The Healing Water of Madunagala

The tiny bubbles that surfaced the dark waters shimmered in their constant up ward journey; they were little globules of air that resembled silky pearls. Over the moving ripples a misty smoke left the water, soon dispersing as it mingled with the warm southern air. Miraculously medicinal, the Madunagala hoe water wells in Mahapalassa in the south of Sri Lanka have stood the test of time, generously offering their healing waters to the throngs of people that have for years gathered to bathe.

At the entrance, we were initially greeted by a series of stalls that sell local fruits, sweets & various trinkets & knickknacks to the hundreds of people that come to the hot water spring each day, with vendors beckoning us to try a ripe mango or taste one of the many soothing medical herbal drinks on offer.

The spring stood in the form of a series of wells huddled in a group of six. In the centre stood the main but smallest, surrounded by a few larger ones resembling the petals of a flower. A few people had already gathered around with plastic buckets and cans pouring the hot water over their heads.

The high temperature of a hot spring is a result of the heat from the earth’s mantle, which is often referred to as geothermal heat. The temperature of rocks within the earth increases with depth & whenever water seeps deep enough into the earth’s crust it will be heated as it meets these rocks.

Hot springs in Sri Lanka are distributed along a narrow land belt running from Hambanthota to Trincomalee within the boundary of three main geological plates; the Wanni, Highland & Vijayan complex. The Madunagala hot spring is located in the Highland & Vijayan boundary. This hot spring is 11,582ft deep with its water running at a speed of about 645ml per second, and is of varying temperatures.

I eagerly dipped my hand in each of the wells curiously exploring the varying degrees of heat that engulfed it. The smallest well sitting in the centre was actually the highest in temperature. At 440’c the water was bubbling, releasing a thin smoke into the air. The water from the rest of the wells stood at varying temperatures of 38’C , 32’C and 26’C.

The hot water is said to consist of 22 elements such as Sulphate, Nitrate, Calcium, Sodium and chloride. The combination of these elements as well as other minerals blended in the water is said to cure skin aliments, arthritis, asthma and a number of other chronic illnesses. To gain the healing effects of this water however, one must avoid the use of soap. “ the water from these wells have very strong healing powers that can not only cure physical ailments but it also has the power to relax your mind”, said one of the visitor as he slowly poured a bucket of hot water from the smallest well on his feet. 

No one knows exactly when or by whom the hot water spring was discovered but the local folk believes that during the 5^th century BC group of 12000 Buddhist monks from a nearby temple, suffering from an incurable skin rash had been told of its miraculous healing quality through a dream. Thereafter they had cleared the jungle in search of the spring which had ultimately cured them.

Since then, it has been conserved and believed to have miraculous healing powers by the hordes of people that come from across the country each day to bathe in its powers spend a few hours cleansing body & mind with the healing waters of Madunagala leaving thereafter refreshed and happy.      

Koneswaram Temple (Kovil) in Trincomalee

Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee or Thirukonamalai Konesar Temple – The Temple of the Thousand Pillars and Dakshina-Then Kailasam is a classical-medieval Hindu temple complex in Trincomalee, a Hindu religious pilgrimage centre in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. Built significantly during the reign of the early Cholas and the Five Dravidians of the Early Pandyan Kingdom atop Konesar Malai, a promontory overlooking Trincomalee District, Gokarna bay and the Indian Ocean, its Pallava, Chola, Pandyan and Jaffna design reflect a continual Tamil Saivite influence in the Vannimai region from the classical period. The monument contains its main shrine to Shiva in the form Kona-Eiswara, shortened to Konesar and is a major place for Hindu pilgrimage, labelled the "Rome of the Gentiles/Pagans of the Orient". Connected at the mouth of the Mahavilli Ganga River to the footprint of Shiva at Sivan Oli Padam Malai at the river’s source, the temple symbolically crowns the flow of the Ganges River from Shiva’s head of Mount Kailash to his feet.

Developed from 205 BC, the original kovil combined key features to form its basic Dravidian temple plan, such as ii Cholan. Regarded as the greatest building of its age for its architecture, elaborate sculptural bas-relief ornamentation adorned a black granite megalith while its multiple gold plated gopuram towers were expanded in the medieval period. One of three major Hindu shrines on the promontory with a colossal gopuram tower, it stood distinctly on the cape’s highest eminence. The journey for pilgrims in the town begins at the opening of Konesar Road and follows a path through courtyard shrines of the compound to the deities Bhadrakali, Ganesh, Vishnu Thirumal, Surya, Raavana, Ambal-Shakti, Murukan and Shiva who presides at the promontory’s height. The annual Koneswaram Temple Their Thiruvilah festival involves the Bhadrakali temple of Trincomalee, the Pavanasam Theertham at the preserved Papanasuchunai holy well and the proximal Back Bay Sea (Theertham Karatkarai) surrounding Konesar Malai.

