Retracing the Legend of Ravana in Sri Lanka, a Demon for Indians and a Noble King for Sri Lankans.

BLOG NUMBER 30 02/05/2021 nguptatravelscrapbook.blogspot.com

Retracing the Legend of Ravana in Sri Lanka, a demon for Indians a noble king for Sri LAnkans

"The world welcomes the fact that the civil war has ended in Sri Lanka, and we are relieved that the immense loss of life and killing of innocent civilians appears to be over. This is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to turn the page on its past and build a Sri Lanka rooted in democracy, tolerance, and respect for human rights." WHO 2009

An introduction to Sri Lanka, the Enchanted Island.

Tea pickers on a tea estate

Sri Lanka is one of the most diverse countries, from verdant tea plantations and hill stations to its tropical rainforests, dazzling white-sand beaches, ancient Buddhist temples and the most exotic wildlife. Often known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka scores where traditions meet modernisation in every aspect. Since the end of the brutal civil war in 2009, the country has become one of the most upcoming five-star holiday destinations. Sri Lanka is friendly, fascinating, and wholly incomparable. There's only one way to represent Sri Lanka – a small island country with the generosity of an entire continent! With an impressive total of eight UNESCO world heritage sites on the island, some jaw-dropping temples, caves, falls and fortresses hiding amongst the green forests, we affirmed that Sri Lanka was simply astounding.

Colombo scenes

We ventured and made many Sri Lankan friends in our medical fraternity over the years. My extended family has come to associate with Colombo, from the Buddhist Singhalese sect, in the later years. In the 1990s, thru my friends, I learned about the deep subdivision predominant between Tamils in Jaffna ( up in the north) and Singhalese in the rest of the country and what made them divide so bitterly, leading to thirty years of brutal civil war and extreme hardships on both sides? Both communities have contested this island of paradise for so long that no one can honestly say who got there first. Contemplating back over the last two thousand years, it is hard to spot a century in which Ceylon ( as it was known) was neither occupied, invaded, nor riven by catastrophic civil war! 

Near Colombo

A short car journey from my home in the leafy suburbs of Surrey, UK, one can reach a large and yet barely visible community of Sri Lankans in Tooting in SW London. Almost all of them are Tamil refugees over from the Jaffna province of Sri Lanka. Their exact number is unknown to me, but there are now more Sri Lankans in Tooting, London, than ever Brits in Ceylon ( around 6000 of them at the peak of the British empire in the mid 20th century). I have often visited Tooting for delicious Sri Lankan food and have visited their temples, approx. 25 temples being in London alone! Srilankans, with their astute intellect, make the most honourable intellectuals, academicians, scientists, writers, mathematicians, astronauts, doctors, Journalists, statisticians, and not to forget astrologists. 

In Oct 2013, with the news of a forthcoming family wedding in Sri Lanka, we were the first guests to book our choices to travel to Sri Lanka. With a busy itinerary to travel around the island and attend the wedding in its full galore, most family and friends reached Colombo either from the U.K. or South India. The Would-be bride and bridegroom travelled from Melbourne to Colombo, with the bridegroom’s family belonging to Colombo. We were very fortunate that our esteemed friends Dr Arun and Mrs Bali Tyagi, and Drs Indra and Rajinder Kumar joined us keenly to explore and enjoy the beautiful country of Sri Lanka together.

Colombo restaurant Owned by Famous cricketer Jayasurya.

It is believed that humans have inhabited Sri Lanka for over 300,000 years. Sinhalese represent the leading group comprising 73% of the population. They migrated from India in about the late sixth century BCE. Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka around the third century BCE.  Today it is the main religion of the Sinhalese people and the island. From the south of India, the Tamil people are primarily Hindu, settled in the North of the island and up in the hills in Nuwara Eliya( Mid country).

We started off from Colombo, the capital city, on to Pinnawala, Habarana, the cultural triangle ( Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa), Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala, Galle and Wadduwa( for the wedding) with a return flight from Colombo. 

