For years, I have only listened with envy to the tales of those who had travelled to the East, and longed to be a part of it. Finally, I was here in the ‘East Coast' of Sri Lanka, brimming with excitement. There were many unexplored places to see and I was only too eager to discover them all.

Words: Madhushala Senaratne | Photography: Mahesh Bandara

I was travelling with a few friends, among us a photographer impatient to capture the best of the East Coast. We first made our way towards Passekudah, which is known to have the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the country, and I was curious to know why.

As the sun sailed west, we set out to explore the coast. Tall Palmyra trees soared over us at irregular intervals. Approaching the vast open land, I was surprised at what I saw. Instead of the typically rough beachside, I found myself staring at a seemingly calm gigantic lake. For the less adventurous folk like me, who sought a peaceful dip, this was paradise.

The shallow waters invited us in, and we grabbed the chance. The sea was refreshingly warm, much to our astonishment. With hardly any waves, there was little anxiety, and we floated seamlessly. The occasional wave did create excitement, as we rushed to sway with the tide.

From Passekudah, we travelled to Arugam Bay. The beachside was crowded with surfers, both foreign and local. As we strolled along the beach, we watched the surfers climb the rising waves of Arugam Bay Point, which is regarded as Sri Lanka's best surf point and is also among the world's top surfing sites. Having mounted their boards, the surfers would race towards the waves and then ride down on it. Displaying their skill, some would turn back towards the wave, while others would fall on to the tide.

To get a glimpse of the area at night, we drove along the Arugam Bay-Panama road. We were anxious, having been cautioned of wild elephants that might cross our path. We did spot a few elephants, each alone and hoping that they would not chase us, we sped ahead. With no streetlights, the route was shrouded in mystery. Taking our cue from the still darkness, we turned off the headlights of the vehicle, only for a few seconds. Although quite frightening, we let ourselves enjoy the serenity of the night.

The SriLankan Airlines Pro 2010 - Arugam Bay Surf Competition will be held from June 18 - 24, 2010

The British Pro Surf Association (BPSA) - Champion of Champions Surf Competition will be held in Arugam Bay from July 1 - 4, 2010

In the early morning the Eastern sky and sea was abuzz with activity. We woke up eager to catch the sunrise and watched in awe as the tiny bright dot gradually grew into a large circle. As the sun climbed higher, the fisher folk returned to shore with their catch, and the beach began to fill with fishermen and buyers alike.

As evening approached we drove towards the Kumana National Park, through the Kudumbigala-Panama Sanctuary. The sanctuary sets the tone for what can be expected beyond. The dense jungle areas in the distance were a warning for us to be on our toes, while beckoning us to explore the terrain. Birds fluttered by, as if welcoming us to their dwellings, peacocks pecked at the green and elephants roamed the open fields. On the border of the Kumana National Park - the Murugan Kovil - dedicated to God Kataragama, stood atop a hill, hidden behind overgrown trees.

Once inside the National Park, we lingered for a moment till the trekker joined us. Formerly known as the Yala East National Park, Kumana is an important nesting and breeding ground for birds and is home to around 225 species of them. It is best visited during May, June and July. At this time, the mangrove of the natural swamp lake, the Kumana Villu, or the Kumana Vil Oya is filled with nests.

A Lesser Adjutant looked towards us as we drove into Kumana alongside the Kumbukkan Oya, which runs parallel to the National Park. Just ahead of us were three massive rocks, with each depicting one corner of a triangle. These combined to form the "yoda lipa" or the giant stove. We stopped for a moment to take a good look at this larger than life cooking stove.

Driving on, our vehicle was brought to an abrupt halt. There was a shriek from within, "leopard!"

We dared not move. Crossing the narrow path before us was the majestic creature, his coat darker, compared to the leopards found in other parts of the country such as Yala. Having traversed the path, he stood there, on the side of the road, but only for a moment.

His strides were much swifter than ours, and as we prepared to take a photograph, he disappeared into the wild. With the camera in hand we scanned in vain the spot where we had seen him only a moment ago. We wandered on, with a tinge of regret. We had not been able to capture him on film, and no one was going to believe us. Our enthusiasm had now taken on a new turn. The leopard dominated our conversation. At times, we lamented, and at other times we debated if we would see him again.

