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| Saturday, 19 February 2005 |
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Travel Yala Village untouched by Christopher Gunathilake Driving down the Galle road right up to Tissamaharamaya, Hambantota one could see the utter devastation and havoc that the Tsunami left behind. It came so treacherously and with great speed and once it hit it changed the lives of the people of Sri Lanka, (in one historic instant for generations to come)
We will probably not look at the serene beauty of our sandy beaches and enjoy the wonder of Mother Nature that has so graciously bestowed its bounty upon Sri Lanka, in the same manner as in the past. We have seen banners and posters that have renamed the tsunami as the sea demon that snatched the lives of over 40,000 Sri Lankans- almost a third of whom were Children. Yet while we hear these traumatic accounts, there are stories of survival that are right out of fairy tales. Babies in regifoam boxes, a small child on a mattress, boy hanging onto a football - all living to tell a tale that brings a silver lining to all the dark clouds of doubt and despair that loom over us reminding us of our plight- Yet as mortal men we are absolutely helpless. Why didn't it happen to me you may ask. Why was not my loved one spared? One has no answers to these profound questions! Through science we are able to explain why things happen and yet neither science nor theology can answer why things actually happen to you and to me. In pockets we see certain places being spared the wrath of the Tsunami. Either side of Beruwela town there is utter destruction but yet some buildings were overlooked by the "Sea Demon". You may have heard stories of those who were spared from people living right along the coast giving rise to various theories, religious and otherwise! Here we have to be mindful and sensitive about those who have lost much at this instance and my heart goes out to them. "No, you were not wretched nor iniquitous in your ways that the angry waves lapped up your lives in an instant flash ". I pray for you. Who are we to say that we are more righteous than they that were taken in to the deep sea, to a watery grave? My mind kept wondering ...... How do you console these people?............... what explanations do you give them? What can you say....? Quietly I realized I had arrived at my destination. Yala Village Hotel in Palatupana / Yala. It was amazing!! There the hotel was - standing tall, as it is, untouched. Tsunami? What tsunami? This hotel seemed like it had not suffered at all. Having visited Yala Village previously and being privileged to enjoy the surrounding beauty of this fantastic nature reserve, I was relieved and thankful to hear that the hotel and most importantly the people working there were not harmed in anyway. Was it divine providence and can we speak about it thoughtlessly when for many, life has no meaning? Was it the sand dunes along the beach? Can the sand stand in the way of a tsunami that travels at a speed of 500 kmph or more? Were they (the hotel) just lucky - If so, why should they be special? Should we just thank God? You probably would if you believe in an Almighty One! I remember the day I first visited Yala Village Hotel to craft words that would fittingly describe the experience one gets to enjoy in the surroundings. I was told by Julian Davis the Managing Director that he reluctantly complied with the Coast conservation statutes of the country. (I wonder what the fuss and confusion is all about we read/hear in the media about "distances from the seas etc.,! These reservations have been in existence for some time now or was it only for "Yala Village" that this rule was laid down?). I felt that Julian had not capitalized on the long and broad beach that stretched out to endless miles. After all he had given up without a fight. After the tsunami had struck the Kirinda beach and Yala wildlife sanctuary Julian quietly confessed thus- "When constructing the hotel, we had to seek the coast conservation approval and one of their requirements was that we had to mark our boundary/ construct our buildings "150 feet from the 1st signs of vegetation from the beach". I contested that as we had a vast beach and I wanted desperately to build a few cabanas on the beach like they do in all other resort hotels in Sri Lanka & around the world. The coast conservation authority was adamant and after explanation and being the law abiding citizen I am, I built accordingly. "Now, whom do I thank for being spared today?" asks Julian." Should I thank my parents and my school - for teaching me discipline and civic responsibilities? Or should I be grateful to my religion and to the God I believe in, for being spared? Or should it be the coast conservation authority? One really wonders at the miracle - was it due to the wisdom in taking care of Mother Nature? I also noticed that there were trees all over the place surrounding the Chalets. I remember I suggested jokingly that a particular tree be chopped of so that I could get a better photograph of the hotel. For Julian it was tantamount to sacrilege. "No. Do not even think about it. Take your bags and leave!" was his prompt response. Julian now ponders about the stringent environment policy that he adopted and maintained right throughout. "We did not want to cut a single tree. If we had to, then we would re-locate it and that's exactly what we did". "People / visitors thought we were mad in that we had sent over 300 Kumbuk plants / 200 Jasmine plants to be planted in the jungle that was already a thick forest". Driving back, I could not think of anything that would take my mind away from reality in today's context. Today trying to understand wisdom I can say that if one looks after Mother Nature, she will be kind to us and that is the legacy that Yala Village leaves behind for others to follow. Maybe. Now having been spared The Hotel feels that they have an obligation towards their neighbours. They are doing all they can to rebuild the lives of the people of Kirinda. Money has already been collected to construct a school/visitor centre and to repair the pier, in fact the Kirinda Harbour rejuvenation began a month before the tsunami...... One has to see to believe the magnitude of the disaster and equally the providence of mother nature. |
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In
the east coast we are told that it is worse. Nothing stood in its way in
Trincomalee, Ampara and Batticaloa. Up in the north we also hear
horrifying stories of how bodies were swept inland a distance of 11 km.
?)Right alongside the Galle Road the signs of broken lives, families that
will take a long time to recover are yet visible even though the road has
been cleared.
