Rs. 200.00  both way.

The team with villagers at Pitakumbura ready to leave for Nilgala

Loading the cart

Helping the bulls cross the creek …….  Today there’s a bridge to pass over

On better road before the cart vanished

The digital era was yet to come and photography was on light exposed celluloid. Mr.Upul Wickramasinghe who made photography his profession was the official photographer of FOGSL and the only one who had a camera. We were all limited to a few field glasses while some of us carried G M Henry’s Field Guide and the FOGSL’s official Field Guide of 1995 by Kotagama and Prithiviraj..  Armed with  these limited resources we kept close to the cart helping the bulls on difficult terrain.

Upul the official photographer

The cart-man knowing the terrain better vanished in a speed after the ravines were crossed leaving us to follow with ample birdwatching to be done at leisure. An hour passed with the cart gone, we are in the Aralu, Bulu, and Nelli groves; thought to be the Aurvedic Herbal gardens of ancient Sri Lanka.

The Savannah forest

There being no habitation around unlike today  the birdlife was in plentiful. It was here that I recorded my perfect clear naked eye sighting of the Red Faced Mal-koha on a Kahata tree just five feet away almost at touching distance. I was petrified with nobody around for testimony…. enjoyed this godsend blessing for almost ten minutes. It was feeding on the tender Kahata flowers, looking around tilting its red face staring at a petrified me as if to say you are most welcome in this land. 

Most animals are approachable until it fears man in its habitat. We were about the earliest to go here after a long lapse of human visitation. The Wildlife Department had only a beat office which was hardly habited by the officer then.

The new beat office

Nilgala an ancient village was absorbed in to the Gal-Oya Multipurpose Development Scheme which came up after independence. The villagers were resettled in new farmlands and the village Nilgala was acquired into the catchment of the Inginiyagala Reservoir. However the existent paddy cultivation was permitted to continue. The famers had their watch towers on the trees in the periphery to keep the elephants at bay in their nightly raids. The stately house of the village head-man was spared and is used as the beat office

Almost two and a half hours of trekking and birding we reach camp. The cart had already been unloaded the two bulls were grazing in the shade.

The timely priority was a meal….and every one got together to prepare a basic lunch with the available facilities at the beat office kitchen. The bulls and the cart gone we venture into the savanna with the sun on the setting side for birding with all ears and eyes scanning for the Painted Francolin the biome special bird of Nilgala.

Basic utilities at the beat kitchen

Many of the birds seen on the first day were lifers to many,……the Drongo Cuckoo, Three toed Kingfisher, Red faced Mal-koha, the Racket tail Drongo were special to everyone but for the Partridge not seen or heard yet. Towards evening  a heavy drizzle came down and all of a sudden we hear the  raspy call of the Painted Francolin. Everybody rushed in the direction of the call, the fading light and the grass being tall we could not see it but was so near. Though not proper,through temptation we decide to flush it. Two of us venture into the tall maana grasses and the call ceased  ……….we had startled two axis deer instead. The light fading quicker we call it a day.

Of the birds seen for the day there was to be much of the biome restricted species of the Uva Avifaunal Zone. The Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, the Scaly-bellied Woodpecker the Southern Sirkeer ,the Rufous Woodpecker and some had even seen the Yellow – legged Green Pigeon. Dinner was taken early as we had no illumination facilities and laid down with two old earthen pots stuffed with coconut husks that bellowed smoke into the verandah to keep the teeming mosquitoes under control.  That night was truly a very long one?

Up very early as usual the morning scores took time at the single loo house and the very deep well. Those who went to the bush knew how to blend with the environment and there was ample ablution water in the irrigation canal. A clear and clean trickle of water at the a culvert close to camp was for those who were particular about the water.  They were the first to be gifted with the  sighting of the Painted Francolin……..a lifer to all no doubt. The bird came out on a rock boulder in the morning streaks to call for its mate……. that call was not answered by its mate but by all of us. We had seen the biome special bird of Nilgala.

Breakfast had, we venture into the jungle single file along the canal bund up to the weir on the Gal Oya,  passing elephant tracks that lead to the paddies. 

