LANKAN DIARY-5

WHEN SITES MAINTAINED INTACT….

Internet gives a lot of information on any place. However, the thought process in the places we visit gives a different perception of the place altogether.

When I entered Kandy Botanical garden with three others, it looked normal. As we came out of Orchid enclosure, I felt the crowd management by the Botanical garden management was really good.

The garden, sprawling around 148 acres in the heart of the city is a colonial rulers’ gift. It has a lot of alien species of plants and trees. The first thought that came to my mind was that it was better than Botanical garden in Ooty. Besides, those manage Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh at Bengaluru have a lesson or two to learn from here.The crowd management is best here and the visitors will get their own free time and space to see the garden. Secondly, there is no new developmental work taken place within the garden, allowing it to retain its colonial look. This makes the garden more attractive.

The second place at Kandy was Udawattakele Royal Forest Park. It is on par with Golden Gate National Park at San Francisco, created to protect the red wood species. Nothing has been touched and it is pleasure to take five kilometer trek around the park. Historically it belonged to royal family of Kandy and there are mythological stories like Buddha’s tooth relics are in one of the cave. Once you enter inside the park, it resembles an old evergreen forest with very ancient trees.

There were many such serene places along Western Ghats and I know them personally. However, advent of Home Stays and mushrooming resorts have killed the tranquility.

All the four of us – Chinnappa, Radha aunty and Prasad just laughed at the idea of visiting Tea Estate at Nuwara Eliya or city of lights. Going by Indian mythology Ramayana, the place has a lot of significances. This is supposed to be one of the places burnt by Hanuman, when his tail was set on fire. Then, while driving towards Yala, there is Sitha temple, where it is believed to be Ashoka Vana. There is huge foot mark like thing on a rock, believed to be of Lord Hanuman. We also come across Rawana (Ravana) falls. Missing this drive is not advisable.

However, this sleeping town has a beautiful turf club in the heart of the city and another beautiful lake. The British tried to develop on the lines with England village and the weather resembles exactly of Ooty, with a lot of tea gardens. However, extremely clean town. Nothing much has changed after colonial rule, barring bunch of hotels to accommodate tourists.

People still grow export quality exotic vegetables here. I felt, the best thing to do in this town is nothing – sitting either in front of the turf club or the lake, sipping a tea. You will return in peace.

After meeting Chinnappa two decades ago, I have been up against captive conservation of wildlife. As I was approaching Bentota, I realized that we would be visiting an artificial turtle hatchery and not a natural place.

After much thinking, I and Chinnappa decided to take a shot at. There were tiny turtles in a tank, aged between one day to one week. In other tanks, there were different types of turtles – ranging from one year to 150 years. There was a separate enclosure of sand, where the turtle eggs were buried for hatching.

``Success rate is 80% and we will keep newborn for only two weeks, before releasing them to sea. We feed them with small prawns. Now, it is not season and daily, four to five turtles will come and lay eggs. In seasons, they come in hundreds. That time, it is a difficult job,’’ the hatchery owner said.

This stretch between Galle and Bantota, there is one small stretch which is popular turtle destination for nesting. The government has not allowed resorts or any other commercial establishment to come up in this area. Instead, the local people have been encouraged to open turtle hatcheries.

They protect the eggs from Iguanas and dogs and protect them in their yard. Once they hatch, they would be taken care for two weeks, before releasing them to sea. The big turtles are injured or sick. While some can be sent back to ocean after treatment, some, which would have lost their limb, may have to be taken care forever.

The hatchery owners are allowed to charge the visitors and most of the visitors are foreigners. This makes win-win situation for both. The extra mile thinking is that giving a boost to Sri Lanka tourism, I thought.