Koneswaram has many strong historical associations. The shrine is described in the Vayu Purana, the Konesar Kalvettu and Tevaram hymns by Sambandhar and Sundarar as a Paadal Petra Sthalam along with its west coast counterpart Ketheeswaram temple, Mannar, it is the birthplace of Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras and was praised for its tradition by Arunagirinathar upon his visit. The Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Manmiam works note it as Dakshina/Then Kailasam (Mount Kailash of the South) for its longitudinal position and pre-eminence, it lies directly east of Kudiramalai west coast Hindu port town, while it is the easternmost shrine of the five ancient Iswarams of Shiva on the island. Mentioned as a widely popular bay temple of the island in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Yalpana Vaipava Malai, the Mattakallappu Manmiam confirms its sacred status for all Hindus. Kachiyappa Sivachariar’s Kanda Puranam compares the temple to Thillai Chidambaram Temple and Mount Kailash in Saivite esteem. Konesar Malai may have been the site where Yoga originated; some scholars have suggested that the worship of the almighty god Eiswara on the promontory is the most ancient form of worship existing.ts thousand pillared hall – “Aayiram Kaal Mandapam” – and the Jagati expanded by King Elara Manu Needh

Hikkaduwa Turtle Farm & Hatchery

The turtles are one of the rare species found in the world. As far as turtles concerned, they are the top on the endangered list all around the world. There are all together seven turtle species have listed up to now, such as green turtle, hawks bill turtle, Oliver twist turtle, leather back turtle, Kemp’s idly, and flat back. But five of these are presenting in Sri Lanka coastal area.

Now a day’s so many turtle hatcheries are mushrooming along the southern coastal belt. They are doing a great favor to increase the capacity of this giants descending from Jurassic period.

The turtles get together in certain areas of the ocean annually to mate. After mating the female turtles come to the sea shore to lay their eggs. They are supposed to lay eggs after they attain the age of about 30 years. They are said to lay their eggs on the sea shore at night. It is said that these turtles prefer to lay their eggs on the same beach they were born. They are supposed to lay about 120 eggs at a time.

Their eggs are white and they are similar to Ping-Pong balls. The eggs are kept damp by the female turtle by emitting a juice to cover the eggs. After laying eggs these turtles go back to the ocean. They keep no connection with the eggs or their new born kids. The eggs are hatched with the help of the warm sand heated by the rays of the sun.

After a hatching of nearly 60 days these tiny ones are making their own way right direct to the deep blue sea. This time they may get the dangerous attractions from birds, crabs and fish. Few of them will survive for breed their posterity. Humans are the main threaten for them. To avoid these circumstances social services have started to protect them in hatcheries.

They buy eggs from villagers and they spend whole nights when the nesting season starts for turtles on the beach to find eggs. The baby turtles hatch after 48 days if they can get lots of sun shine where it is raining take up to 60 days before the turtles emerge from the eggs. They are then placed in the tanks and for first 3 days remain without food to cleanse them of material ingested form the eggshell.

Hatchery holders feed them with tiny fish two times each day. In this time they are learning to dive down into the tank to take the food. After they can be safely released into the sea where they can fish for themselves on the coral reefs. Turtles are frequently injured at sea as many of them get caught in fishing nets. After three months of time they release them in to the sea.

Peraliya in Telwatta Hikkaduwa and Kosgoda area is famous for turtle hatcheries. All the five species are displaying in these places. They may charge a little amount for the maintenances of the turtles. Well, no need to think twice to look them on your necked eyes as really as in the deep blue sea.

Mirijjawila Botanical Garden Hambantota

The rationale, value and benefits of conservation have long been expressed. But in terms of the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka the facts are plain; it represents a substantial portion (almost one third) of Sri Lankan forest ecosystem, and 95% has been lost in the last 20 years alone. There is also ample evidence of climate change in the area as a direct result of habitat losses. Human activity relies on a good climate and our dependency on dry zone habitat is clearly rationale for its conservation.

A dry zone botanic garden has significant conservation benefits. Sri Lanka is one of 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world; it has high endemism and there are several threats to habitats. Much of this biodiversity lies within Sri Lanka’s forests and much of the forest is secondary, and lies within the dry zone.

Experience of running the national botanic gardens of Peradeniya and Hakgala has demonstrated the business case for tourism, with both gardens being profitable and a major feature on the tourist trail. The new Dry Zone Garden will follow this established, and tried and tested pattern. Its location on the Colombo-Kataragama main road will also attract a large number of local visitors.

The new garden will not only support and encourage tourism locally; it will also encourage the development of other tourist services such as accommodation, travel and product sales. The National Census of Population and Housing in Sri Lanka (2001) provides a benchmark of current tourist support industries in the area, with level of employment figures provided for 2001. A comparison with figures for future years should indicate increased economic growth within tourism. Figures for 2001 indicate that 906 people in the Hambantota area were employed in bars, restaurants and canteens; and 850 people employed in Hotels and other accommodation facilities ( a total of 1756 people employed in these activities local to the new Garden).

The last botanic garden in Sri Lanka was established at Henarathgoda, Gampaha by the British in 1876. This garden together with the Royal Botanic Garden at Peradeniya and Hakgala Botanic Gardens are internationally acclaimed botanical institutions engaged in ex situ conservation of plants. The national botanic gardens are profitable state organizations earning around 100 million rupees a year.

The main objective of establishing the new botanic garden is the ex-situ conservation dry and arid zone plants. The garden will also provide opportunities for ecotourism and economic development in this area and to model dry zone landscape improvement. These objectives will be achieved when the garden opens officially to the public.

