The second semester is greeted with the annual “Week Without Walls” program at our school. We get to start the new year on a trip with our schoolmates, exploring what Sri Lanka has to offer. We get a range of places to choose from, last year I attended a trip to the Highlands where I was able to put my photography skills to the test. Despite there being new additions and activities introduced, I was almost positive about which trip I wanted to sign up for, Jaffna Resonance. I was immediately drawn to the idea of visiting cultural sites, going up north, and being able to embrace the musical side of me. As a Sinhalese in Colombo, I feel quite disconnected from places in my country where a more diverse range of religions coexist. I always love going to Jaffna; however, I have never intended to explore places of worship, so I was excited about going back with a new perspective in mind.
Day 1
The first day started with a scenic 4am train ride from Fort railway station to Jaffna, which would take 7 hours in total. Surprisingly, being a part of a family of avid travelers, this was the first time I experienced a Sri Lankan train ride. Although I did not get the overcrowded, AC-less, one might say, authentic experience, it was still enjoyable in its own ways. What caught my attention was the ever-changing views that showcased mountains, bodies of water, and the occasional jungle fowl. Upon arriving in Jaffna, it struck me, there was a vast difference in the look of the railway station compared to the Fort station. There were large openings, allowing for nature to be showcased throughout the station, almost no seating and vibrant rustic interior. We hopped into the van and started bustling through the busy streets, driving past the small kades, ice cream parlors, and colorful houses.
Our first stop was a famous temple called Nallur Kandaswamy, which showcased bright red stripes and a yellow shikhara. When we entered the temple, beautiful gold embellishments were encompassing the top of the walls, floral designs in different forms exhibited on every corner of the temple, and small rooms holding sacred statues were draped in elaborate cloth. We made it just in time to see prayer rituals being performed, it was incredibly refreshing to see so many tourists and people from other religions take part in the prayer as well. After the ceremony, we spent time drawing interesting aspects of the temple, particularly tiny fragments that caught our eye. I drew moldings I observed in the walls as well as oil lamps which occupied the offerings table. Ms.Duncan treated us to a grand bowl of ice cream from Rio, a local ice cream parlor famous for their overload of sugary treats and perfectly ratioed flavors. The day ended with a relaxing night at the hotel, the whole group played card games and practiced our performance pieces for the upcoming concert we would put on at the local school.
Day 2
I was particularly excited about the second day, not only was it about exploring religious sites, but we also planned to dip our toes in the historical sites that make Jaffna so culturally significant. The first stop was an island just off the coast of the Jaffna peninsula, which housed the famous “Nagadeepa Temple”, according to contemporary history, the Gautama Buddha visited the site after five years of attaining Enlightenment to settle the dispute between two warring Naga kings, Chulodara and Mahodara. The island is also famous for the harmony between three religions, which have always coexisted in peace. There is a Buddhist temple, Hindu temple, and a Mosque that all occupy land on the island, as well as people from different religions who live on it. After speaking with the locals, it is heartwarming to see the open-mindedness and unity they all exhibit in their values, not only are they facilitating a healthy environment where all religions are respected, but they are also interested in learning about one another. This makes me think about the importance of ethics of choice and actions, despite Sri Lanka having a history of religious conflict, an island off the coast which is isolated from the mainland has always been able to maintain harmony through the worst possible times. We went inside the Buddhist temple, decked in moonstone to welcome guests, there were grand gold accents all over the temple and beautifully kept stupas in all sizes surrounding the central area. When we entered one room, in particular, we were able to see the extent to which Buddhist temples could incorporate many colors. There were beautiful drawings on all of the walls describing the stories of Buddha, in the center of all the art was a huge golden statue of Buddha hovering over floral offerings.
We took a boat back to the mainland and jumped into the van in a rush to consume some lunch. We ended up having a fantastic view to go with lunch, which was opposite Fort Hammenhiel. We took a minute boat ride to another isolated island, a mini Alcatraz, if you will, to see a famous prison which was used during the war. It housed many famous/infamous figures such as Upatissa Gamanayake, Lionel Bopage, Podi Athula (Victor Ivan), Loku Athula (N. Jayasinghe), Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda and Mahinda Wijesekara (who was to later to become a minister). Today, the fort functions as a tourist attraction and hotel, one can sleep in the cells, and if they really really want to, they can purchase themselves replicas of old-time prison uniforms to sleep in! After a tour, we sat down and wrote letters from the perspective of a prisoner, sitting at the top of the fort overlooking the close yet so far mainland almost gave me the chills, quite a strange but invigorating experience.
