ஈழத்துப் பாடல்கள் - பகுதி ஒன்று

The tale of two cities by the Lagoon – Batticaloa & Venice

December 27, 2015, 9:16 pm 

By B. Nimal Veerasingham

Growing up barley a few hundred yards away from the meandering and mesmerizing Batticaloa lagoon had its magical moments. The swilling frothy waves dancing in the sun rays, and gently touching the sandy shores were a sight that never fades from memory. The mangroves, prawns, jelly fish, green algae, and the distinct lake smell –are elements that embody the surrounding of a lagoon dweller.

To me, the Saturday morning bike ride with my father, along the Southern edge of Lake Road dotted with colonial government bungalows with panoramic views, gave me reason to be awestruck. It’s largely due to the wholesome lagoon effect -everything from the moored cranes and sea birds on the marooned tree trunks, the smell of seaweeds hauled by fishermen trying their nets from the shore, the glitter of the rising sun, and the circles of outrigger canoes where groups of fishermen try their luck. Occasionally, my father would call the fishermen to see whether there was anything to buy for lunch.

Then there were the howls of foxes, mostly during the fading evening light across the lake, where the vast paddy lands crisscross the hinterland. My grandmother would at times point to their movements interpreting them as a call to the pack, foretelling the death of livestock. The jolt of fire that could be seen moving on the waves during dusk is not a mystery to insiders. I am not talking of the release of Methane gases in the mangroves or some fiery ghosts showing their prowess over the lagoon – but the skillful youth floating bounded banana trunks together, to host a burning log fire on the cap of a tar barrel!

The December monsoon brings another round of excitement – the rising lagoon waters that engulf, initially the lake road and gradually move inland. Our house was on higher ground, so the lake water hardly reaches. But to compensate for that, we walk on the flooded lake road, usually by a foot or two - like the moon-walkers, and try our luck on casting the rod for the fish flowing in from the surrounding tributary ponds.

I realised the unique DNA of the Batticaloa lagoon and its surroundings’ enormity, only when I came of age - during my escapades with the roots of my worldly journey. Everyone at one point of their lives will want to go back to see the beginnings, as they age with related enlightenment. It is kind of what Salmon does – going back to the swamps all the way from the sea it lived, to where it all began – the place where it was originally hatched – to lay its eggs before it breathes the last.

The very name ‘Mattakalapu’ in Tamil simply denotes a ‘flat lagoon’. It could be said that Batticaloa’s entwinement with culture, arts, poetry, literature, cuisine, drama and folklore has a strong association with the lagoon and the surrounding regional landscape - providing a romantic mysticism that could only be felt intimately when you succumb to the call of the lagoon.

The lagoon Veneto

So it is no accident when I met my aunt after almost 30 years this summer in Italy, it is not about the once majestic Roman empire and its remnants that excited me – rather the reminiscing of our common lagoon environs. She is a transplanted Roman citizen living there for almost 30 years. The gastronomy she has developed is worthy to mention – a fine interloping between Tiber River and Batti lagoon. She has mastered everything from antipasto to risotto saltato and gnocchi to calameritifritti – and makes the best cappuccino (along with mutton rolls.) The manifestation of love and affection through a satisfied palate – a mantra, that’s heavily wired and followed. Mediterranean catch almost matched the traps of the Batticaloa lagoon – my aunt’s dining table is well represented with devilled prawns and stone crabs.

To the North of the country, lies the most visited city of the world - the story of Venice has been told in every angle. The autos being forbidden in the main Islands, the lagoon is the lifeline for Venice. About 70.000 residents battle with the millions of visitors arriving by air, ship, auto and train to be part of the romanticized lagoon environs. In the free market economy the service sector is leading the economy of the Veneto, despairingly bringing eco damage or not.

But to be in the realm of a lagoon city that has ruled the waves and lands for many centuries, Batticaloa has little in common with Venice, except the lagoon itself. But interestingly the main islands of both principalities – ‘Puliyanthivu’ and the main historic Venice look similar, in the shape of a turtle. The English word lagoon did originate from the word ‘lagun Veneta’, referring to the marshy watershed of roughly 550 square Kms by the Adriatic Sea. The narrow Batticaloa lagoon on the other hand stretches around 50Kms in length, separated from the Indian Ocean.

