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| Wednesday, 14 July 2004 |
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Getting the glitter back into the Menik Ganga by Florence Wickramage Nestling within luscious surroundings beyond seven hills and bordered by a gently flowing Menik Ganga is the sylvan shrine of Lord Muruga, the jungle deity who has earned the devotion of Hindus as well as followers of other faiths.
While cries of `Haro Hara' resound in the fragrance filled air, devotees clad mostly in white perform their many religious obligations to Lord Kataragama. It is customary for devotees to have a bath in the Menik Ganga before entering the Kataragama Maha Devale premises. Where once was a mighty flowing river, the Menik Ganga today flows on, barely a river and at several spots on the now visible river bed, just pockets of water. The Menik Ganga is almost dry. The month of Esela is the month of festivals. Many religious festivals of the four faiths practised in our country take place during this month. Besides the Mahanuwara Esela perahera, another festival of importance is that of Lord Kataragama - known also as Skanda. Holy Rivers Ancient civilizations arose by the side of river banks emphasising the importance of water for life. Scriptures reveal the worldwide religious importance attached to certain rivers and seas from time immemorial. The River Neranjana is given prominence in Buddhism for it is this river that Prince Siddhartha crossed (Abhinikkmana) after arriving at the river bank riding his horse with Minister Channa.
In Christianity and Judaism the rivers Jordan, Nile and the Sea of Galilee among others gain importance due to religious factors attached to them. The rivers Euphrates and Tigris have also been mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. The Rivers Ganga and Jamuna in India are recognised as holy rivers as it is a ritual for Hindu devotees during festive seasons annually to immerse themselves in these holy waters to cleanse themselves from their sins. Immersing of sacred idols in rivers at the end of a season of festivities is another Hindu religious ritual attached to rivers. The water cutting ceremonies performed at the Mahaveli Ganga (Getambe) and the Menik Ganga at the conclusion of the Esela Perahera at Mahanuwara and the Kataragama festival at Ruhuna respectively, are proofs that rivers are considered a sacred source of purification. Menik Ganga The gently winding Menik Ganga has currently become the focus of attention and much controversy due to a development plan envisaged to ensure the wide use of its waters under a regulatory mechanism for sustainable development. In the days of yore when the Kataragama Devalaya was truly a sylvan shrine with ample jungle providing a backdrop, the Menik Ganga had a full complement of water since its catchment areas had eluded development. I remember my first visit to the Devalaya while very young during a festive season.
Pilgrims on their way to the Devalaya by vehicle had to park their four-wheel modes of conveyance at Tissamaharama and proceed the rest of the way in half-bullock carts. The carts would go in procession through the jungle to avoid encoutering the `jungle kings' through whose abode their unwelcome visitors wended their way to the holy shrine. There were "hopper-joints" closer to the devale area often constructed with cadjan, housed under canopied branches of huge Kumbuk and other trees. The place was lit up with torches or kerosene oil lamps. The whole area pervaded an aura of peace and tranquility. Pilgrims did not mind whether it was evening or night time to cool themselves in the inviting waters of the Menik Ganga. The `sylvan shrine' of Lord Kataragama was gradually transformed into the "Sacred city of Kataragama" with vast strides of development eating into the once peaceful, tranquil landscape. Development has left its mark on the Menik Ganga with a cement bridge replacing the `sangili palama' of the earlier days and the banks disturbed at intervals with stone steps leading down to the river. During a recent visit to Kataragama I was saddened at the sight the Menik Ganga presented. It was almost dry and large stretches of the sandy bed were visible at almost every yard or two. Pilgrims were trying to perform ablutions in the pockets of water scattered here and there, where once was a mighty flow of a magnificent river. Lunugamvehera Project The area around the Ganadevi Kovil and the Lakshmi Devalaya at Sella Kataragama was bone-dry as compared to the beautiful sight that was, with dancing waters prancing from rock to rock along the river-path. During the last festive season pilgrims to the sacred sites at Kataragama and Sella Kataragama had been provided drinking water through bowsers. Arising from the Namunukula range of hills the Menik Ganga winds its way through Wellawaya, Pelawatte, Yala Block 4, Lunugamvehera, Sella Kataragama and Kataragama. The waters of the Menik Ganga had hitherto been conserved through undisturbed catchment areas. The Lunugamvehera Project has given rise to controversy with experts affirming that if implemented with proper expertise, its benefits would outnumber its losses. Farmers in these areas lack water to irrigate their fields and cultivations. There is no drinking water and sanitary conditions leave much to be desired. Menik Ganga waters are pumped to the Puttalam Anicut and the Pelawatte Sugar Corporation and other irrigation works through eight inch pipes. Residents of Kataragama are provided with an infrastructure network to ensure pipe-borne water, but the pipes run dry throughout the day and night. Human beings in these areas and the wildlife in National parks thirst for water while the excess waters of the Menik Ganga flow into the sea due to improper management of its waters. Director General Wildlife Conservation Dayananda Kariyawasam affirmed that the development of the 83,000 acre feet Veheragala Tank in Lunugamvehera has been planned to store Menik Ganga's excess water which could be used in the dry seasons. The plan is now in the Environment Impact Assesment stage. The implementation of the project would ensure conservation of bio-diversity, the well being of the people of Ruhuna and pilgrims to Kataragama, ample water for irrigation works and also for the fauna and flora in the National Parks. The annual foot-pilgrimage from the North to the Kataragama Devalaya in the South is undertaken through jungle land, the Yala National Park with a stop at the Okanda Devalaya. A regular supply of water is an essential commodity for these foot pilgrims on their journey. River development Large Kumbuk trees lining the Menik Ganga are fast giving way due to old age with no second generation trees to replace the dying ones. The Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply has stepped in with a "Kumbuk Tree" planting project which would have a direct bearing on the conservation of the Menik Ganga waters. The Kumbuk tree is endemic to Sri Lanka and is important due to its timber-value. Environmentalists believe that the tree is fast entering the roll of `threatened endemic species' if timely action is not initiated to preserve these trees. Worthy of emulation is another project launched by the Urban Development and Water Supply Ministry to encourage the planting of trees peculiar to water catchment areas with special emphasis on endemic species which are threatened with extinction from the soil surface. The vision The word is at present striving towards balancing development and conservation and this is a challenge Sri Lanka has to meet in the 21st century. The professionals and engineering experts are entrusted with the responsibility in this instance, to proceed with the successful implementation of the Lunugamvehera Project, the end result of which would be providing water to the people from Hambantota to Lunugamvehera. But in so doing the project should not undo the good work thus far carried out by the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry through its various projects launched for the sustainable development of our natural resources. The Lunugamvehera Project thus envisages the cultivation of fields and barren lands, the provision of water for man and animals, the conservation and enrichment of bio-diversity in the area, protection of catchment areas and the river banks of the Menik Ganga and a full flow of water in the river - all this combined to bring back to Kataragama the glories of the beautiful sylvan shrine of bygone years and to Ruhuna and its people bountiful harvests long denied over the past. |
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