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A drive to serenity

M.J. Krishna

Sri Lanka has a variety of sights on offer; the ancient monuments speak of the country's two-millennia history, while the sun and sands on its vast coastline promise the comfort of modern holiday facilities with the thrill and excitement of water sports. However, in addition to these, the tourist who makes it here during summer will find the travel to the refreshing air of the misty mountains really worth his time.

It begins with a ride to the hills of Kandy, and the journey to the loftier heights of Nuwara Eliya. Sri Lankan highways are a delight to drive on -- smooth, well-maintained, with multi-lingual signs displayed prominently every now and then. C afes and restaurants enroute add to the driving experience. The menu ranges from deep-sea delicacies, to vegetarian spring roll, french loaf and the pastry, washed by flavoured tea from the mountains above. The staple pittu and the idiap pam, the oriental vermicelli go well with the hot and spicy chutney. Truckers, who drop in to dine, provide useful information.

Later, as you go cruising at a steady 50 kmph, relaxing in the melody of singer Amara Dewa, a little black car whizzes past you. As you pick up speed and wonder what on earth overtook your modern machine, you realise with a gasp that it's not a Merc or a Ferrari that are aplenty in Colombo, but a pre-War Morris Minor! During the course of your ascent up the mountains to Nuwara Eliya, you would come across more Minors that seem to strut about on the highway in effortless grace.

The detour to Nuwara Eliya via Kandy might mean longer travel, but the ride would provide visuals that are pleasing and vistas that are breath-taking. Passing Geli Oya takes you through paddy fields while Gampola treats you with its coconut palm g roves, a spot where kings held court in the 14th century.

As one approaches Ginigathena, the scene turns awesome, with the distant Ramboda hills and Mount Pedro visible on a clear day. As you go on, you pass waters that cascade from above, creating a rainbow spectrum during the drizzle that seems never-en ding. As the going gets chiller, the tea estates provide you with the warmth that's delicious and refreshing. Barcaple Estates and Chrystler's Farm and a few more plantations rivet you to their spectacular settings.

As you savour the scenery, the Hawker Siddley locomotive passes you by, and passengers from the train wave at you, joining you in the cheer, before the carriages vanish into one of the many tunnels in the mountain. At Hatton town, people would ex hort you to make the trip to Adam's Peak, a hill-top pilgrim centre that draws the pious from all faiths. The climb that starts from the Dalhousie tea factory promises an exciting trek.

Nanu Oya is the town that connects you to Nuwara Eliya, the town of light. The town's prominent localfolk include a strong Indian community that's been here ever since Nuwara Eliya was discovered in 1826 by Europeans who came here in search of eleph ants for logging and transport. When they reported about the place to the then Governor, Sir Edward Barnes, he developed the plateau into a town with good buildings and approach roads and encouraged Scottish planters to migrate here and grow the famed Broken Orange Pekoe tea.

The passage from Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya is a steady climb, and before long, the colonial villas and sloped-roof dwellings announce the town of light. The golfing green entices you to try a putt, and the town's post office is an example of colonial elegance. The century-old Victoria Park provides a memorable walk along flowers in bloom, and further away, the Muthumariamman temple seems to bless you.

Here in Nuwara Eliya, you shouldn't be surprised if a local promises to show you the very spot where Sita was held captive by Ravana, at his Ashoka Vana. To have a peek at mythological history, you drive beyond the sparkling Gregory's lake . A few minutes later, the vehicle takes a curve, when suddenly in front of you is a tree line of towering Ashokas, where rests a temple with a splendid view. A stream meanders through the rocks above, while the tap-tap of woodpeckers seem to be i n rhythm with the sound of the temple bell.

The site is Sita Eliya, and the priest, Sarveswar, welcomes you to this holy spot. The tea plantations brought the Indians who marked the sacred place in the 1850s and offered prayers. It was in 1998 that the Government made efforts to build a monument here. A Calcutta-based business house came forward to help. A renowned temple architect, Ravisankar Sthapathi, from Mamallapuram, near Chennai, was invited to design and execute the project. This master builder came with his tea m and spent months here to render a job of devotion and care to perspectives, shapes and facial expressions. The tower, in true South Indian style, has stucco images of the Dasavathar and the Puranas, while the inner walls and the ceiling depict s cenes from the Ramayana. The temple was consecrated alast year. Today, every visitor to Nuwara Eliya makes it a point to visit Sita Eliya and enjoy its spectacular setting, if not to offer prayers at the sannidhis of Ram, Lakshman and Hanuman, as also to the presiding deity, Sita.

Fact file

Getting there: Nuwara Eliya, about 210 km from Colombo, can be reached on a detour from Kandy, 72 km away. Driving down to the hill station is recommended.

Accommodation: In Nuwara Eliya, deluxe, St. Andrews Hotel, Ph: 0522 - 2445. Fax: 3153, Grand Hotel, Ph: 0522- 2881. Fax: 2265 are recommended.

Clothing: The altitude requires you to wear woollens, summer or winter. A rain coat or umbrella is also handy, since the weather changes suddenly, with thunder storms.