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Chill of freedom amidst forgotten names
Udena Attygalle visits the well maintained, but hardly visited Ranaviru Remembrance Park in Mailapitiya on February 4
The radio on the bus rolled out Hindi songs, and it seemed to be just another holiday. The only exception, the polythene national flags fluttering on the buses and three-wheelers. It was on February 4 and I was on my way to the Ranaviru Remembrance Park in Mailapitiya, about 20 km away from Kandy.
The bus ride took about 45 minutes from Kandy on a Rikillagaskada bus. However, the park is just by the roadside and the drive, along parts of the Mahaweli river and the Victoria reservoir is enjoyable.

When I arrived at the park, I was the only visitor. I was still the only visitor when I left. A walk through the park along the Victoria reservoir takes about 45 minutes. However, not many people seem to come here to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.

The park looked well maintained. The well-trimmed hedges were of different shades of green; almost the colour of the uniform the fallen soldiers would have worn. There were no tombstones; there would be no room for them. There were merely rows upon rows of names etched in granite: over 20,000 names in all. The plaques were in separate landings according to the various forces and regiments. Those who had gone “missing” in battle too had their names placed here. Their relatives are left only with dates and places. Constructed under the theme, “Peace and Life arise from Death and Strife” the Ranaviru Remembrance Park is dedicated to the memory of fallen heroes.

In addition to the names, it includes an eternal flame and a monument that depicts the strength of the armed forces and the Police. However, there was no special remembrance for these soldiers on February 4. There was a special Ranaviru day for that. June 7 is National War Heroes’ Day. The main structure in the park is a complex of three giant stainless steel pillars that meet at their apex. The glint of steel and its impressive height give it an appearance of strength. There was a single wreath laid at its base. On the four corners of the square concrete compound on which it is constructed were four shrines to the four main religions of our country.

The eternal torch could be seen up on a hill a few hundred metres away. It was on my way to the torch that it started to rain. The path to it was anyway inaccessible and I had to take shelter under a Bo tree.

For me it was a day well spent, even though I got even wetter as I crossed over to the shelter of another tree closer to the road. As I finally got on a bus, it felt very chilly and it wasn’t only the rain.

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