In the longer term, within the first 3-5 years, the garden will feature those plants that are lesser known and underutilized in the dry zone; promote the herbal industry; and provide education and training on botany and floriculture in the dry zone.

In summary, there are 6 main objectives:

1.         Ex-situ Conservation of dry and arid zone

            Flora

             

2.         Studies on lesser known and under utilized

             

3.         Specialty in Dry zone landscape

            Improvement

             

4.         Herbal Industry Promotion;

             

5.         Education and training on botany and

            floriculture

             

6.         Eco tourism promotion

Biological diversity is known to have declined at an unprecedented rate due to of habitat loss, fragmentation, invasive alien species, over-exploitations/over-harvesting, pollution of soil, water and atmosphere, desertification, global warming and climate change, industrialization and economic development.

The benefits of conserving dry zone habitat and its distinctive vegetation are largely long term, though no less significant for that. The rich agro-biodiversity in the Island’s farming systems is experiencing many threats due to unplanned land use, pollution, fragmentation and alteration of farming systems. The garden can play a role in ex-situ conservation of some of the more important components of agro biodiversity found in the dry zone.

According to the government policy the Southern Sri Lanka has been earmarked as a development zone for tourism, and a Botanic Garden presents an attractive visitor location both for domestic and foreign tourists.

Any new public amenity creates direct and indirect economic benefits at local level. Local employment and training opportunities will be created at a local level. The demand for both products and services will increase, some to meet the needs of a growing garden amenity and others as a result of the increased public traffic created by the garden over time.

Government policy also emphasizes conservation of biodiversity and sustainable policy for environment conservation which are directly related to this project.

A field office has been established at the site and an Officer in Charge has already been appointed. The development activities on the site are monitored by that officer. Regular meetings are held at the department and ministry level to assess the progress of the activities included in the development plan.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is located in the south eastern region of Sri Lanka and extends over two provinces of Hambantota district of southern province and Monaragala district in Uva province. The entrance to the park is at Palatupana, 12km from Kirinda. The distance from Colombo to the entry point of Palatupana is 305 km.

The gateway to Yala National Park is Tissamaharama. A 20 km drive via Kirinda takes the visitors to the Palatupana. At Palatupana, the well-designed visitor center provides the information to the tourists and assign a tracker to all incoming vehicles. The park provides jeeps with soft –tops which affords better opportunities in viewing wild life. Dawn and dusk bring about the best timing for safari tours in the Yala National Park.Being located in one of the arid regions of Sri Lanka, the Climate of Ruhuna National Park is usually hot and dry. The mean annual temperature is 27 Celsius, although in the dry season the temperature could go as high as 37 Celsius.The main annual rainfall is during the North east monsoon from November to January while unpredictable inter-monsoonal rains occur in March or April. February is a driest month, but the main dry season spreads from June to October.

Yala National Park that consists of five blocks is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Though Yala spreads over an area of 1260 square kilometers, only one fifth of the area is open to the visitors. Four-fifths of the park is designated a Strict Natural Reserve. Adjoining the eastern border of the park is Yala East National Park (Kumana)

Block	Extent	Year the block is added onto the park
Block I	14,101 hectares (54.44 sq mi)	1938
Block II	9,931 hectares (38.34 sq mi)	1954
Block III	40,775 hectares (157.43 sq mi)	1967
Block IV	26,418 hectares (102.00 sq mi)	1969
Block V	6,656 hectares (25.70 sq mi)	1973

The rocky outcrops scattered over the park provides vantage points to enjoy the sprawling areas with Sri Lanka’s dry zone landscape: low scrub and woods. Stillmore, the southern border of the park being the south-eastern coast, the brackish lagoons and dunes enhances the distinctive charm of the Yala National Park.

Wildlife at Yala National Park

Of all the National Parks in Sri Lanka, Yala National Park affords the greatest opportunities to sight the Sri Lanka’s broad variety of wildlife: colorful painted stork in troops are seen perched at the shores of lagoon where the crocodiles too have chosen to doze off; lovely fantailed peacocks in their resplendent blues and greens parade about amidst the woods where monkeys hang, leap and chatter; in the bush jungle are the Elephants; crossing the tracks and wandering off into the thorny scrub jungle is the star attraction of the park: the leopard.

A total of 32 species of mammals have been recorded. The threatened species are sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), Leopard (Panthera pardus) kotiya, elephant (Elephas maximus), water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), Wild boar (Sus scrofa), spotted deer (Axis axis ceylonessis), sambar (Cervus unicolor) and golden jackal (Canis aureus).

Leopards at Yala National Park

Sri Lankan leopards (Panthera Pardus Kotiya) are said to be a distinct sub-species from their Indian neighbors. Leopards can be seen throughout the park, though best period for enjoying the sights of leopards is during January to July.

Yala National Park’s Block 1, on the western side of the park, the only one of all five blocks open to the visitors, has recorded the highest density of leopards among the leopard populations scattered in the wildlife parks of Sri Lanka. These magnificent beasts have now much habituated to the encroachment of their domains by the humans in jeeps. Young males don’t betray any sign of disturbance; they seem confident roaming over the gravel roads tracks as well as the bush jungle during the day: the visitors enjoy to no ends, fine photographic opportunities to capture the magnificent beasts well focused at the close range.