Colombo, the capital city, is lavishly foreign even to those who have lived there forever. It has all the usual details, kirks and clock towers, pillars, entrances, and Gothic touch, a town hall on the scale of Capitol Hill and a full range of departmental stores. Colombo is a sight to behold as well, with some fascinating colonial architecture and friendly faces. Any driving is art here- there are cars, tuk-tuks, bikes, scooters, pedestrians, meandering dogs, all milling together in a state of seeming chaos. Yet calm rules, drivers frequently honking to tell that I am here and get out of my way! We went thru few markets in the city while enjoying ginger flavoured teas and drinking coconut waters. The city has footprints of its famous cricket players named in famous restaurants, sports fields, and some hotels.

Road to the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka.

Travelling around in private vehicles with a driver was the most comfortable way to journey around in Sri Lanka. The driver would often stop at interesting village cafes for refreshments or lunch or a tea break. As expected, our driver was full of local knowledge and whereabouts and often supplied us with the needed info. Even though the distances were not much, the roads tend to be narrow and full of traffic, taking much time. To start our journey of the cultural triangle, we travelled northeastward to a place named Habarana, with an overnight stay, stopping en route at an elephant orphanage in Pinnawala, which is operated by the Born Free organisation. 

Elephants in Srilanka have extraordinary appreciation.

When Marco Polo touched Sri Lanka, he called it a treasure house of spices, jewels, elephants, and rice. Not surprisingly, elephants have bulked huge in the island's history. Here, the elephant has been the symbol of power and authority and a pliable worker for much of it. Sri Lankan elephants are mysteriously easy to train. They have been utilised from medieval times in construction, work on canals, clearing the mountainous jungles for tea plantations and much more. It is hard to imagine Sri Lanka without its beloved elephants, an essential part of any ceremony or procession. Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage was on the way to Dambulla stop over to indulge in the rituals of elephants bathing in the river and baby elephants feeding time whereby milk was fed to baby elephants directly by a hosepipe straight into the mouth followed by leaves and branches etc. 

Elephants headed for river bath.

I was sufficiently intrigued by  an adult elephant's full skeletal display. I couldn't help comparing this skeletal to human one that we studied in details in the early years of our medical degree. Interestingly, Sri Lanka is one of the few places left on earth where elephants still live in the wild – and about 4,000 of them too!

At Elephant Orphanage

Dambulla caves date back to the first century CE when they were used as a refuge by an ancient king, who, after regaining his throne, carved magnificent, golden frescoes on the cave walls; it is now a world heritage site. Dambulla Rock caves ( Five in number) house nearly 185 statues of Buddha, wall frescoes, carvings and other works and were amazingly atmospheric. Impressive was the 15-meter long reclining gold Buddha, built in the first century. 

Sigiriya Rock

That afternoon, I could hardly wait to climb to Sigiriya, where a citadel was built about 2000 years ago by King Kashyapa. The imposing and steep rock rises some 660 feet above the plain. As we approached through the royal gardens, I wondered how I would ever get up negotiating nearly 2000 steps ( both ways). With narrow, slippery and irregular steps with flimsy narrow stairways, no hand drails, it turned out to be a dizzying climb.

Sigiriya

In the middle of this climb up, the caves provided a respite where walls were full of remarkably well-preserved frescos. Then it was up again to the Lion's Terrace, a place to stop and marvel at the views or catch your breath and face the final stretch, which I could not complete and reluctantly descended when we were awarded for our attempts by a treat of wood apples and custard apple juices, freshly squeezed. A real Sri Lankan speciality! As we were driven around the country for the next ten days, what a treat it was to see lush green vegetation with no small brown patch of earth to see anywhere. I have related some of the famous plantations that we came across while touring Sri Lanka.

The list was endless!

