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by Russel Kuruppu (Retired SLAS officer)

I would write rather, not of the entirety of the A5 - Peradeniya -Badulla -Chenkaladi road as officially designated, but that portion of the road Padiyatalawa - Maha Oya - Periyapullumalai - Karadian Aru - Chenkaladi, which will always remain close to my heart.

I first took bus on this route from Batticaloa to Badulla in 1967 when reporting for duty at the Welimada by-election. (In those healthier times, mischievous MPs were judicially 'de-listed' unlike after 1978! And that was all to the good.) My preferred segment of the A5 performs a vital link function between the Bintenne Pattu and the Eravur Pattu. My mind will necessarily go back to those halcyon days from July 1965 to about March 1970 - somewhat after my termination of duty as Asst. Elections Officer (as then designated) Amparai and Batticaloa districts.

As such I was happy to 'unofficially' participate in the opening of that road segment on 15th July 2002 - the somewhat low profile exist from the Periyapullumalai and Pulaveli end. It would have been just fine to have had Austin (Fernando) there. My successor in Batticaloa was Ananda Weerasinghe, after whose rather short tenure Austin took over, and I clearly remember his cheery greeting of me at the Batticaloa railway station about July 1970. We Asst. Elections Officers, Batticaloa were all befriended by the late X.M. Vas (Asst. Director Social Services for long) and without doubt a 'Batticaloa expert and in his day a doyen of the Batticaloa Kachcheri staffers. Those were really blessed and fulfilling times.

Let me now proceed on this delectable segment of the A5 - do keep in mind I write to things as they were circa 1966. From the 'Kolomba' handiya terminus of the A27 - Amparai/Maha Oya road the order would be - Bedirekka - Pulaveli - Periyapullumalai - Thumpalancholai (lovely and so musical) - Rukam - Karadiyan aru - Illupayadichenai - Koduwamadu - Chenkaladi - Eravur - Mylambaveli (where my friend Edward Seemanpillai was done in by the LTTE) and Batticaloa. A short note on each would give life to my memoir and would evoke the pleasure of remembrances for many others of my times.

Bedirekka: a bunch of 'Kolikuttu' - about 30 small sized fruits costs 75 cts to a rupee. These plantains were indescribably sweet to the taste. The people of these road side villages were warm, friendly and simple. God's chosen people really.

Pulaveli and Sinna Pulaveli: If Chenkaladi was the entry point then Pulaveli was exit.

That Monday morning we gathered there for the opening of the A5. Present were a large number of army, police and STF cadres. Two large hutments expertly thatched with illuk were coming up on a patch of raised ground at Sinna Pulaveli. Some intermediate ranking LTTE uniformed cadres from Pullumalai cycled upto this point and fraternised with the police. Four cadres on motor cycles were even allowed passage to Maha Oya.

Also present was the Roman Catholic priest from the Pullumalai church - a familiar landmark to me and clearly remembered. He was Father Thiru Chelvam of the Ayithiamalai mission, whom I engaged in a very interesting conversation. We parted, promising to meet in Periyapullumalai soon.

Periyapullumalai & Sinnapullumalai: There was of course 'Vijayatunga Cafe' - the eating house and bakery where all long distance buses stopped for refreshment. For us circuiting officers, any time was 'Roti' time here. The 'lunu miris' was always excellent.

The sedge bordered little tank here, I was asked to see by many. It was an excellent place for waterfowl. My first sightings of the Cotton Teal, Whistling Teal and another bird abundant in these parts the 'Little Gerbe' or "Dabchick; which Henry describes as 'our smallest swimming bird' - very graceful and fast moving in the water.

Thumpalancholai - reputed for wild boar and oranges in the 1950s. This was told me by the Rest House Keeper, Walasmulla, who in his youth had worked the Tumpalancholai CB. A little beyond is the Unnichchai turn off.

Rukam - is where Vas and I maintained a 2 acre property just by the main Badulla road and at the intersection to the Rugam tank turn-off. It was situated just opposite 'Jeaneville Rugam' - Willie Blake's (my 'Vana Sarana' colleague) hide-out. The Rukam tank area was good elephant country.