Elephants at Yala National Park

Nearby Lunugamvehera National Park serves as a corridor between Yala and Uda Walwe National Park. Yala is home to considerable population of elephants which varies seasonally. Dry season of May to August is the best period to see elephants.

Birdlife at Yala National Park

Yala National Park is rich in birdlife and around 130 species have been recorded.Raptors include crested serpent eagle and white bellied sea eagle. Among the water birds attracted to the lagoons are Lesser Flamingo, Pelicon, Spoonbill, painted stork, rare black necked Stork, grey heron, purple heron, night heron and Darter.

During the north-east monsoon the lagoons are visited by thousands of migrating waterfowl, including Pintail, Garganey, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel and turn stone, which mix with the residents such as whistling duck, Yellow Wattled Lapwing, Red Wattled Lapwig and Great Stone Plover.The forest is home to Orange Breasted Green Pigeon, Hornbills, Flycatchers, including Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Barbets and Orioles.

Reptiles at Yala National Park

Notable reptiles are Mugger Crocodile, which is abundant in the abandoned tanks, Estuarine Crocodile, found in the main rivers, and Common monitor. Other reptiles include Cobra and Russel’s Viper. A variety of Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley and Leatherback, of which Yala coast line is a major nesting ground.

Birds Of Ceylon

The birds are Ceylon  are enchanting. To begin with garden birds in the low country, the commonest are the Magpie Robins (Polkichcha), Red – vented bulbuls (Kondays), the Mynah the House Sparrow (Ge kurulla), the ubiquitous Crow (Kakka), Sun birds & the seven sisters. And in the trees, green barbets that hammer out hesting holes, like the woodpeckers (Kottoruwas), the lovely black headed Orioles, with lovely flutelike notes & a flash of golden yellow & the red-backed wood peckers. Graceful terns & brown headed gulls (Lihiniya) invade the harbor & Brahmin kites’ wheel overhead. As many eighty or more different species of birds have been recorded within the confines of Colombo.

But to see the abundance of birds life in Ceylon one has to go to the more secluded areas & to the lakes or tanks scattered throughout the island. Within the shores of Ceylon no birds have been authenticated. Of these twenty one species & eighty one sub species or geographical races are (according to W.W.A Phillips in his birds Ceylon) endemic to Ceylon & do not occur beyond our shores.

Ceylon being only about 48.28km from India, it is not surprising that most of the birds found in Ceylon are the same as. Or are closely related to those found in India. Of the three hundred & ninety eight birds listed in Ceylon, one hundred & thirty four are resident both in India & Ceylon. One hundred & fifty two species visit Ceylon in their thousands, during the winter moths only, that is during the months which have an “r” to escape the northern winters, living in Ceylon jungles, swamps, lagoons & paddy fields.

Examples of birds indigenous to Ceylon are: the Ceylon blue magpie, spotted wing thrush, Ceylon warbler, Ceylon grackle, yellow eared & black headed bulbuls, Ceylon large white-eye, legge’s flower-pecker, yellow- fronted barbet, red-faces Malkoha, Ceylon lorikeet, Ceylon jungle fowl & Ceylon spur fowl.

Birds found only in the low country of Ceylon include. The Ceylon large parakeet, the rose-ringed parakeet, green bee-eater & most storks, plovers, sun birds & sand pipers. Those that flourish in the cool climate of the hills include the blue magpie, yellow-earned bulbul, Ceylon warbler, grey wagtail, Ceylon Munia, hill swallow & the mountain eagle.

The bulbuls, babblers, wood peckers, barbets & parrots are resident birds. Many kind of flycatchers, warblers, all the wagtails, the Indian Pitta & most of the shore birds (plovers, snipe & sand-pipers) are winter migrants.

The Ceylon little minivet is found all over the island except in the highest mountains. It is a brightly colored bird which lives among the tree tops. The orange minivet is found mainly in the hills & is a beautiful sight. The spotted wing thrush, which is found only in Ceylon, lives in the jungle in the both low-country & the hills, it sings beautifully.

Paradise flycatchers are known for their beauty, long tails & jaunty crests. The white-browed flycatchers dance in a very pretty manner & sing a quaint little tune.

Ceylon black headed oriole is one of the best known of our birds. Its lovely colors & rich notes are characteristic. The Ceylon swallow & the hill swallow are resident birds. But the East Asian swallow comes to the island in a large numbers from countries north of India..

These are a variety of Ceylon woodpeckers. They lay their eggs in the hole which they dig in trees of palms. Barbets are brightly-colored fruit-eating birds of the tree tops. The Ceylon small barbet (Mal Kottoruwa) is sparrow-size & is found throughout the low country wet zone & in many areas of the dry zone & lower hills. The barbets, like woodpeckers, dig nest-holes in the dead trunks & branches. The Indian Pitta comes to Ceylon from India during the North-East monsoon.

The pin-tail snipe nests in northern India & comes to Ceylon in large numbers about September, departing in April. Ceylon is ricy in beautiful kingfishers. They live mainly on fish which they catch by plunging in to ponds or streams.

Of the cuckoo family, the beautiful red-faced Malkoha is found only in Ceylon jungles.