It included most of the spices grown here, including black pepper, nutmeg, mace, vanilla pods, cardamons, cocoa, cloves and cinnamon etc. The enormous orchards of mangoes, papayas, pineapples, bananas, coconuts, wood apples, custard apples, tamarind, egg fruit (Canestel), starfruits, breadfruit, tapioca, jack fruit, catchew, acacia, lychees, cashew nuts, forests of Sandalwood, eucalyptus, orchids, rubber plantations, palm oil plantations, bamboo and much more. To identify the vegetation was exhilarating and entertaining for my friends and me!

Kandy, the last section of the cultural triangle. 

Tooth Relic temple in the background

Kandy, the last stronghold of the Sinhala kings, after falling into the hands of Britishers, the UNESCO world heritage site retains its grandeur unaffected with passing times. Surrounded by sweeping hills and lush valleys, Kandy holds the temple of Tooth Relic, the most sacred site of Sri Lanka, constructed in 16th CE. By protecting the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha, he has given exclusive divine powers to the countrymen. The outside of the temple was swamped with monkeys ready to snatch everything from your hands skillfully. The local police were regularly firing sound guns in the temple's forecourt to keep the monkeys at bay and safeguard the pilgrims. Tooth relic temple endured heavy pilgrims casualties during the civil war when the walls and shrine were scattered with bullets and the grounds drenched with blood and corpses!

In local outfits in Kandy

As we were touring around Kandy, we got converged on the Ramayana tour by chance.  Having read, recited and watched Ramayana plays in my childhood, we persuaded our driver, Suranga, to take us to visit a few of the destinations related to the  Ramayana epic that I would describe a bit later during this blog. I soon realised that I need to work out my way to understand why Ravana, the depicted demon in Ramayana, was a  good soul and a true protagonist short of being a divinity. 

Ravana ensemble

We saw boutiques, shops, hotels, caves, waterfalls, teas, spices, and everyday household items in the name of Ravana, something one would never, never ever come across in India, just away from a short distanced bridge in the Indian Ocean at the Southern tip of India! What a stark contrast of mythology, convictions and beliefs! 

Devoted Emperor of Sri Lankans; the fascinating story of Ravana, according to Sri Lankans. 

My further research analysed few facts for me. 

The legend of Ramayana is one of the most worshipped scriptures in Hindu mythology.  In the classic Ramayana story, the demon Ravana kidnaps Sita (Lord Rama's wife) to claim vengeance on Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana for insulting his sister. Indians celebrate the famous Hindu festivals of Dussehra and Diwali towards Lord Rama, triumphing over the demon Ravana and freeing Sita (Lord Rama's wife). It is immeasurably about goodness prevailing over evil, enduring many impediments.  The geographical synopsis of Ramayana consists of entire India from north to south, and the adjoining island Ceylon (Sri Lanka), which is generally assumed to be Ravana's Lanka.  Ramayana has seeped deeply in the Indian subconscious offering millions of everyday people with distraction, contentment, and spiritual support. 

As part of the epic Ramayana captivates the legendary tales of Lord Rama, Sita Goddess, God Hanuman and demon Ravana in Sri Lanka, I have described a few of these accounts here. As per Hindu legend, the story of Ravana, one of the most powerful kings ever to roam the universe, had unfolded in Sri Lanka, where he ruled with his mighty powers over Gods, humans, and demons. For Sri Lankan Hindus, comprising 15% of the population, the story has a different perception of Ravana. 

Sri Lankans don't revere Ravana as a God, but they value him as a noble, distinct and respectful king. Emanating from a highly esteemed family, Ravana earned wisdom in academics, medicine and combative arts. He was a devout disciple of the God Shiva. Sri Lankans saw a significant advancement in science and medicine under the widely educated  Ravana. The Pushpaka Vimana, his flying machine, is an example of outstanding scientific achievements made during his regime. He is believed to have authored Ravana Sanhita, a compilation of Hindu astrology. Hence his description as a ten-headed person is believed to reference his vast knowledge and intelligence. 