Day 3
We set off to the Jaffna Fort which is considered to be a memorial site for the war, we learned of its history, the part it played as a shelter for soldiers and the devastating events that occurred in it. As I walked around, I noticed many details that gave the whole fort an eerie feel, there were bullet holes which punctured the walls, carvings of names, broken structures, and cracks in the floor. It was an incredible feeling to be standing in a place that was for a period of time considered “home” for soldiers. Another unique aspect of this building is the large moat that separates it from land, it almost looks like a mini island in the middle of the town. We spent time recording observations we saw and taking notes on the history of the building, processing its beauty.
We then spent time rehearsing for a performance for the next day. Ritheek and I were singing a duet together of “Youth” by Troye Sivan, we were extremely nervous but excited at the same time. This would be my first time performing a duet in front of a large audience, well what I considered to be large. I have been a part of the Girls Voice club at school, which does live performances of songs for the annual winter and spring gala, but there is something less intimidating about singing in a group. This would be my opportunity to challenge my fears and enhance my singing skills, so I thought it would be quite disappointing to shy away from the performance aspect.
Day 4
We had an early breakfast and headed to a school in the area to watch them perform and return the favor. Watching them sing and dance was so inspiring, the Tamil roots and northern culture was apparent and refreshing to see. From their greetings to their costumes, they were colorful inside and out, and so hospitable. Having to perform after them made me so nervous, but I got up on stage and faced my fear, somehow the word came out! After getting off the stage, I felt achieved, despite the audience being significantly smaller than the school gala, I think just singing by myself, in general, was a sign of growth.
We took a midday break at the Malayan Cafe, famous for classic rice and curry, “eating with hands” style. The food was so delicious and flavorful, I ordered an assortment of curries along with my rice, who knew I could be delighted with vegetarian food! Along with my food, I had lassi, an Indian inspired menu item. After a big lunch, it was time to make our way to the Jaffna University Arts Department.
We were greeted with a traditional drumming piece coupled with singing, it sounded so unfamiliar, and I was intrigued. The piece lasted around 20 minutes, with many changes in tempo and dynamics. The costumes were very minimal and were similar to traditional Indian dress, it really added to the overall performance. When it came time for us to perform, I felt more comfortable and less scared, another sign of growth. I was excited to be up on stage, I suppose this newfound confidence came from the fact that the audience was much smaller in size than the high school, however it is best not to speculate!
By the end of the day, the curry from lunch kicked in, and we were all exhausted and sleepy, we headed to the hotel where we took a long nap. We got our stuff all packed to make our trip to Anuradhapura. The night consisted of card games and deep conversations about life after school with my friends.
Day 5
By the fifth day, our Jaffna adventures had come to an end; however, our cultural exploration did not. We visited Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Home to the biggest stupa in Asia, we saw tables and tables of gorgeous lotus flowers. We observed so many different people from around the world visiting the temple, learning about its history, and participating in prayers. Another famous temple, just a two-minute walk away, was the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple, widely known as a United Nations world heritage site. I learned that this temple had an unfortunate history behind it, one event being the massacre of Buddhist pilgrims in 1985 by LTTE (Tamil Tigers). Despite an upsetting past, the temple stands in perfect condition, still as mesmerizing as it was before. There were moonstones all over the temple floors, gold accents, and colorful drawings that told stories painted inside the temple. I am so glad that we ended the trip with this particular temple, there was something very magical about it, every aspect was a piece of art, and the Monks who guarded the temple were so very peaceful.
Overall, the trip was more eye-opening than expected, I thought I knew so much about my country, but it never fails at surprising me with its rich and beautiful history. I am thankful for this trip because it combined two of the most important aspects of Sri Lanka, religion and history, both are a testament to the complex culture of the island.