The commonest owl in Ceylon is the collared scopes owl. Ceylon has many numbers of the pigeon tribe. There are three kinds of fruit eating pigeons: the pompadour green pigeon, the Ceylon orange- breasted green pigeon & the Ceylon yellow-legged green pigeon. The Ceylon ash dove is found almost everywhere except in the highest hills.

The Ceylon jungle fowl is a handsome bird but is getting scarce with the opening of the jungles for food production. It is found only in Ceylon. The Ceylon spur fowl is also found only in Ceylon.

The Indian pea fowl is found wild in many of the dry zone scrub-jungles of Ceylon. The male spreads the fans of his tail to dazzle in the sun. Its cry is a loud trumpet-like scream.

The mud flats of the especially in areas uninhabited by man abound in storks, herons, spoonbills,  egrets, flamingoes,teal,duck terns & gulls. 

    

National Flower of Sri Lanka

‘Manel’ (Nymphaea nouchali)

The National Atlas of Sri Lanka (1st Edition published in 1988 by the Survey Department - Chapter FLORA by A.H.M.Jayasuriya, pp. 52-53) clearly mentions the National Flower of Sri Lanka with a colour photograph of the correct species (This flower was photographed in February 1988 and the location was the drying up and muddy periphery of the Hinukkiriyawa wewa between Habarana and Kekirawa). The 2nd Edition of the National Atlas (2007) also mentions the National Flower of Sri Lanka, although the original photograph was not reproduced (Chapter FLORA by A.H.M Jayasuriya, p.76).

An early aesthetic depiction of ‘Manel’ flowers, albeit without technical accuracy, is found among the Sigiriya frescoes (5th Century). ‘Manel’ flowers have been painted on the hairdo of some female figures (‘apsaras’ or celestial nymphs) and on floral salvers held by them [Central Province Biodiversity Profile and Conservation Action Plan by A.H.M.Jayasuriya, published by the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources, pp. 83-84 ( 2008)].

Evidently, the earliest botanical illustration (line diagram) of Nymphaea nouchali appears in Van Rheede’s Hortus Malabaricus: Vol. 11, plate 27, p.53. (1692). This is an illustrated inventory of plants growing in and around Cochin, Kerala State, India prepared by this Dutch Commander stationed in India at that time. Botanical names, such as Nymphaea nouchali, did not exist then and the illustration also had a local Malayalam name ‘Cit-ambel’ (meaning entangled water-lily). However, today it is known by ‘Ambel’ in Kerala.

One of the earliest botanical paintings of the flower (named as Nymphaea stellata and with its English name, Star water lily) appears in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine: plate 2058 (1819). The flower was drawn from a plant cultivated in early 19th Century in UK, possibly in the Chelsea Botanic Garden. A paper titled Wild Flowers of Ceylon by J.E. Senaratna published in Tropical Agriculturist Vol. 110, p.289 (1954) has an accurately coloured painting of ‘Manel’ (named as Nymphaea stellata). A recently published book by J & J de Vlas [Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka, p. 84 ( 2008)] gives the correct name and a colour photograph of Nymphaea nouchali.

The species occurs naturally in Sri Lanka, India and extends to New Guinea. Variation in flower colour and size has been noted by many botanists. J.D. Hooker has even recognized three taxonomic varieties occurring in India based on flower colour and size [Flora of British India, Vol. 1, p.114 (1875)]. Such varieties are also believed to occur in Thailand (see elsewhere). With reference to Sri Lankan ‘Manel’, Henry Trimen (1893) and M.D.Dassanayake (1996) also have noted these variations. This warrants close research on different populations of this species to see whether such varieties do occur in Sri Lanka.

‘Nil manel’ is possibly Nymphaea caerulea, an exotic species that seems to have been introduced (illegally) to Sri Lanka in the late 20th century. Incidentally, the National Botanic Gardens were not instrumental in this introduction. This is known by names such as Blue water lily, Blue lotus, Egyptian lotus and Blue lotus of Egypt and it is native in Egypt extending to Central Africa [Tropica by A.B.Graf, p. 1041 (1978)]. Its species name, caerulea appropriately indicates the colour of its flower [caeruleus means blue, especially the blue of the Mediterranean sky at midday [Botanical Latin by W.T. Stern (1966)]. Nymphaea caerulea had been regarded as the National Floral Emblem of Egypt [Tropical Planting and Gardening by H.F. Macmillan, 6th Edition, p.601 (1991)]. However, Nymphaea lotus (Egyptian white lotus or White lotus) is now considered as the National Flower of Egypt [http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/flowers/pcd11.html].

J. & J.de Vlas [Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka (2008)] has given the scientific name, Nymphaea nouchali variety caerulea, to the Blue water lily (‘Nil manel’) that occurs in Sri Lanka. This name cannot be accepted as no such variety or name exists, and the correct name for this plant is Nymphaea caerulea.

Due to its relatively intense blue-purple, larger and showy flowers, the exotic ‘Nil manel’ apparently has displaced the native and relatively less showy ‘Manel’ in the public mind and in official acceptance / use as evidenced by its appearance in so many official documents.

Inside Jaffna (City Of Jaffna)

Jaffna District, the northernmost region of the Island of Sri Lanka, is one of the oldest habitation sites in Lower South Asia, populated by Tamil speaking people. Jaffna is situated within ten degrees of latitude to the north of the equator. It is in close proximity to the sub-continent of India and separated from it by the Palk Strait and the Bay of Bengal.