There was a gently flowing water-course bisecting the land - altogether a lovely setting. Two dwellings camp up - one illuk roof and cement floor; the other more permanent with two rooms, kitchen, toilet, doors and windows. Our first caretaker there was Gunadasa, the son of Menike the famed tracker of Kumana.

He was withdrawn in 1978 due to the rising tensions in the area. Next we had a Muslim elder from Rukam village look after the place. Later the Muslims were chased out of Rugam and Rugam Puthur, and from about 1980 the property was abandoned.

During the production of 'Vana Sarana' (April 1995) Willie blake drove down to 'Jeanville Rugam' where a Tamil family had been put in residence. Tissa A was not too keen that I should accompany him. On his return Willie informed that two Tamil families were living on 'our property in Tamil Eelam'. Anyway, I shall visit very soon - if the A5 stays open. I with some friends planted about ten coconut trees on this property and perhaps I will be permitted a 'Kurumba' or two of them. During the 1977 PGE, I would take an overnight rest here and leave for instruction classes in Amparai the next morning, reaching the Kachcheri by 8.30 a.m. racing on the A27.

To one fastidious about correct place names, the correct version should be the native 'Urukamam' in preference to 'Rugam' or 'Rukam'.

Next on this travelogue would be 'Kardian aru' in more recent times the scene of many a LTTE strike. This must have been prime bear (Karadi) country in the past. It is also the turn-off to Ayithiamalai and Unnichchai - that meant the western shore. Passing Karadian aru somewhere on the left of the road was an old Muslim shrine, outside which was usually available for sale some of the best curd in these parts - put in small clay pots, not the large ones.

Illuppayadichenai - a prominent yet small complex of government buildings and where the Eravur West (?) VC office was located. Proceeding for the general election nominations to the VC office in Feb. 1966 with the then 'newest' AEO, Anura Kumarasinghe (in recent times STC Chairman and also a very successful industrialist) in tow, a broken culvert beyond Koduwamadu interrupted our journey. The start time for nomination was 10 a.m. and we just made it to Illuppayadichenai in a tractor thoughtfully provided by the VC Chairman. Anura spent a few days in Batticaloa and he was the first of many AEOO to be attached to my office. To this day he remains a warm and friendly person and a good friend. In 1990 he succeeded me as Senior Asst. Secretary, Ministry of State.

Koduwamadu: remembered as a PWD complex - lines, labour gangs and overseers quarters. The road was usually kept in good repair - perhaps because it was A5.

Chenkaladi: plenty of roadside vendors. The PWD office and the DRO office be spoke its administrative importance. It was also an entry point to the A15 the Batticaloa-Trincomalee old road with a few ferries to be crossed - Panichchankerni, Vaharai and Verugal. That would also be the heartland of the coast Vedda settlements beginning with Mankerni. Almost at the turn off was the 'Saruwath' stall which we sometimes patronised. 'Faluda' came into vogue in these parts in about 1968. I remember the stall in Kalmunai Division 1 near the Town Hall. Kalmunai is today a Municipal Council.

From Chenkaladi on the home stretch to Batticaloa there was a mandatory stop at the Eravur market. Thence home to Batticaloa.

On that morning (15th July 2002) - about 37 years to those times my mind went back to those happy days never to be forgotten. With Amparai and Batticaloa it was love at first sight. Thank God happier times are with us once again. I urge the youth in particular to visit these parts - so distinctively and inextricably a part of our island home. You will never regret the experience.

So at Sinha Pulaveli we stood in the shade of a few giant trees, from about 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The SL Army Major and the ASP were comfortably seated in a lovely illuk thatched rondavel, oblivious to our acute discomfort. We cast envious glances but without a helpful response. Even the newly elected lady chairperson of the Maha Oya PS was on the road the whole morning.

Less than chivalrous I thought - she being the first citizen! The Divisional Secretary Maha Oya and the AGA were conspicuous by their absence. No District Secretary and no MP. To me all this was a let down of sorts. I'm sure things would have been more thoughtfully organised at the Chenkaladi end. Anyway, now the road is open - hopefully for ever.

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