Evolving economies

Veneto region once ruled the waves with its advanced shipbuilding industry. The lagoon also complemented its fishing and agricultural landscape. But what was once the crown of the Roman jewel chest, has today, completely switched to a service economy intertwined with mass tourism. Career conscious young people have moved in droves out of the region due to lack of opportunities, leaving only the old; a reality that no one is immune to in any part of the globe.

What will happen to the Batticaloa region’s agricultural and inland fishing, once they get saturated is anyone’s guess. But what is noticeable is the expanding tourism industry, centered mostly on the Passekudah and Arugum Bay regions. On the other hand, a steady stream of outward youth movement, mostly to Colombo and its environs is clearly visible over time, to better them in the economic chain.

Two lagoon cities – unified in one tale

Two cities surrounded by two lagoons - though thousands of kilometers away; intertwined with many similarities. Besides providing a lifeline and protection from the angry seas, historical lineage does bring both together in many respects. Whether the forecasted nebulas in the global warming scenarios could spell disaster by way of rising water levels and weather calamities, wait to be seen – or should they be prepared for the continued existence of these people by the lagoon?

What once a maritime power and military prowess has become a romanticized fairy book, depending on mass tourism. Batticaloa lagoon’s reflective influence upon its dwellers does continue to be evolved in a manner beyond simple physics and geography. Has anyone recently notice the Soprano ‘C’note from the magical symphony of the ‘Singing Fish’ -possibly reflecting on the impending winds of change?

source : http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=137731

East Coast Sri Lanka one of the 52 Places to Go in 2016

East Coast

Sri Lanka

Remote stillness — and world-class diving — beckon.

Cut off for the last 30 years because of civil unrest, the east coast of Sri Lanka offers a collection of new hotels like the eco-conscious treehouse-inspiredJungle Bay resort, the barefoot-casual Maalu Maalu and private villas from the local brand Anilana. Wildland Adventures offers back road cycling and leopard-spotting land safaris, and Abercrombie & Kent now extends access to forgotten Hindu temples in newly revived Trinco as well as the region’s main draw, unexplored diving sites: the world-class wreck MV Cordiality and the1922 British Sergeant, a marine oasis leaning on its side. Add on snorkeling with blue whales off Pigeon Island National Park, plus remote surfing, and the boxes are all ticked.Daniel Schefflersource : http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/07/travel/places-to-visit.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=2

Batticaloa Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for Eastern Sri Lanka

Batticaloa Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for Eastern Sri Lanka

Batticaloa gets fully fledged Hospital

Features

Despite the advancement in certain aspects of life in Sri Lanka, it is still a developing nation with insufficient funds to provide appropriate medical and hospital facilities in rural areas.

The foundation supporting a National Trauma Service was established in September 25 in 2011, when a Deed of Trust was signed by Dr. David A Young, Nihal de Run, Nalin Patikirikorale, Indrajith Fernando and Yoland (Bobby) Hansen as Trustees of the Trust in Colombo. It was also granted legal status in Australia with having Governor of Victoria Prof. David de Kretser as its Patron and Dr. Ranjith Hettiarachchi and Abbas Akbarally as Vice Patrons. Nihal de Run was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer with Dr. Greg Hoy as Vice President. The Foundation appointed cricketing legends Muttiah Muralidharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dav Whatmore and Shane Watson as its Ambassadors. The project was launched with the understanding of the Ministries of Health of Sri Lanka that the entire project cost would be shared by the Foundation and the Government. The project was designed in two phases, the first phase to build the Emergency and Accident Unit that would cost a sum of US$ six million. Of this, the Foundation is funding US$ two million, while the rest would be funded by the Sri Lankan Government's Ministry of Health. The first phase also includes the drawing of blueprints and engineering sketches, while the construction work is scheduled to commence in November 2015, following the appointment of the Central Engineering and Consulting Bureau of Sri Lanka(CECB) on a turnkey basis.

The second phase of the project is to equip the new building with state of the art surgical equipment and machinery, operating theatre, furniture, ward beds, etc.

The Foundation is committed to provide a further donation of US$ 1million in kind, while the rest would be provided by the government.

Explaining as to how the fund raising programme is in process, Foundation's CEO Nihal de Run said they have already raised a sum of US$ 1.6 million, but the Foundation seeks to raise another and is in need of another US$ 400,000 to support the building project.