The peninsula is actually almost an island; only the narrow causeway known as Elephant Pass - for once elephants did wade across the shallow lagoon here connects Jaffna with the rest of Sri Lanka. Jaffna is low lying; much of it covered by shallow lagoons, and has a number of interesting islands dotted offshore. In all it covers 2560 square km (999 square miles). With just under 900,000 inhabitants, the district of Jaffna is one of the most densely populated areas of Sri Lanka, second only to Greater Colombo.

Most of the area is dry and sandy, and the most common tree is the palmyra palm with its elegant fan-like fronds. Locals here tap it for toddy, the sap from its cut flowers; like the sap of the coconut or kittul palms, this liquid can be distilled to make arrack or processed into jiggery, palm sugar. The leaves of the fan palm may be skillfully folded to make a beaker for toddy, but you more often see them serving as decorative fences around almost all the settlements.

The flat Jaffna Peninsula is made of limestone, unlike most other parts of Sri Lanka. The porous stone absorbs the rain very quickly and conveys it to the water table. This forms a specifically lighter layer, "swimming," as it were, on the salt water of the Indian Ocean that permeates the rock on all sides up to sea level. Open tanks are not practicable here, and fresh water has to be obtained from wells.

Jaffna has it all, friendly people, a rich culture, salubrious climate and a picturesque environment go to make it a veritable traveler's paradise. Now that the guns have fallen silent and peace is in sight, domestic tourism in this long forgotten northern retreat is gradually catching on. After almost 20 years, travelers now can reach Jaffna either by land or air. The flight, from Colombo to Jaffna, is just under one hour and is quite enjoyable as the plane does not travel at too high an altitude.

Fauna Of Ceylon

Most of the Animals indigenous to Ceylon are represented at the Dehiwala Zoo  the National Parks where they mag be seen in their free state “Animals of the Ruhunu National Park by Mr. C.S Norris is a most valuable guide to those interested in the animals of Ceylon. The latest book on this subject is my personal Ark by Aubreg weinman, the first Superintendent of the Dehiwala Zoo.

The elephant (aliya) is the king of the Dehiwala Zoo it belongs to the Sumatra & not the India species.  The female never has tusks the male only rarely. The full-grown Ceylon elephant rarely exceeds ten feet in height & may weigh as much as three tons.  Its life span is roughly that of a human being.

In their wild state elephants live in herds numbering up to twenty. During the heat of the day they retire to the shade of the forests. They live almost exclusively on vegetarian diet the foliage of trees, fruits & grass.  Old bulls are liable to periodical attacks of excitement which is called “must” Their sense of smell & hearing is well developed. Tame elephants are employed for transporting timber & rocks, where there are no roads for vehicular traffic, and in religious processions such as the annual Kandy Perahara.

An attractive animal in the Ceylon jungles is the panther leopard (Kotiya)  often miscalled a cheetah.  The overall length of the male is about 2.13m. It has a golden brown colour on the upper parts with black resells, the under parts being pure white. He lives mainly on smaller animals. The leopard has acute hearing & eyesight but a poor sense of smell.

The Ceylon sloth bear (Valaha) is a large long furred animal with shuffling gait. The colouring is mainly black. The female is generally smaller that the male. It is dangerous much attack with out provocation. It lives on insects, grubs; fruit, flower, roofs & honey occasionally flesh.

The Ceylon jungles have a variety of monkeys. The smallest is a macaque or (rilawa) brown with tuft of hair on his face.  It is gregarious & lives on wild fruits, berries, and young shoots flowers, together with insects, grub & larvae.  The young are carried dinging to their mother’s stomach.  The grey languor (hali-vandura) is larger than the rilawa has a general greenish brown colour with the under parts paler. The purple faced monkey’s or vandura’s are larger that their gregarious cousins of the plains.  The grey ape of the Northern & Eastern provices (Maha Bandura) is the largest of the monkey tribe in Ceylon.

The wild buffalo is more massive & darker in colour than the common village type. All day long wild buffaloes immerse themselves or wallow in the mud. So they suffer greatly during severe droughts. They move into forests glades during the night of their feet, returning to the water holes at dawn. The Ceylon Jackat (Nariya) has a dog like appearance & is reddish brown in colour.  It is the scavenger of the Jungles utters ghostly howls at night.

Two of the most attractive denizens’ of their Ceylon forests are the elk the spotted deer. The elk also called the sambhur (gona) is the largest deer in Ceylon.  It is a noble beast the male stag carrying at antlers which are three-tined about 66 cm high. It lives off the foliage of trees & bushes & sometimes crops of grass around water-holes. The spotted deer (thithmuwa) moved about the kow-country in herds & present a graceful sight. The colouring is rufous-brown on the upper parts, generally spotted with smallish white spots. A darken strip runs from the back of the head down the neck & back to the tail. The sunder parts are white only the stags have antlerswhich mag attain a length of 91.44cm. The spotted deer are generally found in “park-corntg” There is a smaller edition known as the barking deer & an even smaller one, the mouse deer. The wild pig or wild beer (wal-ura) is a pachyderm, dark blackish grey in colour.  It prefers swampy areas around. Tanks & lagoons & lives on roofs & tubers, fallen fruits, grub & carrion vicious if cornered it is very fleet if allowed to run for it.