His Kingdom had concentrated in the South and eastern part of Sri Lanka and the central region of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. While numerous sites or locations in India conforms to the Hindu legend, they are not the only ones. There are many locations in Sri Lanka as well, with the Ramayana tour in Sri Lanka being highly popular with the locals and the tourists. During our trip, we visited many Ramayana related locations, which included

• Kandy region where Ravana spent time with his army. 
• Ramboda Waterfalls and The Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple where Lord Hanuman is believed to have begun the search mission for Goddess Sita.
• Nuwara Eliya is known for Sita Amman temple and Ashok Vatika, where Goddess Sita was kept under Ravana’s captive.
• Divurumpola, it is here believed that Goddess Sita was made to perform the fire-test  (Agni Pariksha) to prove her chastity and devotion to her husband, Lord Rama, after being freed from Ravana’s captivity.
• Ella Falls, where Ravana used to worship in the caves.
• Sigiriya Rock,  a cave here, is believed to be where Ravana kept Sita captive in Sri Lanka.
• Horton Plains is considered to be the landing sites of his flying machine.
• Adam's Bridge, a chain of limestone shallows, between Rameswaram Island ( India) off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, India, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka, is equated to the legends of Rama and Ravana. 

World-famous cricket grounds in Galle.

Sri Lankan Cricket team is an Ace, world-class team. 

Galle is a jewel of a town on the island’s southern tip, a surfer’s paradise, and a UNESCO world heritage site. Portuguese colonists built its fortified old town and fortress in the 16th century, with several British and Dutch architectural marvels added.

Galle town

Step up onto the overgrown stone ramparts – barely shoulder-high in places – for a stroll with an easy-going overview of gabled villas, shady colonnades, red-tile roofs, and cricket matches in full swing. 

Galle cricket stadium with Arun and Bali

It was buzzing yet relaxed with boutique shops, little restaurants, and multiple jewel shops. We came across jewel shops virtually anywhere and everywhere in Sri Lanka. It was a bucket list tick when we visited the world-famous Galle international cricket stadium, our friend Dr Arun Tyagi being an avid cricket fan.

Famous stilted fishermen in the Indian Ocean

Pits, Mud, Gravel, and Gemstones of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is world-famous for Gemstone mining which is done mainly from secondary deposits using ancient methods. The river bed gravels yield sapphire, ruby, cat’s-eye and other stones like garnet, beryl, tourmaline, topaz, quartz, and many other gemstones. The island is blessed with geological conditions that provide an ideal blend of chemistry, heat, pressure and time for gem crystals to grow.

Wedding Near Colombo

We visited the mining areas around Ratnapura. The Colombo- Ratnapura road has countless gem mining operations in paddy fields beside the road. Although these makeup only a tiny percentage of the island’s gem deposits, they gave us an overview of mining operations throughout the country. Most of the gemstone mining in Sri Lanka is done by hand in open pits by choice.

Family of leopards at Yala National Park.

World Famous Sri Lankan Tea Estates of Nuwara Eliya.

Turning south and climbing up to hill country, it was a gruelling six-long drive on narrow winding roads covering about 260 KM. The climate noticeably cooled down with a change in vegetation all along. The road climbs up further from Ella, soon road engulfed in high clouds to reach Nuwara Eliya at 1868 m. One could see tea covered hills, soaring the skyways and then plunging deep valleys. This is the capital of the hill country and was founded by the Britishers in 1846. It is also known as Little England since the buildings look like they have been transplanted from Surrey in the UK, complete with hedges, manicured lawns and even red letterboxes. Tea plantation continues to grow and thrive along the hillsides, which could be seen covered with emerald green bushes of teas.