More birds seen but the Racket-tailed Drongo being the sighting of the day at the weir site. My friend Wilson later wrote about it in the ‘Malkoha’ the official journal of FOGSL describing the racket as two black beetles following a black bird .. The two extended tail feathers have only the tips broadened with feathers depicting them to look as beetles. Many preferred the return to camp via the river bed exploring the deep rock pools of the Gal Oya.

Evening was spent at leisure around camp where we saw the Red Faced Mal Koha again on the high canopy of the riverine trees. There was the Grey Hornbill feeding its imprisoned mate in a tree cavity for all to see in seated comfort. It was only towards late evening that Wilson and Amudesh decide to explore deeper in the savanna with me. We follow the tracks of the stray cattle and within half an hour we smell cattle and and they are now visible in the distance.  Not far from them we see movement and hear the rumble ……its three elephants and we are back on the road as fast as we could in just half the time we took to see them. Towards night during dinner we hear them closer to camp feasting on the  ripened jack fruit of the abandoned jack trees the villages left behind. Wilson and Amu had an arrangement with the farmers that night to spend the nightly hours on a tree hut. Their yearning to see elephants in moonlight was not to be a reality that night.

The cattle and the elephants beyond

The last day at Nilgala was dawned and we have a half a day for birding. The organizers had firm orders set; that lunch will be had by 12.00 noon and departure no sooner the cart comes. On the return the hikers proceeded before the cart to be at the creek on time to help the bulls.

We visited the only abode that was seen within the sanctuary that of a humble farmer. It was the season for Oranges. Bibile being the locality famous for Oranges in the country. At the farmers house was an old abandoned plough complete with its yoke and all. He was generous enough to part with it………….today this yoke hangs over the entrance door at Professor Sarath Kotagama's abode in Pelawatte welcoming all who visit him.

The plough yoke overhead welcome you at Professors abode

The search for a  Sokade to be hung on that yoke as a call bell is still on…….

We are at Pikakumbura earlier than expected. The cart man seem to have tricked us at the end by demanding more money. Negotiating to what was agreed was not to be ……we pay him more and the deal is closed happily.

The last bird greeted us differently at Pitakumbura ……an Indian Cuckoo kept on calling on its descending whistle   kwer…kwah    kwar….khur   [folklore interpret it as ..botuwa kapang.. meaning cut your throat ] 

Not a wish that we would expect from a bird after four memorable days in Nilgala. That Cuckoo being  the last bird seen we are back on the road leading to Colombo.

Definitely a trip to remember with lifelong memories for every participant ……. and I have used the old bird names for nostalgic reasons in keeping with yester-time .

The unmarked pictures of birds and the other are curtsy Google Images.

A Night Under Canvas in Uda-Walawe…..for Birdwatching before Breakfast

Prabuddha my nephew who runs a small time tour operation calls me in late December 2014 inquiring if I would accept an offer on a very concessionary rate; full board basis to be under canvas for one night at  Wild Trails in Uda Walawe. His inquiry no doubt is because I wouldn't let off such an offer being ever so addicted to be out of doors.

The date is 27th December ……. my family with two other are scheduled to meet at Wild Trails by evening.

Uda Walawe in Sri Lanka is located midland more southwards from the central massif. The township being the nucleus of the Uda Walawe Multipurpose Irrigation and Land Development scheme in the 60’s. Its iconic component is the Uda Walawe reservoir; and its eastern flank and the catchment-area is declared a National Park. The park being of rolling savannah land devoid of large trees and jungle is home for a large elephant population. It is said that when the land was cleared for development the large fauna was trans-located in the park. Its flagship species under conservation is the Asian Elephant.

Though popular among the visitor for the pachyderms, it is no doubt a haven for the birdwatcher….and that is the only reason why I am here.

We are all at Wild Trails by 7:00 p.m. having  been to places of interest around here and are shown our abodes for the night …..dinner is from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p,m.

