Podda has few days left...
Ready for Development
Podda looking forward to his new job |
An uncomfortable ride, in a crowded bus bound for Bandaragama,
brought me to Kindelpitiya junction. After a bumpy three wheeler ride I
reached my destination. But the exhaustion paid off, for I had reached
the Hirana Thotupola.
I was on a solitary quest to seek one of the last few places that
boasted of its Palam paruwa, ferrying people to and fro over the river
till 9 p.m. It was amazing that Panadura was just over the river, so
near yet impassable without the Palam paruwa.
But the tell-tale signs of development - namely the new bridge under
constructed - said that the existence of the Palam paruwa was under
threat.
Where the either side of the bumpy road to the Thotupola - were not
governed by rare trees such as kirala, amuna, makulu, hin kadol, karan
koku - it was overtaken by agriculture. Plots cultivated with green
leaves could be observed in the midst. And there were many plants of
medicinal value such as Govi wel, Bakini and Belipatta.
But there is nothing compared to seeing a huge body of water. Only a
few hours away from a concrete jungle like Colombo Hirana Thotupola is a
sight for sore eyes. It was sad to see the great bridge raising itself
up from the ground. Soon there will be no Palam paruwa. Development is
good but unfortunately aesthetic beauty suffered at the hands of it, at
times.
But Podda didn’t seem overly concerned about it. The 42 year old man
has worked on the Hirana Thotupola Palam paruwa for faithful 15 years.
When I asked him what he would do after the big bridge came, he said in
a nonchalant tone “I’ll find another job.” He says that he has no
regrets about the coming of the new bridge.
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Passenger gives a helping hand
Pix by Dilup
Chandranimal |
Podda and others like him earns Rs. 350 for half a day, by the
Panadura Pradeshiya Sabha. “I have not found a job yet but I’ll find
something. Anyway it’ll be very difficult for me to continue this for
much longer. There are various types of people drug addicts, bullies....
I may not be able to continue this anyway.”
We let a dog who hitched a ride on the ferry get off as it reached
the bank. I boarded the ferry and was astonished at how the mere tug of
the rope in the wheel could carry a car, a few three wheelers, motor
bikes and half a dozen bicycles over the water.
Podda said that ferries like the one in Hirana, operated by their
respective Pradeshiya Sabhas, are capable of handling a weight of a two
door Viking bus, without a hitch.After I reached the opposite shore and
back, the ferry left, leaving me in Hirana Thotupola, with podda
ferrying across a few three wheelers and a few bicycles.
A man on a motor bike stacked with sacks full of green leaves made it
just in time to catch the Palam paruwa to the other shore. With no mode
of transport I trekked my way back to Kindelpitiya junction on foot. It
was obvious that the area of Hirana was still untouched by heavy
development.
There were small patches of bush, between houses. And not many
vehicles disturbed the peace of the place. Passing paddy fields and huge
plots of empty land over taken by green, I finally started to notice
signs of development, as the number of motor vehicles and houses
increased, as I finally reached the Bandaragama-Piliyandala road.
- Sajitha |