The fund raising is currently being conducted both locally and internationally. The completion of the project and the handing over of the new building is scheduled for end 2017.

Leading Corporations such as Sri Lanka Telecom, the Asiri Group of Hospitals, John Keells Group, Baurs, Phoenix, Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) Ltd., Penguin, Brandix and the Melbourne Orthopedic Group have already funded the project to date. There have also been some very large donations made by prominent individuals in Australia and Sri Lanka.

Construction of this Trauma Unit would assist people who are badly injured in motor vehicle accidents, industrial and domestic accidents, burns, bites and vision impairment and injuries lingering post tsunami. The growing tourist industry in the Eastern Province also calls for treatment to be available to tourists who are injured during recreational incidents. BEAP’s mission is to empower doctors in Sri Lankan Teaching Hospitals to improve health care services, by providing them with medical resources, training and support to build the necessary infrastructure within their teaching hospitals and to extend the National Trauma Service from Karapitiya to Batticaloa and beyond.

The Rotary Club of Strathmore, Victoria, Australia has adopted the project BEAP as their international project and they have linked with the Rotary Club of Colombo East and the Rotary Club of Batticaloa, to help with the project. The estimated building cost would be Rs. 820 million (approximately US$ 6.3 million) and the fit-out and equipment cost is estimated at Rs. 260 million (approximately US$2 million ).

source:http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2015/11/11/features/batticaloa-gets-fully-fledged-hospital

மட்டக்களப்பில் 2000 ஆண்டு பழமையான நாகர் கிணறு

Image captionவந்தாறு மூலையில் இருக்கும் இந்த கிணறு இரண்டாயிரம் ஆண்டு பழமையானது என்கிறார் பத்மநாதன்

இலங்கையின் கிழக்கு மாகாணத்திலுள்ள மட்டக்களப்பு மாவட்டத்தின் வந்தாறுமூலை நீர்முகப்பிள்ளையார் ஆலயத்தில் கி.மு இரண்டாம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சேர்ந்த நாகர்களின் கிணற்றையும், நாகக்கல்லையும் அடையாளம் கண்டிருப்பதாக யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் முன்னாள் துணை வேந்தர் சி பத்மநாதன் பிபிசி தமிழோசையிடம் தெரிவித்தார்.

வந்தாறுமூலை நீர்முகப்பிள்ளையார் ஆலய வளாகத்தில் சிறியதொரு கிணறு காணப்படுகிறது. மூன்றடிக்கு மூன்றடி நீல அகலங்களுடன் சதுரவடிவிலான இந்த கிணறு சுமார் இருபது அடி ஆழம் கொண்டிருப்பதாகவும், இந்த கிணற்றின் உட்சுவர் கருங்கற்களினால் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாகவும் பத்மநாதன் தெரிவித்தார்.

Image captionஇந்த கல்லும் இரண்டாயிரம் ஆண்டு பழமையானது என்று கருதப்படுகிறது

இந்த கிணற்றின் கருங்கற்களில் தமிழ் பிராமி எழுத்துக்களில் “மணி நாகன்” என்று எழுதப் பட்டிருப்பதாக தெரிவித்த பத்மநாதன், தமிழ் பிராமி எழுத்துருக்கள் கி மு இரண்டாம் நூற்றாண்டில் இருந்து கிபி இரண்டாம் நூற்றாண்டுவரையில் புழங்கியதால், இந்த கிணறும் அந்த காலகட்டத்தைச் சேர்ந்தது என்று தாம் கருதுவதாகவும் விளக்கினார்.

இலங்கையின் பூர்வீக குடியினரான நாகர்களின் கல்வெட்டுக்களில் காணப்படும் தமிழ் பிராமி எழுத்துருக்கள், நாகர்களும் தமிழரும் ஒன்றே என்கிற தமது கருதுகோளுக்கான மற்றும் ஒரு வலுவான ஆதாரமாக அமைந்திருப்பதாகவும் தெரிவித்தார் பத்மநாதன்.

இது குறித்து அவர் பிபிசிக்கு அளித்த செவ்வியின் விரிவான ஒலி வடிவத்தை நேயர்கள் இங்கே கேட்கலாம்.

Source :BBC

Jump media player

Media player help

Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.

nullso

Votes Closed in Batticaloa