With end of war in North:

Madu Ganga in spate!

Text and Pix.: Sumathipala DEEYAGAHAGE, Southern Province Roving Cor.

The Madu Ganga of Balapitiya which originates near Polathupalatha at Uragasmanhandiya and flows into the ocean at the Balapitiya delta is a marvellous creation of natural scenic beauty.

The picturesqueness of Madu Ganga is further enhanced by the collection of islands which are by it. Its beauty is famed not only locally but also the world over.

With the end of the war in the North the number of local and foreign tourists visiting Madu Ganga to enjoy its scenic beauty is increasing daily.

Many tourists entering the Southern province through the Bentota Bridge never fail to take a boat ride in Madu Ganga.

The wetlands of Madu Ganga extends to 915 hectares of which an area of 770 hectares is under water.

According to the residents in the area there had been 64 islands fed by its and today the number has dwindled to 25, Kothduwa, Maduwa, Galmanduwa, Naiduwa, Katuduwa, Medaduwa and Satha Paheduwa are some of them. All these islands except three or four are inhabited. The largest of these islands is Maduwa which is 38 hectares in extent.

The smallest of these islands is Satha Paheduwa, so named because of its shape resembling a five cents coin.

A wooden bridge 300 metres long is constructed across Madu ganga for access to Maduwa, the largest island. Even motorcycles and trishaws travel over it.

A medical officer of the Balapitiya Hospital makes his weekly visit to Maduwa to treat the residents.

The Satha Paheduwa at Madu Ganga

A group of foreign tourists enjoying the beauty of Madu Ganga

The Gangabada Asiriya Tourist Hotel

The 300-metre long wooden bridge across the Madu Ganga

Coconut and fruits are cultivated with fishing, coir and cinnamon industries which contribute to the living means of the people living in these islands. Some islands have become sanctuaries for birds. They are full of endemic and migratory birds. The birds migrate into these islands in large numbers during September.

Either side of the Madu Ganga is covered with swamps of bio-diversity. A very rare species of mangrove, Rathamilla in South Asia can be seen in Madu Ganga.

After May last year Madu Ganga has been getting crowded with foreign and local tourists with schoolchildren. The period of bad luck which befell Madu Ganga for the past thirty years has ended now. The economic standards of the people living around Madu Ganga have also improved with the influx of tourists.

M.H. Sanjeewa (25), a youth operating boat rides for tourists who visit Madu Ganga describing the present situation said, "During the time of war the tourist industry in this area was in shambles. We faced severe economic difficulties as a result. But with the end of the war there is a large influx of tourists.

Earlier I managed only around one boat ride a week. But now I make at least two to three boat rides a day.

Many foreign tourists are from England, Germany and France. The tourists are also happy that the war had ended. They are happy because they can now tour the entire island freely.

There are some tourists who have visited Madu Ganga three or four times in their lives."

Of all the islands around Madu Ganga, Kothduwa is the only island which has a temple, known as Kothduwa Vihara. The Chief Incumbent, Ven. Omaththe Pragnasara Thera said: "It is said that there had been 64 islands in Maud Ganga earlier.

But today, many islands have been washed away. I came to this island 42 years ago. During this period we underwent many hardships.

We had to go to other islands for alms-givings travelling by boats. Some time back the late Dharmasiri Gamage of the Silumina newspaper who paid a visit, understood our plight and wrote a series of articles in the Silumina. Thereafter many came forward to develop this island."

During the war tourist did not visits this temple. But with the end of the war tourists are visiting this temple daily.

The tourists who visit Madu Ganga for sight-seeing are immensely benefited by the boat service Gangabada Asiriya offers here.

The beauty of Madu Ganga cannot be enjoyed without taking a trip on a boat.

Pradeep Chandana de Silva, the owner of Gangabada Asiriya Boat Service of Madu Ganga said, "During the past 30 years our boat service was maintained with the greatest difficulty.

During that time only a small number of tourists took boat rides.

But I am pleased that after the end of the war a large number of tourists come daily to visit Madu Ganga.

Now the tourists after their visit leave with a great sense of satisfaction.

The eradication of terrorism by President Mahinda Rajapaksa had boosted the tourism industry. Therefore we are indebted to the President."

No description about Madu Ganga will be complete without mentioning its prawns and crabs.

It is a general opinion that prawns and crabs in Madu Ganga taste better than those found at other places.

Therefore, the tourists who visit Madu Ganga never fail to taste the prawn and crab dishes offered here.

Madu Ganga is also full of many fresh water fish. Prawn plots are a permanent sight in the waters of Madu Ganga. But they are erected in the river blocking the passage of tourist boats.

It is a handicap for the tourists who visit Madu ganga.

Anyhow a tourists who visit Madu Ganga once will always opt for a second visit because no other place in Sri Lanka offers such picturesqueness as at Madu Ganga.