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British Mensa Travel Special Interest Group |
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Water,
water everywhere... by Bernard Colman To survive on our planet, you need pure air and water, an outdoor life with some space and to be lucky enough to be pure-minded with a clear conscience. If you believe the pocket guides, Sri Lanka means "Splendid Land" or "Beautiful Land": "An island of richly varied landscapes, Sri Lanka combines lush jungle and rolling hill country, brilliant green tea plantations and palm-fringed beaches, the whole embraced by the soothing waters of the Indian Ocean. As a name, Splendid Land seems to do very nicely." My flight landed at Katunayake International Airport, 30 kilometres north of Colombo city centre, early in February 1997. I was immediately informed in writing:- "Do not drink any water, except bottled water which you open yourself". After a memorable journey through the countryside, it seemed to be election time. Any spot on the track, telephone and electric posts, private or public properties, memorials, trees and so on was decorated with hundreds of plastic ribbons - blue garlands for the Labour Party, green for the Tories etc. I settled in at the Kandalama Hotel in the north of the island. During my first exploration around Anuradhapura region, I discovered an elaborate system of irrigation tanks, built during King Tissa's reign c.250BC, which put his kingdom's agriculture on a sound footing. On an island with rivers but no lakes, these reservoirs were vital for the growing of rice. King Mahasena (276-303AD) greatly refined and expanded the vital irrigation system. His most notable achievement was the Minneriya Tank, fed by an intricate network of canals near Giritale. But, as he lost his sanity, he became involved in religious issues, which splintered political unity. In 477AD, Price Kasyapa threw his father, the King, into prison and offered him his freedom in return for his wealth. The King agreed, as long as he could bathe in one of his precious tanks. The King returned from his bath, with his hands full of water, and dropped it at his son's feet with the words: "My son, here is my wealth and the wealth of your country..." at which the son had his father beheaded. On the summit of Sigiriya stands a citadel built in 475AD - the "Lion Rock", the most spectacular monument on the island. The massive fortress perches on top of a granite mountain hewn in the shape of a lion. The panoramic views are magnificent and one gets an insight into what Sri Lanka's warriors could conceive to protect themselves from their enemies and the curses of fate. I discovered the ruins of a palace, a royal dance hall, gardens, the King's granite throne and many royal baths, much bigger than any Olympic swimming pool. Down below, beyond the moated ramparts, you can see (with good binoculars) the fields and follow a labyrinth of canals and tanks still operational today - the vital source of life. The next day, I investigated Polonnaruwa. This remarkable mined city was capital of the medieval Sinhalese Kings who rose to power after the decline of Anuradhapura. The city reached its dazzling peak in the 12th century. The royal citadel was enclosed by walls 12 miles long by 21 miles wide - about the area of present-day London. The kingdom experienced prosperity under Parakramabahu (1153-1186), who turned Polonnaruwa into one of Asia's most splendid cities. He ordered the construction of the Parakrama Samudra, a water tank now known as the Sea of Parakrama, which occupied over nine square miles, vast enough to irrigate 4,500 hectares of farmland. In 1292, Marco Polo passed through Sri Lanka on his way back to Venice from China - he remarked on the fact that "these people are averse to a disciplined life". Marco Polo had observed just one sign of the general decline that took place after the halcyon days of King Parakramabahu. Today, the citizens of Sri Lanka wash their dishes, their laundry, their cattle, carts, cars and lorries in the muddy waters of the Sea of Parakrama. The system of irrigation tanks, once a symbol of the kingdom's strength, crumbled from neglect and sabotage. By 1500, the island was easy pickings for the Portuguese, followed 150 years later by the Dutch and another 150 years later by the British. Colonisation brought few benefits to those colonised. A British tea planter wrote in 1900 that "It is obvious that [the Sri Lankans] do not enjoy the luxury of much space; but their ideas of comfort are not ours and they are better pleased to lie huddled together upon mud floors in these tiny hovels than to occupy superior apartments." This is still true today, even though the island eventually regained its independence and became a republic in 1972, becoming Sri Lanka instead of Ceylon. Passing through the Kandy area, one observes the green slopes of tea plantations, well shaped by torrents and gullies. Unfortunately, each bridge is taken as an opportunity to open a business - most commonly an open car wash. The crystal clear water is caught at the top of the waterfall, brought down via a hose pipe, sprinkled over cars and lorries at one entrance of the bridge and, well loaded with dust grease, oil etc., ends in the river below, from where the citizens derive their drinking water. In Colombo, through the glass window of my air-conditioned car, I discovered the ne plus ultra in fashion: how to wear your handkerchief or headscarf on your nose - the cowboys are back on the streets. Having forgotten this vital piece of equipment, I kept my irreplaceable lungs in the filtered air of the car. I had chosen to finish my trip in a hotel on the beach in the extreme north of Negombo, a small fishing village 60km north of Colombo. The Browns Beach Hotel looked like a paradise with its sail-driven log rafts (katta-maran in Tamil) lying on the beach. The following day, I walked out to the beach to find out more. The sea water is polluted! It is sufficient to say that I suffered three stomach upsets there. Listening to the local news on the radio, I learnt that the Sri Lankans' main businesses are not exactly prospering. Hotels are 60% empty in Colombo and only half full elsewhere on the island. To be fair, there is still crystal clear water in Sri Lanka on the south coast where there are very few large tourist complexes and in the north and east - well protected by the Tamils. Talking with the locals, I found that they are very concerned about this deadly problem - but there seems to be a hope that some "Messiah" will save them. The people themselves need to take action, because if they do not, their skins will dry in the sun in a very few years. The outside speculators are already buying the land next to the beaches in the north and east. Once again, it may be the old story of a few individuals making a fortune at the expense of the locals. First published in VISA issue 26 (autumn 1997). Sadly, since we first published this article from Bernard Colman, we heard the sad news that he has passed away. He will be much missed. We would like to offer our condolences to all Bernard's family and friends. |