The mongoose, sometimes known as the Ceylon badger (mugatiya) may be a ruddy or stripe-necked variety. It feeds mainly on small mammals, birds, lizards, insect & egg. It has a reputation for cool courage in its encounter with snakes.

The porcupine (ittava) has a vey distinctive appearance, because of the long black & white quills with which its back is clad. It is noctornab by habit. It feeds mainly on roots bark, fruit and bulbs or yams. When attacked if can inflict wounds by raising its quills.

         The Ceylon black- napped hare (hawa)is light grayish brown, flecked with black it is do be found in most parts of the island in nocturnal in its habits.

The iguana (talagoya) a species of lizard attains a length of 1.5m or more and is dark blackish grey. It can be distingushied from the water lizard (kabaragoya) a still larger species which is darker black covered with yellow marking. The talagoya constitute the main diet of the veddahs, mixed descendants of the aborigines.  They feed mainly on small vertebrates, insects & grubs, being especially fond of termites.

The kabaragoya is a protected animal as itissaid to kill snakes & also the small craps which bore holes in the “Nigaras” or partitions of paddy fields.  It is amphibious & fearless of man, capable of in flicting a severe wound by a blow from it tail.

The crocodile (Kimbula) can be 6.00m or more in length. There are two varieties: the larger, frequenting the estuaries & rivers, the smaller living in tanks & fresh water lagoons. The estuarine crocodile is a man-eaten & it is unwise to bathe in rivers near the coastal belt. Both species lag eggs for propagating their young. Eye-sight & hearing are well-developed & the powers of scent are good.

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Traditional Handicrafts Of Sri Lanka

The handicrafts of Sri Lanka, bewildering in their range & variety, today, are in fact the products of a continuous process of development of human skills & resources stretching far back in to the past. These were & still survive as traditional crafts serving as the backbone of the rural economy during the early & mediaeval periods of the island's history. There importance never diminished from the earliest times when man started to use the raw materials he came across in daily life for satisfying basic needs.

While adapting the available material for domestic use, in the early stages, he did not lose sight of its appeal to himself & his social group in terms of design, color combination, format & appearance. These concepts were slow in evolving, but the earliest crafts products of ours as of any other old culture show a delectable blending of the twin function of utility & aesthetic sensitivity. Crafts therefore, were considered to important & craft training so indispensable to even an artist that the arts & crafts grew in mutual relationship. There was hardly any distinction between the arts & crafts in the early phases of creative work in Sri Lanka.

Our early art shows that all the great works of architecture, sculpture & even painting possessed a high degree of skilled craftsmanship. Likewise the best products of the craftsmen's arts, in whatever material they were made, mainly for the royal & high-ranking patrons, bore the hallmark of artistic excellence in addition to superb craftsmanship. Their parallel existence & mutual influence enriched the arts & the crafts in their revolting rendering them inseparable with a common heritage of design, motifs & forms.   

The craftsman, even more than a artist, attained a very high status in the mediaeval period of history which saw the efflorescence of traditional crafts in the kandyn kingdom. Under a feudal system of society regulated by a hierarchical caste structure, service to the king & the royal circle became the prime duty of the best craftsmen, who were thus able to earn the little of "master craftsmen" by virtue of their skill professionalism. Even the crafts had their own gradation, the richer & more valuable the material, the higher the status of using craftsman. Therefore jewellery work with gold & gems was a crafts on the highest pedestal, ivory carving coming next in importance, both forms of craftsmanship equally recognized for the grant of sumptuous awards from royalty. 

 It must also be mentioned here that the inspiration to produce the best crafted objects had a strong link with faith & religious devotion. Votive figures as well as statues of the lord Buddha & the deities of popular religion, produced in various materials, show the motivation of religion as the dominant factor shaping their skills in casting & carving of metals. It is also observed that the several categories of crafts owe their origin to the ceremonial & ritualistic practices of the temples & the attendant festivities including processions & exhibitions of village merchandise.

The classical tradition of arts which produced masterpieces like the frescoes of Sigiriya, the architectural monuments of Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa & the massive Buddhist sculptures of those times was later replaced by the folk tradition in which not so much the creative artist but the skilled craftsman played a leading role Turing out utilitarian products satisfying society's needs & providing artistic appeal at the same time. In this period, painting was not practiced as a fine art but as a folk art with its own technique, symbolism & color scheme, for edifying & educative purposes.

Figure sculpture also assumed a popular character with stucco or clay being substituted for stone. The minor arts such as metal work of various kinds, bone-horn-shell-work, lace-work, weaving, textile-making, basket-work & a wide range of ancillary arts & crafts provided the people with their domestic. Requirements & the craftsmen, engaged in them, with suitable employment. The folk arts which constitute the sum-total of the traditional art forms, emerging with the materials & services available, received as much acceptance as the “cultured" arts in feudal society. To these were added the products contributed by the collage industries which sustained village life at a satisfactory economic level. These arts were also cherished by the people as they reflected their legendary lore & popular beliefs which were transmuted into motifs & designs of lasting beauty & appeal. The history of folk arts also strongly emphasizes how a particular form or type grew & decayed according to the likes & dislikes of the peoples. Their dynamism also prevented their complete disintegration for they were able to emerge in a new form incorporating new elements if the old form was no longer acceptable. These arts forms also possessed the characteristic quality of using gay & striking colors, a prominent feature in kandyn art ( with red,yellow,black & white) but above all the folk artist executed the delicate work with a high sense of dedication.

