Kalpitiya:

The scenic coastal town of diversity

by Ganga Ratnayake

August 30, 2012 was a busy morning for us. Despite the gloomy weather we set off on a long journey which took us all the way from the hill capital to the far away Northwest coast. Our destination was Kalpitiya, a coastal town overlooking the Puttalam lagoon, the second largest lagoon of Sri Lanka.

After reaching the Kurunegala Road we passed the towns such as Katugastota, Kurunegala, Wariyapola, Nikaweratiya, Anamaduwa and Kalladi until we reached the junctio+n where we turned to Palavi Road.

And once crossing the Palavi Road at the next junction we turned towards Kalpitiya Road and went passing Mampuri, Nuraicholai (Norochcholai), Alankuda, Eththalai, Palakkuda and finally the town of Kalpitiya.

Our path fell along the A10 route which was an almost straight path beautified and shaded by trees neatly aligned. Bit by bit the rolling blue hills dwindled from our vicinity and the skyline was replaced by palm trees. We were passing through the coconut triangle, where acres of coconut estates sprawled as far as the eyes can see. These trees were not so tall, and we even saw some people plucking coconuts from the ground using long picking sticks. Popping up from here and there amidst them were some palmyrah trees, iconic to the northern zone.

As we drove along the thin strip of land across the peninsula, we saw the lagoon water and the distant blue ocean peeping between small huts and palm trees. Being fishing villages the sandy white shores were dotted with fishing boats of various bright tones. We also passed a number of salterns drying sea salt in open air under the warm tropical sun. Along the borders of each saltern were big salt mounds snuggled under covers. After some time we spotted dozens of small huts where fish were cured and dried using traditional methods.

The sights and scenes en route changed every now and then which made the excursion more interesting. We saw dwellings of all sizes and comforts varying from small clay huts to three-storey air-conditioned apartments. Yet one thing common to this area was that their roadsides were conspicuously adorned with flowering trees. Flowers of vivid colours breathed life to their mundane lives. Even their boundaries were marked with palmyrah leaf walls, which created floral patterns delightfully.

A few minutes after passing the Kalpitiya town we finally reached the Vijaya Naval Base. The place looked wonderfully serene and enchanting, overlooking the unruffled waters of the lagoon. Here we relished a guided tour around the historical Dutch fortress resting within the premises of the camp. And thereafter we headed to the pier and after hopping across three boats we settled inside a nice big boat with seats topped with a canopy. After putting on lifejackets the boat took us on an exciting ride across the lagoon. We saw at the far end of the lagoon a thin strip of land teeming in lush greenery, which turned out to be the famous Wilpattu National Park. The lagoon also nestled green islets and many fishing boats, some anchored all along the Kalpitiya harbour. We were even surprised by a nice splash of wave foam showering us in salty water, right when the boat turned to head back.

Later that evening on our way back we visited the Nuraicholai (Norochcholai) Navy camp where we got a chance to see the Norochcholai coal power plant from close proximity. The scenery was fascinating, as on one side was the imposing coal power station and on the other side were the gigantic wind turbine towers. One of the Navy personnel enlightened us about both power plants including the magnitude of their services.

We heard that the Norochcholai coal power plant spreads across over 100 acres and it was initiated in May 2006. It is built in three phases and once completed will generate a supply of 900 MW of electricity to the entire island. At present it can supply about 300MW where a tenth of the power is used to run the plant. The station is operated and funded by five Chinese companies and over thousand Chinese engineers and technicians work at the plant and the construction site. The main fuel coal is imported from Indonesia, and the shipments are brought to the yard with the help of tugboats.

While watching the power plant illuminated in bright lights all around, we felt the strong wind blowing from the sea close by. To catch this strong wind the coastline nestles several giant wind turbine towers. Even its smallest gearbox behind the hub of the rotating blades is said to be as big as a double door bus! We also heard that their rotating blades are highly efficient and flexible, and can be titled and turned to any angle or direction. Despite being cost effective, the wind turbines can be built only in places where the strong winds are available constantly.

Kalpitiya and its nearby towns are home to a multiracial community living in harmony, as we saw en route numerous churches as well as some temples and mosques. Thus, we didn't miss a chance to visit the oldest church in Sri Lanka, the renowned Talawila Church, which rests overlooking the scenic shoreline. The Talawila church is adorned with elegant architecture, beautiful sculptures and charming green backdrops. And the church is visited by people from all races and religions to invoke the blessings of the revered St. Anne. As in a temple, there were signs to remind the devotees to come clad in decent clothes and remove shoes before entering the nave.

The last stop of our trip was the Karambe temple, where we had the opportunity to speak to the young priest who was rendering a service to the community.

As we entered the newly built shrine room I noticed it had a unique hexagonal shape with an interior full of beautiful murals. As we stepped into the sandy court of the Bodhi tree, we noticed a few feet tall Bo plant right next to the big Bo tree.

This small plant was a sapling from the sacred Bo tree in Bodhgaya, India which was planted simultaneously with other saplings around the country, to bless the citizens following the tsunami devastation.After leaving the temple we headed home while the sights around us began to vanish into darkness. Yet the chilly breeze and the salty air reminded us that we were still passing through the coastal villages of the Northwest now in a tranquil slumber.