Up at the tea estates in Nuwara Eliya

Some abandoned tea factories have been transformed into luxurious accommodations while keeping the basic structure as it is. We stayed in an expertly refurbished tea house named Heritance Tea factory, Kandapola; while the factory's exterior has stayed as it is, the interior was wholly unconventional. Here many tea factory chambers are now housing dining rooms, lobbies and other recreational areas in this smashing hotel. It still has giant and wooden ceiling fans used to dry the tea leaves. Several copper chimneys have been left as such but incorporated in the interior with the most exemplary attention to detail.  The fine mist covered the mountains from the afternoon onwards, emphasising the cosiness of our rooms with wood-burning stoves. Traditional tea was served in silverware with never-ending butter biscuits, so very English or shall I say here so much Ceylonese. We engaged ourselves in a local tea picking session ( a considerable tourist attraction). The girls offered us a sari to tie, and with baskets overhanging our heads, we were there looking like genuine tea pickers. At that time, I did put these fascinating pictures on FB to the delight of my friends. 

Incidentally, it was the most notable Hindu Festival of Diwali that day. We realised that hotel had put in extra efforts to display traditional Diwali decorations in the hotel; we gladly took part in these festivities and lit the earthen lamps at night time in the lobby. This area of Nuwara Eliya is mainly populated by Tamil Hindus, brought in from Southern India during British times for tea plantations that have stayed on since then. To further mark the celebrations of Diwali, we were served a special and delicious dinner with Indian sweets along with.

A concept about Sri Lankan food:

Often dwarfed by its Indian neighbour, Sri Lankan food is quite different to Indian food though sharing similar spices. Soft textures, coconut milk, rice, spices and fragrant: this cuisine is varied, heavily influenced by its proximity to the ocean, with the best seafood ever savoured by us. All the hotels served local specialities with great pride and displayed European food for the tourists. An accurate description of the gorgeous nation could be the Island of Rice and Curry. Making bountiful use of local fruits, including coconut, jackfruit, mango, tamarind and seafood cooked with correct proportions of spices, Sri Lankan cooking delivers an abundance of incredible dishes. Here are some you shouldn't miss. Over the traffic and noise at a Sri Lankan market, you'll likely hear the clanking of metal on metal and know kottu isn't far away. Kottu is Sri Lanka's hamburger -- everybody's favourite. Other main dishes included Symbols, Hoppers, Various fish, chicken and vegetable curries etc.

I am compelled to introduce Sri Lankan home-produced yoghurts, vending on the streets as a snack!

Roadside yoghurt

Both sides of the highway were lined with open stalls selling yoghurt/curd ( known as Mee Kiri) in shallow earthen pots, traditionally made from high-fat content, buffalo milk imparting an unmatched firmness and creaminess to the yoghurt. A part of the secret to this curd’s taste and texture lies in the coarse and porous nature of the baked clay pot (Kiri Hatti) in which the curd or yoghurt is set, providing natural insulation from heat. We often bought the whole pot and shared the curd, adding sweetened palm sugar syrup ( called Kithul) sold separately. The yoghurt combination made a healthy and refreshing lunch swooped with coconut roti cooked fresh on wood-fire, on roadsides. Like other families in the village right behind the bustling highways, each vendor made and sold over 250 pots of yoghurt a day.

Some of the anecdotes that I had entered in my travel Journal during the travels.

• India won T 20 series against Australia by large margins on 02/11/2013; we watched the hotel's highlights in Nuwara Eliya.
• We were able to make phone calls to our families on the occasion of Diwali via What's App, a new service and with good coverage there.
• Mangalayan mission to Mars was launched successfully in India on 05/11/2013 by ISRO.
• Little Master Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement from active cricket on 12/11/2013, as we learned from the BBC news.

I realised that my travel journal in Sri Lanka consisted of 48 handwritten pages. I can't believe that I had written all the lengthy details of this trip enroute. Certainly, I did enjoy reading the journal for this blog, reminiscing the precious memories. I have included collage pictures of this journal here. Please feel free to add your experiences and comments on the contact form or under the comment section.