From Anuradhapura periods onwards handicrafts of the country have shown certain characteristic features associated with a developed standard of craftsmanship. Anuradhapura was noted for pottery, metal ware, jewellery & ivory products. Recent archaeological finds form the cultural triangle excavation in the area have thrown further light on this aspect & confirmed the use of quality ceramic ware & jewellery during the period. The Polonnaruwa epoch, following Anuradhapura, is remembered especially for its terra-cotta products & bronzes showing visible traces of S.Indian cultural influences. Before the advent of western foreign invaders to the land, in the 16th c A.D, the crafts had reached their efflorescence after centuries of dedicated effort on the part of traditional craftsmen. In the mediaeval era, extending from the 16th century to the 18th century, the truly authentic craft traditions of the country were systematically organized by an efficient system of workshop training & apprenticeship, comprehensive in scope & method. It was indeed a period of high specialization in the respective crafts dealing with prize metals where the excellence of skills & expertise were adequately recognized.  

 Service to the king & the official of high rank by the best craftsmen of the land produced high standards of production in craftsmanship. But satisfactions of domestic needs in the royal household as well as the requiremants of ordinary folk were not neglected. A wide range of objects used by many segments of society, in the past, show the same attention to detail & sense of matching material to form, evident in whatever the products, be it carved in laid or lacquered. The household goods & items of personal use testify to the wide practice of crafts by a large range of craftsmen, who cared & catered to the needs of the community as a whole. Kitchen utensils, simple tools & implements & even the humble products made from ruch, reed,clag & cane, reflect the sense of discipline & feeling of social obligation that seem to have characterized the making of ordinary ware.

The growth of handicrafts, therefore, can be considered in three phases of socio-religious development entailing religious motivation (in the earliest phase) royal patronage & everyday use. The evolution of the arts & crafts of Sri Lanka, which must be considered jointly in any overview of the handicrafts, shows two patent influences at work. The early phase is marked by characteristic features drawing upon Indians norms & standards, especially in the arts of architecture & sculpture. Ananda Coomaraswami , on the earliest critics studying the problems connected with the origins of Sinhalese art, has acknowledge Sri Lanka’s debt to Indian art, calling Sinhalese art as essentially Indian.

He also states further that in the mediaeval period, the traditions of Sinhalese art, as represented by the indigenous craftsmen of the island, descended from the Aryan immigrants to Sri Lanka, led by Vijaya, were integrated with the traditions later introduced by artisans of south Indian origin, the kammalar( skt karmara). It is also his opinion that both the north Indian & later south Indian immigrant craftsmen as well as the indigenous craftsmen of Sri Lanka belong to an original stock constituting a guild of artificers, who migrated in to various parts of India &S.E Asia , carrying a common message of craftsmanship which they sought to propagate in the countries where they eventually settled down. Sri Lanka’s renowned archaeologist, “Senarath Paranawithna”, also , lays emphasis on the indigenous Sinhalese art of early times in relation to the great cultural & artistic traditions if India & especially the influences stemming from the spread of Buddhism & its humanistic philosophy. He states further that “the ancient arts of Ceylon like that of java or indo-china, possesses a distinctive character of it’s own” the use of Hindu & Buddhist models was, therefore, an important factor in the growth of the arts in the island. Not only the arts, but the arts of the country too, show in their phases of development the specific foreign influences that seem to have determined their character & composition. In the earliest stages the growth of the architectural & plastic arts of Sri Lanka distinctly reflects the conceptions introduced by Indian artists & craftsmen who were employed by the Sinhalese rulers. But these ideas were suitably adapted by the local artists in such a way that an indigenous artistic tradition developed under the benign influence f the Buddhist faith which most of them embraced & therefore, attempted to propagate through their artistic work. The sculpture of the early period & the Buddha images in particular, attest to the overwhelming influences of Andhra art on that of early Ceylon. Yet, the early sculpture of the island exhibit, conspicuously, according to another critic, the Theravada Buddhist ideology as practiced by the Sinhalese artists of Anuradhapura &Polonnaruwa. The two great centers of classical Buddhist culture.

When north Indian influence waned & the repeated invasions of the country by south India rulers commenced in the later times, Aryan Buddhist styles gradually came into contact with Dravidian style of art & decoration & were integrated in to the existing forms. Architectural monuments, found in Polonnaruwa, in the 12^th & 13^th centuries & the bronze figures of the same period furnish evidence of the dominance of Dravidian arts as exemplified in the ornamental motifs & techniques introduced in to Sinhalese stone-work & carving. But happily, here too, the chastening influence of Theravadha  Buddhism prevented a complete breaking away from artistic traditions of the former period. Sinhalese arts was undergoing a change, but its resilience & ability to adapt it self to the new conditions were : its greatest assets. This period also marks the end of the classical tradition &  was the precursor of the mediaeval art of the Sinhalese, which began to concentrate on decoration & even over ornamentation to the detriment of originality of conception & designs.