The beauty that is Trincomalee
 

by T. V. Wijayeratnam

In the year 2003 I stood on the deck of a cruiser gliding gently on Lake Windermere in the Lake District, Manchester. I gazed and gazed with awe at nature's extravaganza - the colours - so many shades of green and the blue waters reflecting the blue sky stole my heart away. I thought I would never see a beauty spot such as this until I saw our own tropical beauty, Trincomalee.

"Age did not wither nor custom stale her". Nor did tsunami dishevel her! She stood nonchalantly inspite of a brief visit by the dreaded tsunami.

Trincomalee and her gentle people who will forego their comfort for a guest - the highest form of courtesy that only people of stance, of high birth, the truly religious, the genuinely gentle are capable of - are a pride to the country as a whole.

Trincomalee is a historic town and is also shrouded in legend and myth. Sporting a natural harbour and facing the eastern expanse of the Indian ocean she charms a visitor with the natural beauty.

In 'Rajavaliya', a book on the history of Sri Lanka, it is said in the Duwapara Yuga, King Ravana ruled Lanka in BC 2387. He was a strong Saivaite - devotee of Lord Siva and he regularly worshipped Lord Shiva at the Koneswaram Temple. This temple is also known as Thachinakailas. The Kailas of the South.

Trincomalee is an ancient city of Sri Lanka. From those days it was well-known for Tamil culture and traditions are preserved to this day by the enthusiastic Tamil population, there.

Besides this town and temple are mentioned in the holy hymns (Thevaram) of Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, one of the sixty three Saiva saints of South India.

The area has many tanks and this leads to progress in agriculture. Having a natural harbour and an inner harbour, this has become one of the best naval bases too.

According to Purana stories, there was a show of strength between the five headed snake Aadi Shedan and Lord of the Winds - Vayu.

The former was bade by Lord Shiva to cover all the peaks of his abode, Mt. Kailas and Vayu should pluck at least one of the peaks. This show of strength caused panic among all living beings as the three worlds trembled by the force of the fight.

Then Lord Shiva commanded Brahma to create three more peaks resembling Mt. Kailas. Brahma did so. Then Vayu plucked one peak of Mt. Kailas and two others of the duplicate Kailas. On seeing this Lord Shiva told Vayu to put one at a place called Thirukaalathi and one at Thiruchirapalli in Chola Naad and the peak of Mt. Kailas proper at a coastal town which is Trincomalee.

The peak at Mt. Kailas was called Thirikona peak. Hence the name Thirikornamalai; baptised by the British as Trincomalee. This picturesque town boasts of Hindu temples in every other street. Saivasm flourished at one stage due to these temples. The true saivaitees of Trincomalee have not let the sect fade away in spite of modernistic changes in its infrastructure.

Religions and way of life apart, Trincomalee is famous not only for her natural harbour but also for the Fort Fredrick built by the Portuguese; the swamy rock on which the temple is found is equally famous. There is a deep cleave in the rock supposed to have been cut by King Ravana.

Going by ferry to Aalankarni - a small sandy dusty township, and the one hour trip to Muttur by ship are unique experiences. It is the natural landscape, the blushing sky, when sun dips in the lagoon, the wavy silent serene ocean after tsunami, the forests around the town and the scenic beauty of the town itself that cast a spell on any visitor.