Unravel Jaffna, hidden heart of Sri Lanka’s tourism

Children of Allepidy eat their nutritious meal at Thapovanam. At the left is Prof. Daya Somasundaram

It is not a football but still it's nice

All set for the swimming classes

Ashwina

Naveen with big brother Kingsley

Mariam and Moiya with 

the Allepidy lassies

The Ronaldo and Messi fans 

of Allepidy Interior of a local cafe next to Tony's Backpacker Inn

• This is the first edition of a series we are embarking on celebrating Jaffna and its incredible people

By Surya Vishwa

Jaffna is like no other district in Sri Lanka. It is the gem of the nation’s tourism industry that has not been dragged in the muck of over exposure. Here equality reigns; white skin is not fawned upon and all Sri Lankans shown the highest respect and kindness. To put it more bluntly, the kind of shameless racism that we exposed last week, carried out by Sri Lankans operating tourism establishments in the rest of the country, barring their own people from these places, is unthinkable within the Jaffna psyche. The Jaffna of today boasts of an incredible array of eateries, cafes, restaurants and diversity in accommodation facilities, ranging from luxury to homely.

The Harmony page team has done its share of country trotting and can say without flinching that the culinary and café scene here has no match to the rest of the country. Many foreigners come here to ‘flee’ the touristy overdose in some of the overexposed areas of Sri Lanka. Jaffna is to be discovered – and its best assets are its people; stoic, persevering and down to earth. In the past 16 years, since the conflict between the LTTE militants and the Government military ended, Jaffna has reclaimed its tranquillity. It is today balm for the travellers’ soul and will uplift every tired heart, reminding humans of their humanity.

Here you will see internationally respected professors riding cycles that look like they belong in some museum, where top Government officials halt their scooter or their cycle to say hello to the traffic police persons (Sinhalese) who they pass en route to work and where humans are not judged by what they wear or the cars they drive. Here you can wear your favourite home clothes patched up in four different colours and slip into your ancient Bata slippers and walk into a luxury shopping mall and be treated with utmost respect. As your sleeping therapy in Jaffna you can count not sheep but cycles, taking a reprieve from the four-wheel nightmare of Colombo.

Allepidy

Let’s start from Allepidy. That is where I head to first as is my habit, ever since Thapovanam – the community empowerment and nature conservation linked tourism initiative was introduced by Prof. Daya Somasundaram, two years ago. Thapovanam can be reached by boarding the Kayts bus during day time (an exceedingly pleasant drive). The conductor should be told to drop you off at Allepidy junction. From there ask a local shop or a home to arrange a three-wheeler (about Rs. 300 to Thapovanam) which is near several Christian churches and Hindu temples.

Thapovanam was started as a community capacity building initiative, especially for children and youth by Prof. Somasundaram, the iconic psychiatrist of Jaffna, who in the time of the civil war, was the only one of his profession, for an entire people who were for three decades displaced, bombarded and traumatised by terror. He is possibly the only psychiatrist in the world who understood wartime trauma by being a victim himself – being displaced – moving from place to place during the height of hostilities when the sky rained bombs by both warring sides.

Having always been a reclusive figure, he now alternates his time between Sri Lanka and Australia, spending much of his time in meditation. He has handed over Thapovanam to the Allepidy community, headed by Renuka Nickson who lives in one of the three houses within the Thapovanam premises. The land extend overall runs into a few acres.

Renuka is an enigma I have not solved yet and I do not think I ever will.

“She is the re-incarnation of Alle Rani, a queen which reigned in this area,” quips Prof. Somasundaram showing me some historical photographs.

“Renuka is a born leader and is the voice for the women in this area, just as Alle Rani was,” he adds.

Renuka greets me at 3 a.m. last Friday (shortly after the CTB brings me to Jaffna). Krishna, the handsome Allepedy-Thapovanam auto hero, 6 feet plus, collects me from the town and deploys me here safely.

Prof. Somasundaram lives in a minimalistic, miniscule two-storied building (with a rooftop – that can double as a sea watching tower). It is right next to the sea. The building could be described as a ‘Mother power Ashram’ as it is dedicated to Goddess Kali but the building also has framed photographs of Christ, Krishna and Shiva.

Renuka Nikson, a Catholic has joyous news for me. She has a latest addition to the family – seven-month-old baby Naveen, and she has won the Local Government election as representative of the area. We are leaving party politics out, thus omitting the political ‘brand.’ What matters is that we are writing about a genuine leader from the grass root.