These large canvas abodes are very much taller than the conventional ones where one is more in a crouched position until you retire for the night. These large ones had three compartments separated by zipping up celluloid flap ways. The front being a veranda with chairs to sit and gaze the outside while the center being the bed room with basic facilities that are to found in a hotel room but located differently around the three beds. The back compartment being the loo and the shower positioned on pebbles and paved stones: the shower was open to the sky. If not for the comfort of condition air in the room from a split unit A/C all the rest was on a natural setting with the  canvas adobes located alongside the River Walawe.

The timing being just after days of torrential rains in the country the reservoir was brimming and the sluices opened out releasing excess water to the river. This part of the river would otherwise be dry being very close to the earthen barrage built across the river to form the reservoir. We had the natural river flowing this day and a unique feeling for everyone for sure.

After a three course dinner had under candle light, the itinerary for the following day was discussed. Excepting for the three of us all the rest preferred to sleep in to the morning hours. Their preference was to sticking to the premises till noon. This is not why I am here; we request a jeep at six in the morning for a birding safari in the park…

The night was cool with the drizzle that continued deep into the night. The wet weather did away with the need for the A/C to keep on humming in to the night….. The melody of the rippling river outside the tent lulled us into deep slumber. Our weary limbs lay in comfort on clean bed linen under heavy canvas.

Yes… a different form of pampered luxury altogether.

We are up by 5:00 a.m. and I'm clad in earth colors for  birding. The overnight drizzle has taken away the thick dust clouds that would otherwise cover convoy of jeeps on these dirt tracks in the park. 

We  follow a different path from all the other jeeps that are to run behind each other looking for the elephants.

With the spring round the corner the peacocks were ready in their colorful long train feathers displaying in the morning light…..a qualification for the prospective maids.

The vast open expanse of Uda Walawe is ideal for viewing raptors round the year.

The Changeable Hawk Eagle and the Black-shouldered Kite are common residents over here.

The Common Kestrel a regular winter visitor was seen with a birdie prey in the distance.













This Barn Swallow preening in a prickly surround was a pleasing site  to watch. Away from the other jeeps the birdlife was all for us to keep.




The Orange-breasted Green Pigeon was no doubt the capture of the trip …it was just two meters away from the jeep and would not leave, for we were that quiet.

 

The pop……pop…….pop…..of the Coppersmith Barbet was heard in this fig tree. My random clicking on auto focus produced this unusual capture almost camouflaging it…. if not for the bright coloration of its head.





A Grey-breasted Priniya is very vociferous in saying……… I’m over here for you  to look at.




This juvenile Rufous-winged Bushlark was lazy on the ground. When active it would call loud and jump high into the sky to parachute into the grasses to attract the fairer sex.






A Little Green Bee-eater is a sight to watch. Leaving its perch to grab the insects in flight only to return to the same perch.
If you lost the focus to click it the fist time it is guaranteed  to return for you for the second click.
























This Red-wattled Lapwing was contrasted against a lake thick of green algae.

My longing to see the the Sirkeer Malkoha became a reality while at this pool. A bird of the dry parched shrub land, always on the move, a difficult one to capture. 

The Rosy Starling a migrant from the Indian Peninsular during this time of the year'

The Black-headed Munia

The Whooly-necked Stork

The torrential rains had swelled the reservoir and the tilapia had made its way to the rich grassy fodder the new water spread had brought in. Once the water reseeded the tilapia were marooned  bring about a feast on the fast food for the Jungle Crows.

Finally after almost three hours of birding we are closer to the gate and encounter  the elephants.




The worlds largest land animal in comparison to a White-breasted Kingfisher





Elephants in Udawalawe are constantly monitored under research study. This mother is under study and is wearing a radio collar.

This young calf from the orphanage has just been released to the wild

A memorable three hours spent but slightly disappointing for not having seen the Malabar Pied Horn-bill or the Grey Horn-bill, a very common sight over here, we are back at Wild Trails. We walk into a breakfast table laid for us...  our colleagues have just finished their breakfast.


Bags packed we leave the others behind on our second leg of the vacation to Arugam Bay in the East Coast of Sri Lanka.