Unawatuna: The world’s beach

“I have seen the sea lashed into fury and tossed into spray and its grandeur moves the soul of the dullest man; but I remember that it is not the billows but the calm level of the sea from which all heights and depths are measured”.
- James A. Garfield (US President 1881)

By kalakeerthi Dr. Edwin Ariyadasa

The Unawatuna beach is an eco-treasure, that no site on earth can equal. At first this may sound a rash, hyperbole. One could even aver that this is unreined, uninhibited exaggeration, determined perhaps by deeply entrenched personal prejudice.

Before I muster solid evidence to bolster my seemingly strange claim for Unawatuna beach, I must turn to the immediate cause that prompts this article.

Nostalgic pangs

In recent days, there has been a spirited public discourse about threats that are likely to mar the allure of this natural endowment.

These moved me sorely, because I am one of those few surviving individuals who have been able to witness and relish the pristine charm of the Unawatuna beach, long before organised tourism entered into the scene.

My nostalgic pangs were considerably sharpened by an emotionally tinged reflection from Paloma Scott, Director Calamander Unawatuna beach. This is his plea: “One thing is for certain. Unawatuna Bay’s beauty remains undiminished. This natural treasure should be cherished by the nation, nurtured and protected. We all ignore Unawatuna Bay’s future at our peril.”

My emotional attachment to Unawatuna Bay, dates back to a time about 80 years ago, when I was a teenager living in Unawatuna - my birth-place.

I was in a peer group, that was staunchly dedicated to art, literature and generally-aesthetics. We would of an evening saunter to Unawatuna beach which was somewhat a sleepy locale back then.

Seated on a convenient perch on the shore, at the edge the sea, in the interface between the land and the bay-line, we would watch the sea, with engrossed fascination. In the gush of enthusiasm, we would sometimes recite poetry, adding our ephemeral voices to the perpetual roar of the sea. All those companions are now gone.

(Two of them were well-known Hela enthusiasts - Anandapiya Kudathihi and Reggie Weeraman).

Billows

The U-shaped Unawatuna Beach was an uninterrupted stretch of inviting sand. The waves, encountering the layers of rock would raise billows. When the sea reaches the shore, it forms a calm natural swimming pool.

This way we discovered the enchantment of the Unawatuna Bay, even before Arthur C. Clarke - the Scuba-diving communications sage, who rated this beach as one of the world’s best. Clarke rented a house in Unawatuna way back in 1956. But, we imbibed its charm at least 15 years prior to his discovery of its assets. (Incidentally, Clarke rented out a house at Unawatuna, from D.T. Amarasinghe - a school-mate of mine from childhood).

About eight decades ago, at the western edge of the Bay, there was an ancient temple (Devale) sited on a rocky abutment. In the days of our childhood, this was desolate for a good part of the year. But, when its annual feast takes place in the month of Esala, devotees foregather in tens of thousands. The rituals held there were quite akin to those at Kataragama. A fire-walk was part of the festival, this cult, extends to the far past.

In the days of our childhood, the sea associated with the Bay, did not stir with life, to a noteworthy extend. Some fisher-folk may go out in the night, in their frail outrigger-canoes, for deep sea fishing, when they come ashore in the morning with their catch, the vendors, bearing pingos, take the fresh fish for sale.

But, Unawatuna Bay, though somnolent in our childhood days has a history that reaches back to ancient times. A convenient sea-current, brought sailing ships to this tranquil Bay, still bears the name JA-Kotuwa (The Javenese settlement) indicate the Bay’s link with ancient JAVA.

We can compare this with cheena koratuwa - Chinese settlement - in Galle).

Tradition has it, that, a God (Devol - according to folklore) landed here, sailing in a stone - raft. The cult of this deity had been practised by the people around the Bay, as long as they can remember.

Cults converging on Unawatuna lead us to the name of the place.

Popular etymology has it that Unawatuna comes from the expression ‘Onna Vatuna’ (“There, it fell”). This is pure folk-figment. It is derived from Oona Pattana (Little Bay) - Una-Patuna. Many places along the coastline have been named Patuna - to mean Bay.

This brings us to yet another aspect of the mystery that provides an absorbing halo to the Unawatuna story.

Indian epic

It has to do with the world-renowned Indian epic Ramayana, by Valmiki. The core-theme of this Indian epic is the mythical encounter between Rama and Ravana. When Rama’s brother Lakshman was near fatally wounded in battle, there was only scant hope about his life. The Prince’s life could be saved only if four medicinal herbs were fetched from the Himalayas. Speed was of the highest essence. The Monkey-God undertook the mission.

But, on location, Hanuman forgot the names of the herbs that were needed. Without wasting time to try and remember, Hanuman grabbed the part of the Himalayas with the herbs. After the herbs were taken he threw off the remaining chunk of the mountain.

That chunk fell to the ground forming Rumassala, adjacent to Unawatuna Bay. Rumassala could be rendered as “The Beautiful Rock”. Strangely enough, its present name “Buona Vista” seems an echo of the original “Rumassala”.

Because of this “Fall”, the name Unawatuna (onnavatuna) occurred according to some.

There is yet another “Fall”. There is a place, in the Bay of Unawatuna, that does not come into the magnetic grid, that covers the whole of the Earth’s surface. This point may have occurred, because some object from outer-space fell here billions of years ago. Its magnetic force is potent, that it can attract even the earth’s magnetic pull into it creating a vacuum here.

Clarke has said that communications satellites, orbiting 22,300 miles above earth, float and stay above Unawatuna Bay, when they exhaust their fuel.

This rocky escarpment called Rumassala, made up of igneous rock, may have originated from a meteor that fell here, several billion years ago. And, of course, there is the port of Galle next door. Galle derives from Galla, implying forest (Attanagalla-forest of Attana Trees). Even king Soloman’s ships, called at Galle, to take away such exotic items as spices, ivory, peacocks, gems and elephants.

Where else on earth to all these converge on the point. On top of all that, at a stretch of Beach, rarely equalled by any other such natural occurrence.

We must protect preserve and perpetuate this Nature’s Gift

 - Unawatuna Beach.