“Tomorrow I have a meeting in Jaffna town where the main person from the political party which I contested from will be there to talk to all of us who won, asking about people’s problems. Problem this, Problem that. We have only problems and everyone only talks. I want to do things, not talk. But kassi ille (no cash). These days the seas are rough so Mr. Nikson – my husband at home – so no money from the seas. These days it is sea cucumber which is farmed in the seas. For the Chinese market,” she explains.

How much does she get in terms of monetary remuneration from the local government as a people’s representative? Rs. 10,000.

“Every morning she goes into stress mode because she borrows almost daily to survive and those who loan the money come diligently to collect,” quips Prof. Somasundaram.

Now let us meet Kingsley (15 years), Ashwina (11), Ajai (9) and baby Naveen (7 months). These are Renuka’s offspring. They can be formidable. Like when someone appears not to know who Ronaldo is. Cristiano Ronaldo. Or Messi. Lionel Messi.

“You don’t know Ronaldo,” asks Ajai sharply, his nine-year-old voice hardly shielding his incredulity. “You don’t know RONALDO?’

You don’t know MESSI?

You don’t know Messi?

I look toward the house that is dedicated to Kali Ma.

It’s an appeal. Please rescue me. I don’t know football. Or footballers. Global or otherwise.

But there is no escape. As I mumble a penitent acknowledgement of my footballing ignorance and turn to strategise an exit, I am barricaded by about four 9-year-old boys – footballer friends of Ajai – who seem equally horrified as him that I do not know their heroes.

Fortunately I am saved by Ashwina. Come, she says looping my arm with hers. “I teach you swimming.”

Let’s go. I love swimming I say archly.

Allepidy sea – a dream

We walk into the adjoining waves. It’s a dream. The water is a shimmering chiaroscuro bordering between green, blue and shades in between. Forget swimming. I could happily drown here. The Allepidy sea is such that when there is no rough tide it is a miracle of hydrotherapy. One can walk far into the sea and hold your own even if you do not know how to swim. Well, this is what I did. I metamorphosised into a wannabe mermaid and refused to get out of the water – actually it was also a tactic to keep the Ronaldians and Messians out of my hair.

Few days of this and on the border of being seen as an invasive threat by the owners of the seas – the fish, I was pried out by evolving circumstances. The reason was Moiya, four years old, and Mariam her mother.

They were from France and they wanted to see the Thapovanam kids’ day activities – which is held every Saturday. Children of Allepidy – around 20 to 30 (or more) are supported by Sri Lankans overseas and others to engage in several skill building opportunities.

Moiya and Mariam are from France, revelling in a mother-daughter holiday. They had started their experiential travel in Sri Lanka from Mihintale and Anuradhapura and then headed to Jaffna. In Jaffna meeting with the local community got them to Thapovanam.

When they arrive it is about 11 a.m. and about 20 children between the ages of 9 and 17 have just finished their swimming lessons from a trainer affiliated to Thapovanam and were eating their special nutritious meal prepared every Saturday in a bid to eliminate malnutrition.

“Would you like to eat the special meal,” asks Prof. Somasundaram, turning to Moiya.

Moiya, being extremely reserved by nature, until she gets familiar with the place she is in, and the people, looks askance.

“Would you like to have the same meal the children here are having,” asks Mariam.

Moiya whispers something to her. Anyway some tasty looking stuff is served soon and they both climb up to the rooftop of sea adjacent building in which Prof. Somasundaram lives. The gigantic Kali Ma tapestry seems to look down benevolently.

The wind beats its steady rhythm. Non-stop. Moiya and Mariam are enjoying the sea view and the fresh breeze.

Down below underneath the Coconut and Palmyra trees a small junior crowd has gathered in two segments. The Ronaldo and Messi fans watch from afar, possibly hypothesising if Moiya will be a good football mate and if she would know Ronaldo (and Messi!). But although she is quite tall and assertive they sense that they are double her age. So they act macho and observe from far.

The other set, all girls of varying ages are waiting for her to descend from her rooftop perch where she does seem to enjoy few small bites of the nutritious snack.

