Save monuments that tell a story of a bygone era

HISTORY: This is the first railway station built at Peradeniya Junction in 1867. This 140 year old monument today stands at a very dilapidated condition covered with trees and wild bushes.

Once a royally functioning railway station at a major railway junction of past and present, today it seems to make homes only to pheasants, rabbits and mice.

Yet, thanks to its name plaque fixed on its front roof, this small but proud landmark building of an important era of Ceylon railway history is of course young enough to catch the attention of any attentive traveller who travels by train along the Kandy - Colombo main line.

John, an enthusiastic foreigner from Australia, who was travelling to Kandy by the Colombo - Kandy intercity express train on the evening of May 31 was very much attracted by the sight of this old building that he took several photographs of it, while the train stopped at the Peradeniya Junction for a few minutes for the commuters to detrain.

He almost risked his journey, as he went onto the tracks to take a few close-up shots when the train picked up again while he jumped onboard.

Lucky enough to cling on to the train back, he showed a much victorious attitude towards his achievements of both the train and the photographs.

"This is my first visit to Kandy. I never even dreamt that it would be so adventurous like this. Throughout the journey I was so much attracted by the surroundings of this wonderful country. I know that tourism is a major foreign exchange earner of Sri Lanka.

But yet, you see, if you are to pursue tourism, a money spinning industry, you can never let these types of monuments exist in a deteriorated condition like this.

No one can deny the fact that these are symbols of once an important historical era of industrial revolution of this country and should be continued to exist for another several generations in a well-protected manner.

You should let your children and people learn and remember the diversions of the technological advances and developments of this country, through these monuments because they represent a by gone era you can never forget of. That's how we do in our countries too. You can convert this a wonderful piece of museum of the up country railway culture and history."

Being a 'World Heritage City', Kandy awaits to warmly receive more and more tourists like John, who at least speak the very words of truth which will hopefully help to awaken the sleeping authorities who claim the right and responsibility to govern and safeguard this ancient kingdom of the Hill Capital and its resources.

by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris, Kandy