Revisiting Trinco with memories and hope
By
By Sharm de Alwis
A
dip in the natural bay of Pigeon Island |
The change in
the climate and the physical features was discernible as we crossed
the border from the North-Western to the Eastern Province. This
was my third visit to Trinco.
I had first
been here when my father was stationed in the R.A.S.C. camp situated
in the Portuguese fortress, Fort Frederick built in 1675. That was
at the time that the Armistice was to be signed, bringing an end
to a bitter World War Two.As a child the memories I latched on to
are the fascinating and hoary tales of Lover's Leap, the Swami Rock,
Marble Beach, the spacious living, the velvety, smooth sea, excursions
to Pigeon Island and striking up acquaintances with the soldiers.
Life was on the easy track and people would exchange smiles and
pleasantries with strangers.
My second visit
was when we went to Trinco on our honeymoon, which lasted one whole
month at the measly cost of Rs 600 for the entire duration including
petrol. Petrol in 1970 was Rs 2.40 a gallon and a bottle of pure
bees’ honey which we purchased in Dambulla cost only five
rupees.
Trinco had
remained idyllic and bathing in the Hot Springs, taking a boat ride
to Muttur to pray in the majestic Hindu temple, enjoying platters
of seer fish and jumbo prawns, washed down with copious draughts
of Adam's ale as I had temporarily abandoned Bachchus, are thoughts
that I would like to hold dear to my heart.
Driving out
of Trinco to Nilaveli, the environment looked ravaged. Hulks of
homes where once the chatter of kids and parents made life worth
living, dotted the drive. New houses were being built to bring back
the gladness of paradise but it will take years for Trinco to smile
again. Grief has had a long cry. One of the first things we did
was to take a boat ride to Pigeon Island. At 10 in the morning we
were the first amongst the pigeons but within the hour its fame
as a choice resort asserted itself with clutches of tourists coming
in to dip in the natural pool, formed by crag and coral.
Palmyrah fences
and also improvised fences with the use of straightened out barrels
and stems of coconut and palmyrah branches were a feature. The clusters
of palmyrah trees rising majestically in close proximity to the
coconut trees made my heart bleed to think that we humans couldn't
take a lesson from nature.
The Nilaweli
Beach Hotel where we spent three nights in sloth and languor has
an abundance of slim berry trees around it. It was akin to living
in the forest but with creature comforts. Hemingway would have found
it a part of paradise.
The compelling
lure of water, is it a throw-back, I wondered, to a time in pristine
history when man was once a fish and woman, a mermaid. The fine
grains of unpolluted, golden sands flaunt a mockery to the beaches
at Dehiwela and Uswetikeiyawa.
Life is as
leisurely as the sea waves that sweep gently over the beaches. I
would be up hours before the crack of dawn, spend an hour, mulling
over the past, the present and the future. My nine and seven-year-old
grandsons, are normally, avid 'explorers' and although I tried,
they would not be awoken an hour later, fatigued by long swims.
The other three grand-children have yet not come of age for ‘manoeuvres’.
One stark reality
which forced itself on us was that Trinco is indeed quite vulnerable
to attack. Lakshman Kadirgamar has brought to surface this matter
of paramount importance which Sunday Times defence columnist Iqbal
Athas highlighted several weeks ago.
Trinco’s
natural harbour, the fifth largest in the world and one of the most
beautiful was of great strategic importance to the Allies during
the Second World War and is likely to be of concern with the stop-start
progress of the peace talks.
A Trinco resident,
Mr. Perera whom we met in Trinco town says that life is tolerable
in Trinco, movements are unrestricted and household items are now
freely available at inexpensive prices. Milton did say "Peace
hath her victories no less renowned than war." |