When Moiya and Mariam are taken by Renuka to have their lunch, the girls make their move. They form an arc round her. Several of them try to pat her head or stroke her cheek. This is acutely resented by Moiya who is seated in the most comfortable manner as it pleases her. One puritanical seven-year-old reaches out and adjust Moiya’s dress. Grossly irritated Moiya responds by hiking up her dress by two inches more, and gives a look that speaks louder than words.

As mother and daughter start eating, Renuka shoos away the curious lassies.

Moiya seems to relish her food. Thereafter, displaying grace and dignity one least expects in a child not even old enough for school, Moiya says her thank you to Renuka in French which her mother translates. She seems to like Renuka. Possibly because she is the only person not attempting to pat her!

By now the children have dispersed home but Moiya seems lonely and wishes to play. She eyes the football darting around where the boys are kicking it in every direction.

She meanders over to Ajai and the next thing she is part of the football team!

Mariam and I get talking and she shares that she is a therapist for children with physical trauma (caused by illness). For example, she mentions children with a tumour or such affliction.

“We generally refer to all these categories under one term as disability and sometimes although perfect recovery may not occur it is about giving children back their joy,” she explains.

I try to fathom this quiet, wise woman who seems to be a soul mate to her daughter.

How do you like the religious atmosphere in Sri Lanka, I ask, after she informs that both herself and Moiya had visited few Buddhist temples and Hindu kovils.

“I don’t understand the nuances fully or the religion exactly, but both of us seem attuned to it. When Moiya asked me what this religion is – referring to Buddhism I told her, I don’t really know. A while later after a short contemplation, she tugged at my hand and said, she likes this religion,” Mariam says with a smile.

Soon we watch mother and daughter leave and Ashwina who has been rather quiet makes her first comment; ‘Nice baby,’ she says. Ashwina obviously feels that 11 years is very adult!

Soon I realise that trying to be a mermaid especially when you travel with just two sets of attire is a bad idea.

I have got a cold that refuses to leave me, just as the Allepedy wind refuses to stop plummeting. My voice becomes a croak and my lungs feel as if the Yal Devi Jaffna – Colombo train has chugged over it.

After several nights of trying to prod my natural immunity to get its act together, I give up and leave Allepidy to get to Jaffna town. Here Praveen awaits me. Praveen is the Jaffna representative of Pasyala Ayurveda Osu, a Sinhala Wedakam associated brand from Colombo, founded by veteran traditional medicine expert, Dr. Buddhika Raddalgoda. From Allepidy I have croaked out my pitiable condition to Dr. Raddalgoda and he has taken prompt action to alert Praveen on what’s to be done.

Praveen, originally from Batticaloa and speaking perfect Sinhalese prepares the emergency traditional meds using the Pasyala Osu products. A whole set of meds are provided and I am told where I can get more if I need to – it is a standard Siddha shop few kilometres away from the town.

Tony’s Garden House Backpacker Inn

My traditional meds sorted and feeling a bit stronger, I head over to the backpacker hostel opposite the Jaffna Park. This place is known as Tony’s Garden House Backpacker Inn.

Considering all the racist trauma I have gone through across Sri Lanka by Sinhalese practicing abject racism on their own people I am not really sure what kind of reception I will get here.

I disembark from my tuk, and find the gate open, door open and lo and behold I am greeted by a Dalmatian whose name I soon find out is Sophie. I balk. The horror of the Nuwara Eliya hostel bringing up puppies only with white skinned humans so that they will welcome them and eat up the others, haunt me.

But this one ambles up showing no interest in devouring me. She looks up broodingly and wags a beautiful tail. Well, where is Tony, I ask. With a name like Tony’s House, the owner has to be Tony, right.

Just then a young man appears. I tell him that I am Sri Lankan and that I need a room. He tells me that he can give me one the day after but not that particular day.

I make a paid reservation for a week from the day after and have a small chat.

I ask him if he dislikes having Sri Lankans. There is absolutely nothing in his manner that makes me ask this. I just ask it based on my previous experiences in the South.

“No, nothing like that. We have many Sri Lankans. But some of them do terrible things such as make a booking without payment, confirm even hours before but never turn up. I have lost so much business in this manner. No European would do this,” he states.

As it turns out the story of Tony’s backpackers House belong in a novel. We will take you dear reader into the heart of this story where you will see the world as Sophie sees and learn the Japanese connection to Tony’s unbelievably charming home away from home. Once you emerge out of this story you will learn what life should be and what love should be.