Driving along, we spotted a few deer. In addition, birds flew around freely. Among them we saw an Openbill, a Whistling Duck and a Pelican. A peacock stood majestically on a rock and farther along lying still as a log was a crocodile resting with its jaws wide open!

Stealing our attention was the striking Painted Stork, with thin lines of black and pink stripes running along its tail. In silence, we watched the stork on the ground, who, after a while, along with his flock, flew on to the tall trees on the other side. In the distance, we saw a legion of coconut trees, forming a separate island of sorts. This area was once a thriving small village called the Kumana Gammanaya.

Having travelled 25 kilometres into the forest, we reached the Madamethotha Devale. Surrounded by tall Kumbuk trees, the area is quiet and serene. It is from here that Hindu devotees cross the Kumbukkan Oya as they journey towards Kataragama Devale on foot on the pilgrimage known as Pada Yathra.

Driving on, our vehicle was brought to an abrupt halt. There was a shriek from within, "leopard!" We dared not move. Crossing the narrow path before us was the majestic creature, his coat darker, compared to the leopards found in other parts of the country.

As night moved in, we made our way back, wondering if we would come across the leopard. It was not to be. However, determined to spot the creature, we returned into the wilderness the following day.

We spotted a few animals as we drove into the park. Elephants strolled along the roadsides, and we spent a few minutes watching a stately creature treat himself to a grand meal, making sure to remain silent throughout. A Changeable Hawk Eagle, also known as a Chestnut Head Hawk Eagle stood on a branch, looking down at the grass below him. We wondered what it was looking at. A fox ran just ahead of us, as if guiding us onwards, stopping to look back.

As the second day into the wilderness folded, we drove on, at times, off the paved track passing other travellers. We moved closer to the gates of the park, disgruntled that we had not been able to see the leopard. But then...there he was, blocking our way to the entrance.

We held our breath. He sat there unmoved, as if he had been waiting especially for us. We turned off the engine and watched in silence. Afraid that he would leave us too soon, we took a few photographs, not wanting to miss this opportunity. As seconds slipped by, he rose, slowly. Was he saying goodbye, or was he beckoning us to follow him? We could not guess. With one last glance back at us, he wandered off, into the wild, once again, as the camera clicked one last time and we drove off, gleefully.

 

As the sun rose the next day, we set off once more along the Panama road, making our way towards the sand dunes, the last leg of our journey, to try out our very own ‘jeep safari'.

High in anticipation, we drove along a narrow track, at the end of which, miles of unexplored golden sand stretched before us. It would be right to say that we had the whole place to ourselves to swirl, sway and swoop over the sand.
The sand dunes found here are part of a series, which extend from the Panama seashore to Pottuvil, along the Eastern Coast. Wild bushes were seen amidst the valleys and we watched a family of monkeys, along with a little one, play on the undisturbed dunes.

As the sun rose the next day, we set off once more along the Panama road, making our way towards the sand dunes, the last leg of our journey, to try out our very own ‘jeep safari'.

A few of us got into the vehicle to swirl on the sand, while the other two opted to watch from afar. After a few failed attempts at getting the vehicle to climb on to one of the high blocks of sand, we decided to reverse. Slowly, we drove along the slope, over the humps and around the bends, freely drifting on the sand. The track marks we left behind were soon swept away by the fresh winds that brushed against our faces.

Wandering around, we climbed over another dune, where patches of thorny grass had grown wild on the sand. Standing atop the solid sand we gazed, seemingly forever, at the horizon in the distance, with waves splashing against the Eastern coast just beneath us. There were no boundaries here, just a long stretch of sand, some greenery, shades of blue and white all around us, simply astounding.

Driving back along the Panama road, we stopped for a moment to watch a bunch of monkeys, who stood rather patiently, in a neat line on a bund over a field, awaiting their turn to climb on to the branch of a lone plant. Once on the branch, they glanced our way, as if posing for us - their audience. Laughing, we drove away.